Hole in Brick where Coax Passes through......Best Way to Seal Around the Coax?
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mmckenna
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How much of a gap is there?
If it's a small gap, just use some exterior rated silicone sealer.
If it's a large gap, you can buy foam backer rod to shove in around the cable then some silicone seal, or use expanding foam sealer
You can also use "duct plug", which is a clay like substance used to seal around conduits/cables, and can be found in the electrical department of a large hardware store.
If it's a small gap, just use some exterior rated silicone sealer.
If it's a large gap, you can buy foam backer rod to shove in around the cable then some silicone seal, or use expanding foam sealer
You can also use "duct plug", which is a clay like substance used to seal around conduits/cables, and can be found in the electrical department of a large hardware store.
Gradner Bender Duct Seal less than $5 at Lowes
Good advice here on using foam backer if the hole is too big. I would also recommend routing the coax down away from the hole and if it needs to go up jog to one side a few inches below the hole then go up. You can use cable clamps on the coax held down to the bricks or mortar with blue self tapping masonry screws.
mmckenna
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aka: drip loop.
If the hole to seal is a larger than two or three coax diameters, go to Lowes or HD. In the electrical dept. you can find some service entrance sealing putty. It comes in a gray block about 1"x4"x2". Its used for where the meter mains enter the house wall. Knead it till soft and pack it in. It won't turn rock hard over time and is durable. Also allows you to pull it out if you need to. May not work well if your coax is being moved or flexed at the entry point by wind.
My duct seal says John’s Manville on it. I think it’s got asbestos in it.
Never looked at the making of just used it for more than 40 years.
RFI-EMI-GUY
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The good stuff!
This sounds like a solution....mostly concerned about keeping bugs out. The hole itself will be under a deck and will not be exposed to much water other than sea fog!
15 years ago, I used electrical putty to seal where my electrical service cable entered the house wall. It is like plumber's putty, and forced it into the quarter inch gap to completely close it off and just used my fingers to finish off the outside. Nice and neat, remained in place, and it never got hard or brittle. In fact I still have half of the little brick I bought out in the barn. I think it is still pliable and usable.
I believe I got it at Home Depot
I believe I got it at Home Depot
I found some but it says not for outdoors.....it would be under the deck with very little rain drips if any......think it will be OK....is yours outside?
JustinWHT
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First drill the hole upwards from the outside to keep water from dripping in, a time-proven telephone company method. Won't even need to seal the hole. After you drill the hole, wipe out any dust with damp rag to remove dust that acts like a powdered mold release. I prefer to use latex caulk that's "re-enterable" for future work.
Drill your hole under a window because you'll know where the vertical studs are on either side of the window. Pick a spot several inches above or below the inside wall electrical outlets to avoid house wiring.
I've seen installers use a plastic plug on outside wall that was designed for inside wall routing for coax, but it rots away from sunlight.
Use a drop loop below the hole. Between the bottom of drip loop and entrance, I peel off half inch of the plastic sheath and attach #8 ga ground wire with radiator clamp (not to tight to crush the dielectric) then seal it with self-curing mastic and Scotch 33. I do the same for CAT 5 cables.
If you put in a ground pole, do you connect that to the power company ground? Isn't it dangerous if you don't?
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
National Electric Code requires that the new ground rod be bonded to the existing electric meter ground rod. Not doing so can result in difference of potential.
Exactly, learned this during lightning investigation back in the 80s while working for a CATV company. Differently a point of differential potential!
IF the antenna is on the opposite side of the house than the electric (would even have to go under sidewalk (who designed this area for electrical entrance?)
Should I run a ground with a Lightning ARRESTOR coaxial ground block?
The 2 heat pumps are close, any way to "bond" there and be as good/safe? Otherwise I wold have to bury about 2-3 hundred feet of copper to the elect ground....
The antenna is also next to a 240v hot tub with no ground rod but it has a dedicated power run to the breaker box.... Don't believe I want to run copper to the ground point inside the Hot Tub.....correct!?!
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mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
You want to consult an expert.
Hobby radio sites like this one does not provide expert consultation on this stuff.
NEC says they must be bonded. Putting your antenna 200 feet from the entrance isn't a good plan. If it really is your only option, then you need to put a ground rod at the base of the mast, and additional ground rods periodically along the run to the utility ground rod. This is where and actual consulting engineer can help you design it. Grounding heat pumps along the way, as well as the hot tub, would be something they could help you with.
Really, grounding is a safety thing, it's worth the money to consult someone who has the credentials to actually do this sort of stuff. Last thing you want is advice from scanner listeners or a ham radio operator.
Hobby radio sites like this one does not provide expert consultation on this stuff.
NEC says they must be bonded. Putting your antenna 200 feet from the entrance isn't a good plan. If it really is your only option, then you need to put a ground rod at the base of the mast, and additional ground rods periodically along the run to the utility ground rod. This is where and actual consulting engineer can help you design it. Grounding heat pumps along the way, as well as the hot tub, would be something they could help you with.
Really, grounding is a safety thing, it's worth the money to consult someone who has the credentials to actually do this sort of stuff. Last thing you want is advice from scanner listeners or a ham radio operator.
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