Repair TV Cable?
05-04-00, 06:17 PM
#1
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Okay, my underground cable got nicked, but not all the way through (an errant shovel!). I think it's bad enough I should splice in a patch. How do you do this? Just simple male/female connectors, or soldered or something?
Once it's patched, how would you then make it watertight? Some kind of heat shrink?
Once it's patched, how would you then make it watertight? Some kind of heat shrink?
05-04-00, 06:35 PM
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I'd first call the cable company, unless of course, the errant shovel was related to some action that, say, the cable company shouldn't know about. <grin>
You can just splicce in a patch using crimp-on connectors, but I don't know how reliable it would be. Radio Shack should have the parts.
To make something like that water-tight, pack heavy grease around it, then wrap it in electrical tape (which won't stick because of the grease, but do your best) or use the heat-shrink.
You can just splicce in a patch using crimp-on connectors, but I don't know how reliable it would be. Radio Shack should have the parts.
To make something like that water-tight, pack heavy grease around it, then wrap it in electrical tape (which won't stick because of the grease, but do your best) or use the heat-shrink.
05-04-00, 08:29 PM
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How deep a nick? Coax is in layers: outer jacket, braided metal shielding, PVC insulator, copper center carrier.
If you only nicked the outer jacket and some of the braided shielding, you don't have to cut the entire cable. Just put a wrap of plumbers pvc tape (2-4" width) around it. For a water tight seal, you can use a LITTLE PVC pipe sealant. It'll melt the plastics together.
Cut the cable if you nicked deep into the insulator (a clear or whitish plastic) or if the center carrier line was exposed. You can crimp on new coaxial leads to the two ends, mate them w/a female to female connector (a threaded piece w/a hex nut placed in the center). This will hold the cable solidly together. For water proofing, use the plumber's tape.
[This message has been edited by BEC (edited May 04, 2000).]
If you only nicked the outer jacket and some of the braided shielding, you don't have to cut the entire cable. Just put a wrap of plumbers pvc tape (2-4" width) around it. For a water tight seal, you can use a LITTLE PVC pipe sealant. It'll melt the plastics together.
Cut the cable if you nicked deep into the insulator (a clear or whitish plastic) or if the center carrier line was exposed. You can crimp on new coaxial leads to the two ends, mate them w/a female to female connector (a threaded piece w/a hex nut placed in the center). This will hold the cable solidly together. For water proofing, use the plumber's tape.
[This message has been edited by BEC (edited May 04, 2000).]
05-05-00, 01:29 AM
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Don't think the inner wire is exposed, but the braided outer part is cut almost halfway around! Didn't check the white insulator, but based on the braided wire, I thought a splice might be best.
Should I let the cable company handle it, or are they going to charge a bunch? The nick was my fault and I had the cable fully exposed at the time. The builder only laid the damn cable right under the sod. It's supposed to be at least 6" in!
Is the braided part only a shield, with no signal? If so, then I might just seal it up. There's no signal loss in the house right now.
[This message has been edited by Taco (edited May 04, 2000).]
Should I let the cable company handle it, or are they going to charge a bunch? The nick was my fault and I had the cable fully exposed at the time. The builder only laid the damn cable right under the sod. It's supposed to be at least 6" in!
Is the braided part only a shield, with no signal? If so, then I might just seal it up. There's no signal loss in the house right now.
[This message has been edited by Taco (edited May 04, 2000).]
05-05-00, 01:44 AM
#5
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If you need to seal it up use a tube of SILICONE and nothing else. You can get this at any hardware store and it is what the cable company would use. If there is no signal loss you might be OK just sealing it up, otherwise put in a patch and then seal the patch up.
I had an issue like this once because the cable company buried the cable where I told them not to, so dug it up and cut it and told them to come out and fix it becasue it was their fault it was not in the right place, they did no charge it depends I guess.
I had an issue like this once because the cable company buried the cable where I told them not to, so dug it up and cut it and told them to come out and fix it becasue it was their fault it was not in the right place, they did no charge it depends I guess.
