Waterproof & Protect Coaxial Cable Join

[BathDIY]

Have just repaired my Sky Coaxial Cable.

Currently, the cable is laid either side of carpet grippers to add a void I guess for the wires to sit in.

Previously it was damaged when we shampooed the carpet and the grippers I think punctured the cable.

What's the best way to protect the join from water ingress from future shampooing, can I just use duck tape or similar?

If I were to run the cable under the floor do I need to bear anything other than sealing the joins in mind? For example, I am assuming it needs fixing at intervals.

 

[Sureitsoff?]

adhesive heat shrink to protect the cable join. what is under the floor ie is it a ground floor

 

[Lucid]

I've seen coax cable run in the water trough of gutters with no additional protection at all Yes, Sky installers, I am looking smat you). Of course, it wasn't punctured and there were no cable joints.

I've also been to jobs to where old coax has water in it but still worked. When I say 'water in it', I mean dripping from the plug end. In this last case, it was old analogue-only era copper coax, and despite being drenched it still worked.

Copper cables continue to work even when my drenched. This is one very good reason why you either specify or buy good cable rather than accepting the cheaper alternative of generic RG6. The aluminium braid doesn't do well in the presence of moisture and air. It corrodes rather quickly. So its true what they say: Buy cheap, buy twice.

The best policy then is use good all-copper cable, and avoid having joints if possible.

Where joints are still required, then go with compression plugs to help get a moisture proof seal. Choose the plugs with the little rubber gaskets in the F connector end as they'll seal better with the F joiner/back-to-back cconnector. If you can, adding a little silicon grease won't hurt either.

Finally, finish off with two layers of clear heat shrink tubing to provide an an external barrier and to help strengthen the joint too.

 

[BathDIY]

adhesive heat shrink to protect the cable join. what is under the floor ie is it a ground floor

Yes, its the ground floor.

Having to buy online what size of adhesive heat shrink do I need?

 

[Sureitsoff?]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Adhesive...414857?hash=item3b34883f89:g:HGwAAOSwm7RZnX0B

will be ok

if the cables under the ground floor are resting on the earth or are liable to get eaten by rats/mice then fastening to the underside of joists is preferable (but probably not doable without lifting many boards. in my previous house i ran mains,coax and phone cables under the floor and they all just rested on the soil without problems. if you can avoi a join under there all the better

 

[mattylad]

Tip: You put the heatshrink sleeving on "before" joining both pieces together (and I'm sure we have all forgotten that bit eh!) and to shrink it, if you have a paint stripper gun you can use that but beware it burns stuff so use it on low and not too close - also beware of the surroundings - dont want to burn your wood or carpet.
Or try a hairdryer on hot and close up.

Using the flame from a lighter is not really the way to do it even though many do.

As for what size heatshrink, the size that when unshrunk will fit over the connectors used for the join, and only you can measure those.

Alternatively, as it is just inside the property, some good quality electrical tape wrapped around it will also help (although not as good as heatshrink).

 

[Lucid]

Self amalgamating tape is a lot better than electrical tape.

For a start, it's a stretchy rubber rather than firm plastic, so it follows the uneven contours of the connections and joint far better and forms a more effective seal. Second, over a period of a couple of days it cures to bond with itself. IOW, you wrap a couple of layers and in a day or two it forms a single skin. (This process is more effective if the joint is kept dry while the curing process happens)

Used correctly, self amalgamating tape will form a nearly waterproof seal. Its good stuff.