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Can sat cable be buried?

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  • 26-10-2014 9:39am
    #1
    mrcheez
    Registered Users Posts: 13,618 ✭✭✭✭


    I currently have a cable running from the sky dish outside into the house.

    The cable drops down from the dish attached to the garden wall and runs along the ground beside the wall.

    I'm going to be laying down a few layers of mulch on top of it, is this ok, or will the cable heat up or have to breath (as power cables do)?


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    #2
    GY A1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,246 ✭✭✭GY A1


    i'd put the cable in a conduit or pipe to protect it from the outside elements, ect


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    #3
    Rippy
    Registered Users Posts: 966 ✭✭✭Rippy


    Normal satellite cable is not designed for direct burial . If left in water or damp ground it will become porous over time and absorb moisture . As suggested above it should be protected in conduit, taking care that the conduit itself cannot fill with water.
    Non-porous , direct burial sat. cable is available , but expensive and difficult to source .


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    #4
    mrcheez
    Registered Users Posts: 13,618 ✭✭✭✭mrcheez


    Can the conduits be sliced open to insert the wire and then taped up again? Any special sort of tape to last the exterior conditions?


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    #5
    FREETV
    Registered Users Posts: 1,673 ✭✭✭FREETV


    mrcheez wrote: »
    Can the conduits be sliced open to insert the wire and then taped up again? Any special sort of tape to last the exterior conditions?

    You could use rubber self amalgamating tape.
    Conduit tubing has holes on both ends for inserting the cable.
    Silicone gel could also be used to close up any holes in conduit to prevent water ingress.
    There are several diameters and thicknesses of conduit tubing available and it all depends on the number of sat cables that one wants to put through them.


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    #6
    mrcheez
    Registered Users Posts: 13,618 ✭✭✭✭mrcheez


    No i mean, the cable is currently attached to the satellite dish and wired through the house, so the conduit is going to have to be sliced open so it can "wrap" the bit of wire running along the ground.

    I can't thread it through the conduit.


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    #7
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,615 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Unscrew it from the satellite dish then.

    A conduit that you open like that will never be watertight


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    #8
    mrcheez
    Registered Users Posts: 13,618 ✭✭✭✭mrcheez


    nah I won't be doing that :)


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    #9
    Guy:Incognito
    Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    mrcheez wrote: »
    nah I won't be doing that :)

    Unscrewing it from the dish? Why not? It just screw off by hand.


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    #10
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,615 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    mrcheez wrote: »
    nah I won't be doing that :)

    Well, don't expect someone to magically come up with a solution that requires less work than the three seconds involved in doing that.


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    #11
    mrcheez
    Registered Users Posts: 13,618 ✭✭✭✭mrcheez


    Nah I'll figure out an alternative, cheers for the suggestions though

    (whatever way the previous owners of the house got it done, the wire is going through a frame with clips etc.. looks like a messy job, so I'd prefer to leave alone and just keep the wire above ground, or until I can get some sort of protective wrap to allow it to go below)


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    #12
    obezyana
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,498 ✭✭✭obezyana


    Why don't you just tidy it up by re clipping it yourself?


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    #13
    mrcheez
    Registered Users Posts: 13,618 ✭✭✭✭mrcheez


    I was looking for a quick 5 minute job, anyone here who wants to do this is more than welcome :)


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    #14
    GY A1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,246 ✭✭✭GY A1


    mrcheez wrote: »
    I currently have a cable running from the sky dish outside into the house.

    The cable drops down from the dish attached to the garden wall and runs along the ground beside the wall.

    I'm going to be laying down a few layers of mulch on top of it, is this ok, or will the cable heat up or have to breath (as power cables do)?

    clip it onto the wall


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    #15
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,615 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    How was cutting open and resealing then *burying* a conduit going to be a "quick 5 minute job"?


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    #16
    bennyineire
    Registered Users Posts: 2,466 ✭✭✭bennyineire


    MYOB wrote: »
    How was cutting open and resealing then *burying* a conduit going to be a "quick 5 minute job"?
    Indeed this sounds like a nigthmare job


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    #17
    AndyBoBandy
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 14,891 Mod ✭✭✭✭AndyBoBandy


    There are only ever 2 ways to do a job.

    The right way
    The wrong way

    I know I'd be doing it right, take all the clips off, unscrew the cable from the dish, and run it through a conduit, then clip it all back on in a tidy way.


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    #18
    mrcheez
    Registered Users Posts: 13,618 ✭✭✭✭mrcheez


    The cable has lasted several years with no problems so I'll keep it above ground and cover it in coloured tape to camouflage it. Problem solved in less than 5 minutes.

    Cutting a pipe open and wrapping the 3m of cable with it, then covering in mulch is a 5 minute job. You can keep the open side face-down so that water can escape if it gets in.

    In fact some hosepipe might do the trick. Tape up either side to prevent water getting in.


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    #19
    AndyBoBandy
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 14,891 Mod ✭✭✭✭AndyBoBandy


    mrcheez wrote: »
    The cable has lasted several years with no problems so I'll keep it above ground and cover it in coloured tape to camouflage it. Problem solved in less than 5 minutes.

    Cutting a pipe open and wrapping the 3m of cable with it, then covering in mulch is a 5 minute job. You can keep the open side face-down so that water can escape if it gets in.

    In fact some hosepipe might do the trick. Tape up either side to prevent water getting in.

    While this may offer some protection to the cable, it will not be watertight, and eventually the cable will degrade, and need replacing.


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    #20
    mrcheez
    Registered Users Posts: 13,618 ✭✭✭✭mrcheez


    Out of curiosity, all my other neighbours have their satellite cable exposed (some attached to wall but still exposed to the elements) with no protection, but none have issues with degrading performance.

    Are they all going to have their cables degrade?


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    #21
    AndyBoBandy
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 14,891 Mod ✭✭✭✭AndyBoBandy


    probably not, but that would be because their cable is exposed, and while the cable will get wet, it will also dry, when its not raining.

    a buried cable will be potentially in contact with moisture 100% of the time, and thus more susceptible to damage.

    as an example, take phone lines, above ground, they are unprotected, below ground, they are protected by conduit.


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    #22
    mrcheez
    Registered Users Posts: 13,618 ✭✭✭✭mrcheez


    Fair enough, I'll leave it above ground and camouflage it :)


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    #23
    Aerohead
    Closed Accounts Posts: 688 ✭✭✭Aerohead


    Guys just in relation to cable ,I have buried three core electric cable to the light in my garden shed, to turn it on I put in a plug in the kitchen, will this cable go porous as well or will it be ok seen as its rarely on


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    #24
    Thurston?
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,278 ✭✭✭Thurston?


    Aerohead wrote: »
    Guys just in relation to cable ,I have buried three core electric cable to the light in my garden shed, to turn it on I put in a plug in the kitchen, will this cable go porous as well or will it be ok seen as its rarely on

    I would imagine this kind of thing is regulated WRT the kind of cable that can be directly buried, due to the dangers involved. It's a whole different ball game to putting some satellite dish cables in the ground.

    I would ask in the electrical forum.


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    #25
    Eric Cartman
    Registered Users Posts: 26,283 ✭✭✭✭Eric Cartman


    Aerohead wrote: »
    Guys just in relation to cable ,I have buried three core electric cable to the light in my garden shed, to turn it on I put in a plug in the kitchen, will this cable go porous as well or will it be ok seen as its rarely on

    Very specific non porous cable is used for outdoor electrical installations. I would not bury standard electrical wiring. Whatever about satellite, this is mains poer your talking here which has a fire risk.


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    #26
    obezyana
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,498 ✭✭✭obezyana


    Aerohead wrote: »
    Guys just in relation to cable ,I have buried three core electric cable to the light in my garden shed, to turn it on I put in a plug in the kitchen, will this cable go porous as well or will it be ok seen as its rarely on


    I have this done out in our garden doing the exact same thing you have and the cable is covered in a conduit to keep it as dry as possible. We have zero problems with it. I would suggest running it thru conduit just to be safe.


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