Question?????????????

t c

How important is Self Amalgamating tape?

Looking at all the pictures on the forum of various set-ups, it appears that very few, if any use it.

Cheers

TC.

montgolfiere

probably most important in coastal areas, but given the damp nature of the weather in ireland probably a lot more important than down here in the Sunny??? South of France, where i have never even seen it on sale or indeed used by most 'local' Installers!!!

Peter Rhea

t c wrote: »

Looking at all the pictures on the forum of various set-ups, it appears that very few, if any use it.

Use some form of weatherproofing on the connections; any photos without were probably taken before the install was complete.

cjt156

Seeing as you can pick up a roll for a few quid from a supplier or even eBay; its well worth the investment. I got some for my DIY setup & have found loads more uses for it since.
Your LNB/cable interface is out there in all weathers; you really don't want water ingress.

MrSneeg

if you use correct connectors, compression or snap and seal with O rings,
you would not need amalgy tape.
but with cheap and nasty screw on 'F' s amalgy is a must.

kbell

As well as installs i've used it for a few other things inc. repairing the window washer hose on my van.
Handy stuff indeed

steveon

MrSneeg wrote: »

if you use correct connectors, compression or snap and seal with O rings,
you would not need amalgy tape.
but with cheap and nasty screw on 'F' s amalgy is a must.

U still neat it despite what the manufacturers claim they are not fully waterproof and Self Amalgamating tape should always be used.

MrSneeg

steveon wrote: »

U still neat it despite what the manufacturers claim they are not fully waterproof and Self Amalgamating tape should always be used.

nonsence, a correctly tightened compressesion f will not allow water ingress, fact.

steveon

MrSneeg wrote: »

nonsence, a correctly tightened compressesion f will not allow water ingress, fact.

Even when I worked for UPC and supplied with a spanner to fit and tigher f seal on connectors we were made to put on amalgamating tape. The reason is after a few months the connector starts to corrode and impossible to remove and therefore becomes damaged..

Nowadays UPC use a head shrinked tape to seal the Sealed connectors... for exactly this reason.

MrSneeg

steveon wrote: »

Even when I worked for UPC and supplied with a spanner to fit and tigher f seal on connectors we were made to put on amalgamating tape. The reason is after a few months the connector starts to corrode and impossible to remove and therefore becomes damaged..

Nowadays UPC use a head shrinked tape to seal the Sealed connectors... for exactly this reason.

I have 4 compression F's on a quad on 60 cm dish and 2 on my motorised set up, they have been in place for approx 8 years and show no sign of corosion and have never ingressed water,
as I said a correctly fitted compression F on the correct cable tightened correctly will not leak.

ISAA

Proper F compression connectors will not let in water if :

correct cable used,
cable stripped the right way.

If tape is used, and not put on correctly, moisture builds up inside the tape, and causes connector damage.
If no tape is used, the wind blows away the moisture, and the connector is dry in no time.

I'm sure installers, have removed tape, and seen water damage, due to improper sealing of the tape, so better of using compression connectors.

I use cablecoms all the time, and no water, gets in.

excollier

My own dish has screw on f-plugs and a blob of silicone grease, never any problems over the last two years. Perfect reception.
Amalgamating tape on a single or twin lnb is fine, but try it on a quad to wrap each output separately and I guarantee you will be ready to commit murder in a short time.
Fill the f-plugs with silicone grease before screwing them on, and then a smear on the outside where the cable meets the plug and you won't have any water problems. Guaranteed.

watty

Quads have the connectors too close for tape. So they have a snap down rain shield. They need the sealed Compression connectors that ISAA mentions.

Liameter

S.A. tape has other uses.
http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/self_amalg.htm

Silicone grease has other uses.
http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/silicone.htm

You can fit boots.
http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/boots.htm

Or you can fill connectors with grease then use heatshrink tube over the top for a neat and reliable connection.
http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/heatshrink.htm
(Make sure it goes right up to the LNB. Don't leave the nut exposed.)

steveon

ISAA wrote: »

Proper F compression connectors will not let in water if :

correct cable used,
cable stripped the right way.

If tape is used, and not put on correctly, moisture builds up inside the tape, and causes connector damage.
If no tape is used, the wind blows away the moisture, and the connector is dry in no time.

I'm sure installers, have removed tape, and seen water damage, due to improper sealing of the tape, so better of using compression connectors.

I use cablecoms all the time, and no water, gets in.

I beg to differ, ask any service repair technician in UPC regarding the cablecom connectors which are an american brand, they may be waterproof but they will tarnish over the years and cannot be removed, I use them myself and have the proper tools to fit but they should not be left open to the elements and anyone doing so in UPC are automatically repremanted and for good cause.

MrSneeg

Liameter wrote: »

S.A. tape has other uses.
http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/self_amalg.htm

Silicone grease has other uses.
http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/silicone.htm

You can fit boots.
http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/boots.htm

Or you can fill connectors with grease then use heatshrink tube over the top for a neat and reliable connection.
http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/heatshrink.htm
(Make sure it goes right up to the LNB. Don't leave the nut exposed.)

or you can fit a snap and seal or compression F in seconds, no grease, no heating stuff, just a waterproof reliable connection in seconds.

and if the LNB fails just screw the compression off and replace,

common sense really

t c

I like the sound of the silicone grease, where can it be got?
Tried the usual places,Woodies etc, but no luck.

My father used to use Vaseline on connections, would this do? (a lot easier to find..)

Thanks

TC