Crimping coaxial ends

[Klutch9]

Occasionally, we run coaxial cable at work. Sometimes for CCTV, sometimes for structured home/business wiring. Anyway, today I was putting some "F" type ends on some RG6. I just use a sharp utility knife to score the jacketing and dielectric, since I'm so used to it. Typically, to make sure I have enough stock to work with, I peel back a decent amount of braiding to make sure I don't end up short. Once the connector is crimped on, I usually have a bit of braiding sticking out of the bottom of the connector. At this point, I either clip it off as best I can with wire cutters or a blade. Doesn't always look the prettiest, but this assures me that I've got as full a length possible of braid contacting the inner jacket. FWIW, I've never had issues doing this.

I was talking with a Comcast technician today who swore up and down that leaving ANY braiding exposed will cause interference and won't work. Clearly he's wrong, since I've been doing this for years and have never had an issue. In theoretical terms it works too, since that braiding, and the entire jacket of the metal connector are all 'connected' so to speak. So if that braiding would induce interference, so would the connector.

He then told me that it may not make a difference, but that their new Xfinity service has some system integrity test that it does, and it doesn't like to see any braids exposed at all. Am I missing something here?

 

[The_Jeff]

He probably had it beat over his head during training.

I have some cable TV-guy done connections in my basement, and they're all outstanding.

 

[dishdude]

As long as the braided ground isn't touching the center conductor it'll be fine. You can buy a set of coax strippers for under $10 if you do quite a few. What are you using to crimp?

 

[Klutch9]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
As long as the braided ground isn't touching the center conductor it'll be fine. You can buy a set of coax strippers for under $10 if you do quite a few. What are you using to crimp?


I've got a couple ratcheting crimpers with swappable dies. One is Ideal brand, and the other is some other decent brand, can't remember. And yes, the center conductor is always isolated from the braiding and foil. That IS important.

 

[Win]

Originally Posted By: Klutch9
Am I missing something here?


No.

 

[BigD1]

I have done it like that before with no problems on the inside, but I bought a complete cable F-connector kit to do the outside, and now use it for all connections. Bought the kit from Ebay for about $19.00 that had the adjustable stripper, compression tool, and 50 quality connectors. At the time I bought the kit, the PPC F-connectors were on the approved dish tv list.

 

[michaelluscher]

Why are you crimping still?

You should be using compression connectors

 

[HerrStig]

Another application of the theory which suggeste the less you know about something the more certain you are of it. I've installed Pl 259s and Type Ns which operated at 1500 watts, as well as BNC, TNC, amd SMAs amd never saw an admonition in the instructions about the braid "sticking out". A tyoe F is about as cheap and dirty as they come. Was there a "theory" about the propagation of interference, or just one of those by rote "you can't so this" rants.

 

[dishdude]

Those compression connectors are only necessary for exterior connections. I still use the hex crimper and it does fine.

I do think OP needs a coax stripper, those long ground connections look terrible, if I came across those I would always replace them. One other note is that wire is generally copper clad, if you cut through the cladding you reduce the frequency it can carry, so a set of strippers adjusted properly is the way to go.

 

[Kawiguy454]

It is shielding ...you cant have too much. but neat freaks will go crazy.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
Those compression connectors are only necessary for exterior connections. I still use the hex crimper and it does fine.

I do think OP needs a coax stripper, those long ground connections look terrible, if I came across those I would always replace them. One other note is that wire is generally copper clad, if you cut through the cladding you reduce the frequency it can carry, so a set of strippers adjusted properly is the way to go.
By HOW MUCH is the "frequency" reduced? Coax loss is usually quoted as loss in db per foot at a specific frequency.

 

[sleddriver]

As usual, it depends...on frequency + technique and a few others...It will work, but it also may leak.

I always use RG-6QS + a stripper made for it as well as a rachet crimper with interchangeable dies. No braid ever exposed.

Coax is technically transmission line, which is far more complex than just "wire". QS is used to contain UHF & above as it doesn't necessarily want to "follow the rules" so-to-speak. That's why it uses two aluminum braids + two foil shields.

For my amateur radio work, I have to go even higher as the attenuation/ft of RG-6QS is too high. Usually something like LMR400, especially > 400Mhz. I also only use N-connectors and try to cut cable at only .25 or .5 wavelengths.

 

[sxg6]

Originally Posted By: Klutch9

He then told me that it may not make a difference, but that their new Xfinity service has some system integrity test that it does, and it doesn't like to see any braids exposed at all. Am I missing something here?


Interesting.. I have heard X1 is very picky about signal levels, I'm wondering if that's what he meant. You can also check the signal levels yourself, which I occasionally will do if I'm having service issues. I've played around with it (diagnostics menus) lately after replacing a splitter, and crimping cable myself a few different ways.

I have this stripper and I love it.
http://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-VDV110061-Cable-Stripper/dp/B004SUVEIA

I got the kind below at home depot on clearance for $5.. but ended up returning it. It's fancier, and I liked that it could strip UTP, but I just couldn't get a clean coax strip with it. I was probably using it wrong though, since I just learned how to crimp cable last year.
http://amzn.com/B002MSJMX4

 

[Lapham3]

Just somewhat related, but we're dealing with the cable outfit at our seasonal place where the 'technician' apparently took a wrench to all the connections and so at 'winter shutdown' time it took a wrench to remove and a TV then had it's terminal broken off of the set. I'm sure they'll own up to it and get our set fixed or a new one!?
From 40+ years ago I recall RG58 cable and BNC 'nutted' connectors and having to solder the conductor wire-after heating up and then unpluging the iron and yes, trimming off all the extra'hair'-this on the Terrain Avoidance computer in the 'wine cellar' of the B-52

 

[spackard]

You're probably using regular RG6 and F connectors, Klutch9. The quad shield RG6 and compression connector is kind of painful to work with. The Comcast technician is right about no exposed shield with a compression connector. With the compression connector you don't fit it the same way as a regular F connector (you don't push shield back; you push a steel sleeve into the shield braid.)

 

[Klutch9]

Originally Posted By: spackard
You're probably using regular RG6 and F connectors, Klutch9. The quad shield RG6 and compression connector is kind of painful to work with. The Comcast technician is right about no exposed shield with a compression connector. With the compression connector you don't fit it the same way as a regular F connector (you don't push shield back; you push a steel sleeve into the shield braid.)


You're dead on, in the fact that I'm using crimp connectors (meant for RG6QS) and they use compression connectors, which do have different processes of assembly.

 

[sxg6]

Originally Posted By: spackard
The quad shield RG6 and compression connector is kind of painful to work with.


So true, I almost asked about this. I've heard different compression fittings work better with rg6 quad, I'm using belden snap n seals which don't go on very easy. I use an old splitter to help work the fitting on, but it's still not easy. I did a little research, some guys say they heat up the cable with a lighter, others say don't do that, but it makes sense that heating up the cable somehow could make things easier. I've also looked into flaring tools, but some people say those don't work well, and can mess up the shielding. I'm open to any advice on getting compression fittings on rg6 quad easier.

 

[dishdude]

Quad shield requires special connectors, if you're trying to squeeze a standard RG-6 f connector on quad shielded cable you'll have a miserable time.

 

[sxg6]

Yeah, the connectors I have say they're for both regular rg6 and rg6 quad shield, still not much fun. I've also heard different quad shield cables are easier to work with, who knows.