Freeview Install - Self Amalgamating Tape Failure

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Oubadah

676 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 83848 22-May-2011 14:21

I did some freeview wiring a few months back, and use self amalgamating tape on the external F-Type connections.

I was up on the roof today, so I had a look too see how it was holding up so far. The tape on the aerial connector was exactly as the day I applied it:

But the tape on the amp connectors has spit and deformed:

What happened? The amp connectors are semi-enclosed, so I would have expected them to be fine. The aerial connector is completely exposed to UV etc., and it's perfect.

The F-Type connectors were loaded with silicone grease, and I thought the tape might have reacted with that, but the F-Type connector used for the aerial was exactly the same...

RunningMan

5649 posts

Uber Geek

# 472470 22-May-2011 17:02

UV perhaps?

Looks like the amp has more sun on it...

Is your tape UV proof?

sbiddle

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Biddle Corp

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# 472520 22-May-2011 18:03

Birds love the stuff, could well be they've chipped away at it.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
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Geekzone

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# 472552 22-May-2011 19:06

Can.t be birds, or UV, seeing that's covered. The cover is to the left side on hinges.

B1GGLZ

1956 posts

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# 472585 22-May-2011 19:46

Looks like heat damage.
That looks like a cast metal amp box which would get pretty hot during the day while the antenna box looks like plastic and the tape is not contained in the box like the amp connectors.

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

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# 472607 22-May-2011 20:38

gremlins.

gotta be gremlins.

mattRSK

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# 472631 22-May-2011 21:29

Can't say I have ever seen that before. I'm going to have to go with heat too. It appears glossy where it has broken apart. How tight did you pull the tape when you applied it?

Oubadah

676 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 472677 22-May-2011 22:34

Yes the amp and both it's taped connections were closed inside that hinged plastic box. No birds or direct UV.

I guess heat might have done it... Do those amps really get that hot? It wasn't hot when I touched it, but there were no receivers running off it at the time.

I stretched the tape to 75%, or whatever was written on the package.

B1GGLZ

1956 posts

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# 472684 22-May-2011 22:45

Never underestimate the heating effect of the sun.
The metal box may be enclosed inside a plastic box but I'll bet it still gets pretty hot.
Certainly hot enough inside the plastic box I would think to break down the tape if its stretched 75%.
Try putting a remote temp sensor in the box and see how hot it gets.

nitrotech

1252 posts

Uber Geek

# 472685 22-May-2011 22:57

We used to cover the self amalgamating tape with denso tape to make a weather proof seal - might be worth a go

Dunnersfella

3670 posts

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# 472727 23-May-2011 08:11

NonprayingMantis: gremlins.

gotta be gremlins.

+1
Other than gremlins, it does look like heat to me.

mthand

148 posts

Master Geek

# 472731 23-May-2011 08:20

I see that the other connection in the box is ok though which means the heat has been pretty selective which I don't quite understand myself.

On mastheads, should there be a 75 ohm blank on any open outputs/inputs?

Jaxson

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# 472779 23-May-2011 09:09

Heat for sure, but not from the sun as both connections would have been affected.

Good news is that with the cover across and the use of gel filled connectors you probably don't need the tape anyway.

Oubadah

676 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 472853 23-May-2011 10:53

mthand: I see that the other connection in the box is ok though which means the heat has been pretty selective which I don't quite understand myself.

No, they both burst. The other split is just facing away.

mthand:On mastheads, should there be a 75 ohm blank on any open outputs/inputs?

Yes, I'd like to know this too.

TechSol

270 posts

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Technical Solutions Aust

# 472928 23-May-2011 13:00

mthand:On mastheads, should there be a 75 ohm blank on any open outputs/inputs?

Yes, I'd like to know this too.

Yes, Ideally...... is it 100% necessary... probably not

webwat

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# 473094 23-May-2011 17:45

If the Amp doesn't generate that much heat, it might still get hot since any heat is contained in the plastic enclosure. Paint the box white to reflect more of the sun?

Qualified in business, certified in fibre, stuck in copper, have to keep going ^_^