f plugs are nickel coated any good

RobTi

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Hi i am looking to redo my cableing and wondered what your opinions of nickel coated connectors are, i will be doing a few runs and they will be on average 25m in length so i want to use good cable and connectors if they are needed, so what would you say to these 5 X QUALITY SCREW F-CONNECTORS FOR WF100 / RG6 / HD100 | eBay and if not could you point me in the right direction for cable and connectors

Thanks

Robert
 
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Hi.
I tend to buy any batch of 10 that's on EBay when I look but this is the direction in which you need to be pointed for more practical;) advice and information: F plugs and TV leads connectors.
 
kevkbuk said:
SAC do some nice snap seal ones.

Care to expand on this
 
I don't know what SAC is and thought Satcure stocked every type but there are also push-on plugs that don't seem to be listed there.
 
Care to expand on this

Not much to say except it's what Pedro uses at Purplesat, I forget the numbers but he said they had been pressure tested to something silly and still remained water tight. They are quick and easy to install given the correct tools and they seem much much more secure than the twist on ones.
 
Thanks for all the replies
 
Thomas & Betts do the better Quality snap & seal 'F' connectors but you pay nearly double compared to the SAC S&S connectors
 
I still don't know what SAC is, and now what is S&S?:confused:
 
I don't know what SAC is and thought Satcure stocked every type but there are also push-on plugs that don't seem to be listed there.

What you call "push-on" plugs are actually adapters, which screw onto any 'F' plug.

The nickel plating on an 'F' plug is appropriate when you realise that the plating on nearly every LNB output socket is also nickel. Gold plating would only be useful when both plug and socket are gold plated.

(However, in tests I carried out when I was in charge of a reliability test laboratory, I found that the gold "flash" normally used is less than 0.5 micrometres thick - insufficient to provide useful protection unless it is applied over at least 8 micrometres of nickel.)

But what really matters is the central "pin", which is actually the bare copper wire of the cable!

In practice, following many practical tests "in the field", I have determined that a coating of silicone grease will usually protect the copper wire from the electrolytic corrosion, which would otherwise occur due to the presence of moisture, oxygen and electric current.

Silicone grease on the threads also provides protection and makes the nut easier to turn - especially when you need to remove it in the future.

I should also add that the idea that "one size fits all' is laughable. Try fitting a true RG6 plug to WF100 and you won't screw it on without crushing the cable. That affects the impedance and can cause signal reflection. Conversely, a WF100 plug on RG6 cable will be too loose.
 
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I use only WF100 / TX100 cable and the ordinary screw on f-plugs of the correct size along with a dollop of silicone grease, no tape, it never fails. Thanks to Martin Pickering for the advice.
 
I still don't know what SAC is, and now what is S&S?:confused:

They are tested up to 2-3 bar- 3 bar for comparison is the upper limit of central heating systems, you can go back to outdoor cable joins years later (as I have)- unscrew them in seconds & they are clean & dry inside & have better RF characteristics.

There's no need for self amalgamating tape for outdoor joins as the author of that pdf thinks- that's one of the reasons why you pay a lot more for them & the tools needed to fit them, the threads are more precision compared to cheap f connectors & the grip on the cable is rated at a high level without damaging the coax.

Price wise (trade prices - not retail) they are a lot dearer than cheap screw on f connectors plus the cost of the fitting tools - but using them every day, the higher price makes sense, if you are just fitting a few then good screw on f connectors & self amalg tape for outdoors etc.. make sense.

We've got several brands including Thomas & Bett's nearest equivalent which I like anyway & price wise are near enough the same if bought trade- there's several others (see webro's site) & you can pay a lot more for even higher spec' for vsat etc.. & prices for bigger core can get really silly (over £20 each & keep going...) but then so can the coax.


You can get better quality screw on f connectors - more solid body*/ more precision f connector side screw thread / sealing ring inside that seals at the dielectric & has been said ... you need to match it to good coax - a good tight fit without damaging the coax- keep the cooper braid short so the thread seals on the coax outer & avoid cheap coax, even if it fits well.

There's also crimp on f connectors with or without sealing rings & gel - I don't like crimp on but if you do use them get a good brand & with sealing rings & gel & several other types.. Webro list a self install one you just push on with no tools-(tried them - don't like them tbh)

Avoid cheap thin screw on f connectors- even if you get a good fit on the coax, they can split plus the f threads are usually tooled to be loose.

(*they don't look bad on the link on post 1# for screw ons - but ask them if they have sealing 'O' rings inside- you can buy sealing rings btw)
 
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