LNB taking in water

[madmike]

I have been using a Invacom QPH-031 for about a year viewing galaxy 25 asian channels. Very reciently it has decided to leak when it rains so there is no viewable channels for a couple of days.

Is there a way that i can waterproof this LNB to stop it from taking on water?

thanks,
mike

[wejones]

Originally Posted by madmike

I have been using a Invacom QPH-031 for about a year viewing galaxy 25 asian channels. Very reciently it has decided to leak when it rains so there is no viewable channels for a couple of days.

Is there a way that i can waterproof this LNB to stop it from taking on water?

thanks,
mike

?? How do you know it's leaking? Why do you have a QPH031 if you're parked on G25??

Reason I ask, is that most people who use a QPH031 use a DiseqC switch or 22khz switch to switch between linear and circular, although if you're parked at G25 then maybe you're not using the circular side.
Thing is, even though I've never opened up a QPH031, I would expect the lnbf to be more waterproof than a DiseqC switch. I HAVE opened up a DiseqC switch, and they are NOT waterproof.
So, if you have a diseqC switch, it may not be the lnbf. It might be the switch. Anyway, whichever it is, you might just get a big zip-lock bag and put it over the lnbf or switch. That's what I did. Although it eventually fell off.

[madmike]

Sorry, no switches of any kind, only the lnb. I will try the ziplock bag with RTV to see how that works. Thanks

[rainman]

Originally Posted by madmike

Sorry, no switches of any kind, only the lnb. I will try the ziplock bag with RTV to see how that works. Thanks

are you using terminators on your unused ports if not this could be your problem.

[wejones]

I would really avoid RTV. That stuff has some caustic chemicals that could potentially damage electronics. I forget what's in it.

They make some tar like sticky stuff that you can wrap around coax connections to waterproof them. I used to use the stuff, but I found that it was almost impossible to get off in the winter, so I've stopped using it. I'm probably eventually going to get water in my lnbs and switches, but I hate that tar stuff.

On my big dish, I finally made a little junction box, a weather protected plastic box, where I have barrel connection unions so I can access the coaxes and connect a meter, etc, without taking the coax off the lnbs. But with my little dishes, I just put the lnbs and switches in plastic bags. However the bags degraded, ripped, and are no longer protecting anything, so I'm probably going to have problems eventually. I also haven't used the terminators that Rainman referred to. I know I should, but I didn't. So far I'm lucky I guess. Also, I don't really try to seal the plastic bags, I just keep the open side down. I once did this and sealed up the end with duct tape, however this tended to trap moisture inside the bag, which would condense after a warm/humid to cool cycle, and this was worse than being out in the rain. I just let the bags breath.

Those switches though are really leaky. Someone here posted about them not being waterproof a while back, and I didn't beleive it, because I didn't see any reason that they *couldn't* be waterproof, so I took an old bad one apart, and sure enough, they are not sealed through the coax connector, you can slip a wire through the coax connector, and it goes clear through into the internal electronics spaces. That wasn't necessary. They easily could have used connectors that were waterproof, or could have encased the whole circuit board in plastic, but I guess that would have been more expensive.


I don't know if the QPH-031 uses waterproof connections or not. I'm hoping that it does, since I'm not terminated, and I'm not using waterproof connections on my coaxes, but I'll probably find out sooner or later. So far, I've been lucky.

But if you don't intend to take the coaxes off in cold weather, then you might look for some of that tar like coax seal material. It is supposed to be safer for electronics than RTV, and if it's not too cold, you can peal it off then re-use it. It works well, but it's not good when it gets cold.

[jp498]

Originally Posted by madmike

I have been using aInvacom QPH-031 for about a year viewing galaxy 25 asian channels. Very reciently it has decided to leak when it rains so there is no viewable channels for a couple of days.

Is there a way that i can waterproof this LNB to stop it from taking on water?

thanks,
mike

Wrap the connection in a thin coat of electrical tape, then self amalgamating tape (rubber typically), then electric tape again. This will stick no worse than electric tape, as that's the first layer, but be waterproof because of the rubber tape. Make sure the rubber tape overlaps the first electrical tape layer. It can be sliced right off with a utility knife if needed. You can get the self amalgamating tape a home despot, typically labeled as suitable for outdoor high voltage good for x kilovolts, etc..., it's several bucks a roll, but you don't need much.