Matching coax and plug ends (1 Viewer)

[socrates maroudis]

Bob, in this post you talked about matching coax and plug ends for your install. Could you elaborate on what you used?

I am looking in my Markertek catalog and see that Canare has Type F connectors for their own brand of coax and certain kinds of Belden. I am going to be running a lot of cabling soon and want to do a good job. I was going to buy some Belden 1694a. I currently own a Paladin Sealtite ratcheting tool with matching connectors. Comments are greatly appreciated.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

If I was using the Canare coax, I'd buy the matching Canare F connectors.

But while I admire the solid/massive construction, these things cost about $2.19 each. Since I ran dual RG6 to each of 6 rooms, I'd need to buy 24 of the suckers (plus a few extra for when I messed up) and that would be a LOT of money. And on some equipment, the connectors are so close together that the Canare connectors would cause problems.

From the Markertek site, the Canare connector for standard RG6 or Belden 1694A is the FP-C53.

BUT: you need the $65 canare die, a $20 crimp frame, the $99 Canare 5-coax stripping tool or the cheaper $60 single coax tool. (You could get away with a cheaper tool, but the Canare connectors have a special 3-blade stripper to exactly fit that connector. You need to measure the cuts and trim them up to Canare's specifications.)

Thats a LOT of money, but with everything from Canare, you are guranteed that it all fits.

That Paladin tool is ment for a special type of OUTDOOR connectors, or AIM brand F connectors. The outdoor connectors are over-kill for indoor use (but use em if you got em).

If I were you, I'd go to the Belden website and click on the "Connector Cross Reference" tab and enter 1694A, then "F". It will give you a list of brands of F connectors all built with the 1694A coax in mind.

Models like:
Allen Tel: CT715, CT716, CT718, CT732 or CT732MP,
Gilbert: GF6
PPC: CFS 6 SU, CFS 6 SUV, EX6, AMF6, SNS6NS
Trompeter: PL130C-F1

(The Belden chart gives you links to each of the manufacturers web pages )

Then I'd order the connector with the built-in crimp ring (simpler, easier to store & use).

Use your nice tool with the weatherproof connectors for all outdoor use, then the CT732 or others for indoor use for indoor use.

While buying coax, connectors and tools all from the same company is best (because you know the things were built to fit together), there are a LOT of connectors & tools that work with Belden and the 1694A is a very popular coax. (good choice by the way).

You can go to Markertek or Greybar electronics and they should be able to sell you the coax and matching connectors.

Another bit of advice:

Ideal makes a "F-connector tool" for about $18 that is like a nut-driver for standard F connectors. The socket end is split to fit around the coax and this makes it much easier to tighten the nut in the middle of a forest of cables and connectors where a wrench hardly fits. It also has a female F connector at the end that you use to shove the connector onto the coax (and really save your fingers).

http://www.goodmart.com/products/82133.htm

Make sure to use a wrench/tool to tighten down every F connector. Loose connectors are the number one cause of poor CATV reception and service calls. Tighten them finger tight, then about 1/4 turn more with a wrench/tool.

Hope this helps.

 

[Bryan.D]

these things cost about $2.19 each

Just FYI we have these (Canare FP-C5F F Connectors) for $1.64.

 

[socrates maroudis]

Thanks for all the great info. I appreciate the prompt responses.

socrates