Used to straighten all my coax ends with a $10 crimper, switched to compression fittings after one bad storm took out 6 connections

That was about 2 years ago. I was out on a job in Cleveland, middle of August, and the customer said her whole house lost signal during a heavy rain. Found every single F connector I had crimped was letting moisture in, (the cheap ones without the rubber O-ring). Bought a decent compression tool and some waterproof fittings the next day. Has anyone else found a brand of compression connectors that lasts longer than others, or is it all pretty much the same once you get the right tool?

2 comments

2 Comments

grayperez16d ago

Totally agree on those cheapo crimps, lost two myself before switching to compression.

zarapalmer16d ago

Yeah, that storm must have been brutal, six connections gone in one go? That's rough. I feel your pain on the cheap crimp fittings, it's like they're designed to fail as soon as the weather gets nasty. I've had good luck with the Amphenol compression connectors, they hold up way better than the store brand stuff. But honestly, I think once you're using a decent tool and the fittings are sealed properly, most of the big name brands are pretty similar. The trick is just making sure you're getting the waterproof ones with the O-rings, not the plain plastic kind. Sticking with a reputable name and not cutting corners on the tool itself makes all the difference in the long run.