Split on using TNC connectors for RG6 in attics after a rough job last week

I swapped from compression fittings to TNC connectors up in a 120-degree attic near Austin and got signal loss on 3 out of 8 drops. Did they mess me up or was this just a bad batch of connectors, who else has dealt with this issue?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamie7701mo ago

I remember reading a post on a telecom forum a few months back where a guy had the same issue with TNC connectors on RG6 in hot attics. He found out the problem was thermal expansion causing the center pin to pull back just enough to lose contact. You might want to check if your connectors were fully seated before crimping, because even a tiny gap in 120-degree heat can mess up the signal. I also saw some folks saying those cheaper TNC connectors have inconsistent tolerances, so it might not be your tools, just the batch. If you can, try a different brand next time or test a couple connectors at room temp before going back up in that heat.

the_diana1mo ago

@jamie770 nah, heat's not the issue if you prep the cable right. Bad connectors are bad connectors.

the_jennifer29d agoTop Commenter

Three attics in one summer taught me the same lesson with F type connectors on RG59. I had to redo all of them with compression fittings and never had the issue again.

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