25 replies to this topic

[michael_sa]

Howdy all,
I remember reading a thread here ages ago with stories and photos of dodgy installs.
Well, over the last year or so, I've been collecting a few little gems of technical expertise myself.
I'm sure most of you guys have seen this all before,

Edit>> images are here: http://www.dtvforum....showtopic=78647
(I don't get why I can't post images that are hosted externally... anyway)

Two and four way "splitter":
http://www.postimage...d9bae9ca7de.jpg

A..umm, "Joiner":
http://www.postimage...d9bae9ca7de.jpg

A "Crimped" (!) F connector:
http://www.postimage...d9bae9ca7de.jpg

Here's one of my more recent finds...

A seven way "Splitter":
This thing had been in-situ for about 5 years. A sparkie had recently added a new spur to a 'Granny flat' out the back. (Granny was the complainant)
http://www.postimage...d9bae9ca7de.jpg

Another interesting example of cable preparation & crimping:
http://www.postimage...d9bae9ca7de.jpg

It fell off when I lifted up the splitter it was screwed into:
http://www.postimage...d9bae9ca7de.jpg

I attended a property last week that had lost TV reception since the rain stated...
- There was an old Kingray amp - attached to the mast upside down...

You guys have any similar stories or photos of shame?

Edited by michael_sa, 22 May 2009 - 05:54 PM.

[mtv]

michael_sa, on May 22 2009, 04:47 PM, said:

I'm sure most of you guys have seen this all before,

Yep.... have seen it all before (and still do regularly)

Mostly the work of sparkies, then DIY and sadly... even some so-called antenna installers.

[DrP]

The stupid part is all the above weird and wonderful connections would have taken more effort than to do it properly.

[michael_sa]

I have a pic of the upside down amp in my phone, might upload it later.
Newbie here - just an observation; this place aint very photo friendly...
(unless I'm doing something wrong.) I'd have thought I could shoot a pic straight into any forum topic
?

[mtv]

michael_sa, on May 22 2009, 05:28 PM, said:

I have a pic of the upside down amp in my phone, might upload it later.
Newbie here - just an observation; this place aint very photo friendly...
(unless I'm doing something wrong.) I'd have thought I could shoot a pic straight into any forum topic?

Unfortunately no.

The only method here is in the attachments area (which you have used) or hosted externally, with a link in your post (which you have also done).

Antennas mounted upside down with balun drain holes on top is also another common one I find.

[michael_sa]

mtv, on May 22 2009, 04:49 PM, said:

...
Mostly the work of sparkies, ...

mtv, there used to be a sparkie here in town (lets call him 'xyz electrical') that did bloody hundreds of these things.
We come across 'em all the time and affectionately (NOT) refer to them as 'xyz electrical splitters'

Edited by michael_sa, 22 May 2009 - 05:41 PM.

[mtv]

DrP, on May 22 2009, 05:28 PM, said:

The stupid part is all the above weird and wonderful connections would have taken more effort than to do it properly.

True.

Unfortunately, it's often the case of the person not knowing the correct method of terminating coax/connectors.... and not bothering to find out.

Sparkies are notorious for 'star-configured' and 'looping' multiple coax cables.

Splitter?..... what's that?  

[williamtassone]

who gave you permission to photograph my installs?

[M'bozo]

michael_sa, on May 22 2009, 05:47 PM, said:

You guys have any similar stories or photos of shame?

Yes, I've posted some of them in this topic

The interesting thing is in some cases they are discovered by accident, when digital/analogue problems arise after some change is made in the house, eg plugging a bedroom TV in to an existing outlet for the first time even though the outlet has been there for some time - and reception in other parts of the house start playing up.

In defence of electricians, the ones I come across of late have all used correct cable, splitters & crimp connectors. The issues that then arise are the correct choice of antenna, orientation, mounting method & position, and use of masthead amplifiers.

I believe this can occur from using manufacturer's proforma data regarding antenna/amplifier selection for a particular application.


(Having said that, some electricians also know when to hand off to experienced tetchnicians   )

[michael_sa]

M'bozo, on May 22 2009, 06:11 PM, said:

Yes, I've posted some of them in this topic
...
In defence of electricians, the ones I come across of late have all used correct cable, splitters & crimp connectors.
...

Lots of new homes going up here - I'm changing over loads of 'screw and saddle' wall-plates that look like they've been terminated with fencing pliers and a stanley knife. Very ratty looking and usually shorted out.
I don't trust any of them any more.

Had a look in the phone tonight, here's a few more photos:

This one's an absolute classic - Owner is a tight-arse real estate agent, antenna blew over in the wind (only screwed down by short Teks) then tennants complained about reception problems after owners 'handy-man' had *fixed* it by adding guy wires - four of them.
http://www.postimage...a0a34508acc.jpg

The bottom end of it:
http://www.postimage...a0a34508acc.jpg
- classy stuff.

Ever been 'trapped' in the ceiling?:
http://www.postimage...a0a34508acc.jpg
- then electrified...

Got a call when it started raining - 'You did my TV antenna, now the roof's leaking!' (satellite guy had been there the same day as me)
Here's how he left his mount:
http://www.postimage...a0a34508acc.jpg

Rumour has it that this place was once a Free Masons meeting house -
There were four of these in it's ceiling:
http://www.postimage...a0a34508acc.jpg
Good thing I'm not superstitious!

Edited by michael_sa, 22 May 2009 - 08:58 PM.

[michael_sa]

M'bozo, on May 22 2009, 06:11 PM, said:

Yes, I've posted some of them in this topic
...

M'bozo
Fantasic collection of photos.
I noticed one in there of an antenna close to an electric fence; what was the reception like whilst the fence was energised?

this one and this one

[M'bozo]

michael_sa, on May 22 2009, 08:55 PM, said:

Lots of new homes going up here - I'm changing over loads of 'screw and saddle' wall-plates that look like they've been terminated with fencing pliers and a stanley knife. Very ratty looking and usually shorted out.

Agreed. Especially HPM ones. Clipsal aren't so bad, at some stage they modified the mechanism to reduce the chance of that happening. Now Clipsal have a F-PAL mech, (HPM may as well, I don't use them), there should be no excuse.

btw I have used screw/saddle inserts occasionally in eg the special case where an internal brick wall has had plasterboard placed over it & a right angle F connector wouldn't fit. The customer was persnickety & wanted the TV outlet looking the same as the power point. (ie no mounting block)

Quote

I noticed one in there of an antenna close to an electric fence; what was the reception like whilst the fence was energised?

No problem. ( I've been back since to install another TV). The fence did not arc, was wired in a star configuration, all joints were properly made, and there was sufficient incoming signal. The masthead was strapped UHF only. I've had problems with electric fences, in very low signal areas, not always solvable, particularly when it is not the customer's fence giving rise to the interference.

[darrend]

michael_sa, on May 23 2009, 02:14 AM, said:

M'bozo
Fantasic collection of photos.
I noticed one in there of an antenna close to an electric fence; what was the reception like whilst the fence was energised?

this one and this one

Do work for harvey norman dont you Michael the Tech to Home man.....

[Mr.Bitey]

Heh Heh! - those connections are copyright and proprietary White Van Installations!!

Cheers,
Zappey

[stahc]

Mr.Bitey, on May 23 2009, 07:28 PM, said:

Heh Heh! - those connections are copyright and proprietary White Van Installations!!

Cheers,
Zappey

you're under attack everywhere bitey

[michael_sa]

darrend, on May 23 2009, 04:47 PM, said:

Do work for harvey norman dont you Michael the Tech to Home man.....

Nope.

...are you the satellite guy..?  

/sarcasm

Edited by michael_sa, 24 May 2009 - 04:28 PM.

[gaucho]

Certainly a few cracker installations there guys.

[HillsTas]

I should try and find some of the photos of commercial installations I have had the pleasure to inspect. Mainly Pubs and Hotels, but I did a govt building a few weeks back that must have been done by "incredibly weak man" as none of the connectors were crimped/compressed, just slipped on!

[DrP]

I've seen something similar.... imagine an ethernet network with none of the wall plugs crimped, just sleeve slipped on (the centrepin was crimped).

[beeblebrox]

Yep seen all these ones.. so so many times...

How about this one... got a call from a retirement village, they've had a few people out with no resolution to their problems....

So  go out there on Friday, they ask if I can spell my name... as they didn't think two of the previous guys could.

Inspected the headend..  headend had been bypassed with a distribution amp put in it's place..  was also missing several single channel amps that had evidently failed and been taken away by a previous guy to be replaced... but he stopped answering his phone three months ago...  One of the other guys had suggested replacing it with an antenna on every roof of the 140 units that it serviced...

So it's not just domestic installs being screwed up by nuffers some of the commercial stuff I get called in to fix has to be seen to be believed.

[mtv]

beeblebrox, on Jun 23 2009, 08:15 PM, said:

So go out there on Friday, they ask if I can spell my name... as they didn't think two of the previous guys could.

They test each tech to see if they can spell beeblebrox?  

[beeblebrox]

mtv, on Jun 23 2009, 09:01 PM, said:

They test each tech to see if they can spell beeblebrox?  

Given what I've discovered out there... doubt that they could spell at all!!

the two chassis not properly earthed, connected via cascaded splitters (not links or even a single splitter) , unterminated ports, poorly terminated connections, seperate vhf/uhf antennas replaced with a "digital" matchamster DG30 combo.... the list goes on and on and I haven't even got out into the distribution system yet...  

Have pretty much fixed the headend today will start on the distribution system next week.

[beeblebrox]

I had half a dozen RG11 crimp connectors fall off in my hands in this distribution system today... lord knows what each unit and all the taps are going be like!!

[DrP]

Have you ever found a join (crimp plugs + f/f joiner) - ie bare metal - jammed in behind a live 240 volt GPO (not a newer style where the zappy bits are recessed either!)?  That one made me shudder.

[M'bozo]

Sounds like an installer's bitch thread - OK:

Brand new multi occupancy property - looks like all set up correctly from headend to room outlets - digital signal error rates marginal or below spec.

Wondering if designed by a bureau and installed off plan without consideration for the problems in this potential poor reception area - couldn't have passed final test on the figures I obtained.

Suppose it's possible something has broken after commissioning, attempted to find out who was responsible, phone call not returned, can't do much more than that.