Advice for outdoor cat6 connections - ie POE cameras, weatherproofing, power surges, etc

[koonz99]

Hi guys. I live in a pretty hostile environment, weather down to -40, lots of snow and have roughly 10 plus POE cameras setup around my farm. However, i am finding, i tend to have issues with cat6 connectors either getting invaded with a little moisture or power surges coming from the POE switch frying the ends at the outdoor camera, often 40 feet up on a pole and its incredibly annoying to have to get a manlift and remake the cat6 end to get the cameras working. When I make my connection, i've tried using the included waterproof connectors plus wrapping with electrical and still found to have moisture creep in, or a power surge coming down the line. What have you used successfully without any issues. I've always spent the money and gotten decent outdoor rated gel cat6 line. What's the most foolproof way of never having issues with cat 6 ends. I don't mind spending the money on the ends, weatherproof boxes, surge protectors prior to the switch, anything to prevent me from having to remake connectors. Thanks

 

[TonyR]

Weatherproof box a plus but electrical tape alone won't cut it.

• Use dielectric grease on both the male RJ-45 and in the female where it connects.
• Wrap the entire junction with self-fusing rubber tape, don't be stingy, go past barrel connector and on out pigtail a couple of inches on both ends.
• Overwrap all that self-fusing rubber tape TIGHTLY with 3M 33+ or 88 to aid and speed up the curing process but it will remain on.

Links to grease here.

 

[koonz99]

Weatherproof box a plus but electrical tape alone won't cut it.

• Use dielectric grease on both the male RJ-45 and in the female where it connects.
• Wrap the entire junction with self-fusing rubber tape, don't be stingy, go past barrel connector and on out pigtail a couple of inches on both ends.
• Overwrap all that self-fusing rubber tape TIGHTLY with 3M 33+ or 88 to aid and speed up the curing process but it will remain on.

Links to grease here.

thank you. anyone had issues with the power coming from the switch and frying the connector or is it most likely due to water invasion. i have kind of sketchy power at some places on the farm

 

[koonz99]

thank you. anyone had issues with the power coming from the switch and frying the connector or is it most likely due to water invasion. i have kind of sketchy power at some places on the farm

also, is there a better type dielectric grease to use for cat6 connections. i can get generic stuff here,
Permatex® Dielectric Tune-Up Grease

just at the local canadian tire

 

[TonyR]

thank you. anyone had issues with the power coming from the switch and frying the connector or is it most likely due to water invasion. i have kind of sketchy power at some places on the farm

You're welcome.
And it's most likely that the water getting in, causing corrosion which produced resistance and subsequent heat from voltage drop that over time that "fried" the connector.

 

[Holbs]

If you REALLY wanted UltraWaterproofing connections... when we did fiber optic splices out in the field up in South Dakota (extreme weather)... the splices were enclosed in a see thru plastic 3 foot long tube and then filled with...with... something A 2 part liquid that within 12 hours of set time, turned into a jello mold kind off. Was awful if there was a need to get back into the splices for any reason. Twas a industrial 3M product. But that is if you wanted to go extreme