Coaxial cables help us get everything from television to Internet access. A broken cable can disrupt your life and cause frustration due to the downtime involved. Knowing how to fix it cuts this time in half. But when a coaxial cable is buried underground, fixing it yourself seems to be impossible. With a shovel and the correct tools, fixing an underground cable break becomes an simple process.
Step 1
Locate the break in the cable. Dig up the cable and trace it from your house to the pole outside. Take care not to dig too deep and cause another break with the shovel. Gently remove the top layers of dirt where the cable goes into the ground by the house and see how deeply the cable is buried. Follow this to the pole. If the break is close to or on the pole itself, call your cable provider to schedule a technician. Do not fix any cable breaks on the pole yourself.
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Step 2
Dry off both sides of the cable break with the dry rag. Use the cable crimping tool's cutting utensil to strip the insulation from both broken ends so the copper is exposed on both sides. Use the rag to clean any dirt or mud from the copper.
Step 3
Attach the male connectors to each side of the break. Follow the instructions given in the crimper's documentation to securely fasten the male connectors. Screw both male connectors into the female coupler. Use the adjustable wrench to make the connection snug on both ends.
Step 4
Wrap the splice with plastic. Take a roll of plastic wrap and wrap this around the connectors at least 15 times. This will prevent any moisture from interfering with the splice. When done, place the cable back into the ground and rebury.
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