Pro tip: Check your compression fittings before you leave the truck

Last week I had a job in a older house in Columbus where the signal was dropping every 30 seconds. I spent 45 minutes re-terminating ends and checking splitters before I realized my new batch of compression fittings had a bad batch of o-rings. Swapped them out with some older stock and the signal locked right in. Anyone else run into dodgy fittings from a certain supplier lately?

3 comments

3 Comments

jordan_hill15h ago

Man 45 minutes? That HURTS to read. I had a batch from a big box supplier last year where the little rubber gasket was sitting crooked in like half the pack. I couldn't figure out why two of my house drops were giving me fits until I literally held one up to a light and saw daylight through the side. Truth is I treat every fitting like it might be the bad one now. I'll check the o-ring before I even put it on the cable. Saved my butt twice last month on a new construction where I caught a flattened gasket before I crimped it. That supplier must have had a Monday shift that was asleep at the machine.

ruby65918h agoMost Upvoted

The real trick nobody talks about is checking your fitting torque. Half the time those dodgy o-rings fail because guys are cranking them down too tight with channel locks instead of hand tightening and then a quarter turn. I had a buddy who was having the same issue on a new build, swapped fittings three times before we realized he was overtightening them and pinching the o-rings. Also try wiping the threads with a bit of dielectric grease before you install, that can save a bad seal from a slightly off o-ring.

the_mia18h agoTop Commenter

Used to think you had to crank those things down like a gorilla to get a good seal. Honestly watched my buddy mess up three fittings before I finally listened to him about light torque. Ngl the dielectric grease tip is gold too, never thought about that.