Which F Type Plugs Are Best

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I'm in the process of running aerial wires around the house.

I'm using WF100 cable and terminating with F sockets in each room, and will fit F plugs direct onto the end of the cables at the loft end so it can connect straight to my amplifier.

In the past I've only used cheapo twist on plugs however I've never been particularly confident with the twist on plugs as it's difficult to fold all the strands back and twist the plug on without damaging any of the strands, and wondered if compression plugs are much better.

First question I guess is whether compression plugs are much better and if so, what type are the best and what type of crimp tool is best for fitting them?
 
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Compression plugs are best and need to be fitted with the correct compression tool, not crimp tool. Each manufacturer has his own.

Crimp plugs are second best.
 
I've found twist-on plugs absolutely fine where they're installed once and left alone. For the caravan (where stuff gets set and struck quite often) the twist-ons are far flakier, used these compression fittings https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07PZLQ2Y4 which have been fine but you have to get the correct ones for the cable you're using
 
i have used the twist on plugs with an aerial amp for both TV & FM signals on 6 way amp all used and feeding onto TVs and PVRs
 
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Professionals such as Virgin Media never use twist ons for good reason.

The clowns employed by sky are not professionals before anyone asks.
 
as old but.. says twist on if fitted and left are fine. there are different sizes of twist on depending on the cable. getting the right size can be fun sometimes DAMHIKT. i always use a couple of inches of heat shrink to cover the barrel of the plug and an inch or so of cable and it hides any loose strands;)(if you use white heatshrink it is easy to write on to label the cable)

"It's worth noting that F-plugs for satellite coaxial cable like RG6, WF65, PF100/WF100/CT100 and CT125 all have different entry dimensions. CT125 coax cable has a outside diameter of 7.8mm as opposed to WF100/PF100 which is 6.6mm (the same as CT100). RG6 has a typical outer diameter of 6.9mm and WF65 twin Shotgun cable is 4.8mm diameter (and as a consequence has the highest signal loss)."



Read more: http://www.stevelarkins.freeuk.com/f-connectors.htm#ixzz6IT3MdR50
 
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I'm in the process of running aerial wires around the house.

I'm using WF100 cable and terminating with F sockets in each room, and will fit F plugs direct onto the end of the cables at the loft end so it can connect straight to my amplifier.

In the past I've only used cheapo twist on plugs however I've never been particularly confident with the twist on plugs as it's difficult to fold all the strands back and twist the plug on without damaging any of the strands, and wondered if compression plugs are much better.

First question I guess is whether compression plugs are much better and if so, what type are the best and what type of crimp tool is best for fitting them?

There are different qualities of each plug type, so as much as compression is the best, it's not always the most appropriate solution if the alternatives are decent quality plugs in their own right.

I use compression-fit plugs outside, and for underfloor joints where there's likely to be moisture, and if possible in lofts for cable splices where the cable may be buried insulation and I need a very strong joint in case someone tugs on the coax. It doesn't always work out that neat though. Sometimes I'm extending the in-wall coax cables up in the loft of new builds and it's obvious that the QA has spec'd the cheapest coax they could, so there's a chance that in the heat of summer the outer sheath might stretch and cause a signal disconnect. A cable loop might be enough to offset the problem, but that might not be possible if all I have is a couple of inches of coax sticking up. Each job is assessed on its individual circumstances. Have a look at the S.A.C. Snap-Seal plugs.

For fitting tools, the Snap-Seal or CableCon hand tools that look a bit like a chrome stapler with red grips are okay for someone doing their own one-off DIY installation. There's also something along the lines of the Arlec Antsig compression tool which would probably be okay for DIYers. With all of this stuff you have to remember that it's being knocked out fast and cheap from Far East production lines so the quality and lifespan of the products reflect that. In particular, it's the quality of the joints and hinges and the hardness of the metal: Not so good for day-in-day-out use as a pro installer, but okay for DIY.

Crimp-fit is something I don't use so much, but I do have some nice ones for WF65 twin.

Twist-on F plugs I use indoors (back of satellite receivers, joints for power supplies and aerial amps etc. I come across cheap and nasty ones where I'm upgrading existing installations. Those get tossed. The ones I use are made by S.A.C. and have a little rubber O ring inside the screw cap. They're quality. You can see it in the build and feel it in use. They're perfectly matched for CAI approved RG6-size cables such as the WF100 that I install. I've never had an issue with them either being loose or too tight.

Virgin uses compression only for a simple reason. It makes their job simpler. They're only dealing with one size of cable, so from a business point-of-view they can reduce inventory stock holding down to a single SKU for the plug type they use. There are benefits in supply chain streamlining, inventory costs, stock costs and of course the installers need to carry less gear.

For aerial installers such as me, we don't have the luxury of dealing with just one size of cable. We have to be prepared for whatever might pop up during the course of a job.


If this or any other reply was helpful to you, then please do the decent thing and click the T-H-A-N-K-S button (not the like button, the Thanks button. The difference is important). It appears when you hover the mouse pointer near the Quote Multi-quote buttons. It costs you nothing. This is the proper way to show your thanks for the time and help someone gave you.
 
Lucid, I appreciate your in depth posts, so every time I see one, I will Thank it.

(But why the Thanks and not the Like button?)

Andy
 
It's simply kudos and visibility, Andy. You have 1341 times someone thanked you for your posts. There's no count for Likes.

Plus, from a linguistic point-of-view, what happens in real life is if someone helps you, you reply with thank you, and not 'like'.

Like is for when you agree with some sentiment. Fred likes bacon sandwiches. John likes bacon sandwiches too. They both like bacon sandwiches, so they agree. :D
 
Just click your own username to the left of a post, 1415.
 
Yeah there is, yours is 167! It's not as visible though, indeed. (y)

Well, we live and learn. I wasn't aware that Likes were counted too. Now I am, and I stand corrected, so thanks for that. Still, as you say, it's not visible other than searching in a profile, and really, who does that?
 
For fitting tools, the Snap-Seal or CableCon hand tools that look a bit like a chrome stapler with red grips are okay for someone doing their own one-off DIY installation.
Many thanks for the in depth reply!

These are the kind I've seen before, I wouldn't have known how to describe them but "a bit like a chrome stapler with red grips" is perfect :D

Amazon sell these in various packages including a cheap rotary stripper and 20 plugs for about £13, so I'll get one of those ordered. That's enough plugs to terminate all the WF100 I need to, largely up in the loft. I must admit I was drawn to the look of the nickel and blue S.A.C. plugs but I can't really justify the extra cost other than for aesthetics!

Would these WF65 plugs from Cabelcon also be compatible with this crimping tool?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-x-F-C...e-Shotgun-Coax-Cable-by-Cabelcon/331232564044
 
Links in this post may contain affiliate links for which DIYnot may be compensated.
You're welcome :)

I would message the seller on those WF65 plugs and see what they say about a suitable fitting tool and whether the stroke length is the same as for the RG6-size plugs you've ordered.
 

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