Help Cut TV cable with ditchwitch what to do??

[Nilesw]

I know I know call before you dig!! Well i didnt and now learned. I cut the coax cable for my cable tv. I went to Home depot and bought the stuff to I thought would allow me to splice it together but this coax cable is bigger than the RG6 stuff they had there?? It it a thick hard to bend coax Anyone know what kind it could be?? Should I just call the cable company and pay the big buck to them to patch it or...

Thanks
Niles

 

[DaveInColorado]

It sounds like you cut the main line for all of your neighbors! The line to your house is skinny. At my old house I did this several times and they never charged me for it. That was because they had run it basically under the 3" of pea gravel in my kids play area. It was not down in the dirt more than an inch or two. I've also cut my phone line twice! That hurts. $100 for the first cut, $300 for the next! I'm super careful and mark everything. The problem is that you get going with the trencher and forget about the world and before you know it you've sawed halfway to China.

 

[GerardC]

Call them and see what they say. I would also try to find out what type of cable it is. There may be a chance you could still repair it yourself. G

 

[riptides]

Unfortunate.

The more you splice into cable the more quality loss of picture. You will need a good splice job.

Good luck.
-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Inspector507]

Not easy for the average Joe to buy the same size underground cable that they use. I'd call them and have it done right. Just my thoughts.....

 

[khd]

I agree with riptide. Getting fittings for a hard line is hard and getting a good splice on the same is even harder especially without the right tools. If your where able to do it you would most likely see some signal degradation....ghosty pics, etc.

I would call the cable company. They are probably in your area regularly and it is a quick fix unless they have to do a new run.

Kevin

 

[theboman]

Call the cable folks. The wire MUST be underground. Also, a splice will rust ... boots, tape, etc the spices draw moisture.
I'm a cable guy, not a installer for cable but in ad sales and I've learned a lot in 18+ years, well, I've learned just enough to be a fairly dangerous man!

 

[ManofMystery]

Niles,

The cable is probably RG-11, which is used for longer runs than the more common RG-6. Both come with a variety of shield and jacket configurations, depending on the service conditions.

The cable company has the right tools to splice this cable, and as others have pointed out, you want this splice to be good and to last. My advice is to give them a call and pay the service fee if you have to. It will probably cost you less than it would to by the tools to do the job yourself.

 

[hfd376]

Call them and fess up. If it is fiber, they already know about it. If its mainline cable, depening on what it supplies, they may already know about it.

Mainline cable comes in .500, .625, .750, and 1 inch in diameter will have a black pvc type sheathing around a solid aluminum sheild. It is flexible, but not very. Also, If it is mainline cable, it most likely will have 60-90 volts ac on it and will bite.

If its flexible like regular cable, only about 1/2 inch in diameter, its RG-11. You probably won't find fittings and prep tools at Home Depot or Lowes.

Again, just call the cable co.

Doug

 

[have_blue]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Should I just call the cable company and pay the big buck to them to patch it or... Thanks Niles )</font>

Call the cable company. Tell them you cut their cable because it was buried too shallow. Tell them you won't charge them for the delays thay caused you if they'll fix it right away.