Running (satellite) cable through external walls

[Jon Dye]

Hi,

I have a satellite dish which was left by the previous house owner. The (single) cable currently runs through a hole in the PVC window frame. I want to upgrade the dish (with a multiple output LNB) and add several cables. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on the best way to run them into the house?

Drilling into the window frame seems like the wrong way to do it (especially if there are several cables). What about going straight through an external wall? What do I need to consider other than drilling a hole and pushing the cable through? I assume I should put a loop on the outside to stop drips running into the house.

JD

[Jim]

Try and avoid doing this to the brick if you have an hammer drill:

[David WE Roberts]

afterwards.

When I recently ran cables through the wall I put sleves on the cable (inside and out) and bedded them in with mastic. I got the sleeves from Screwfix. I was copying the method used by NTL/Virgin cable installers which looked to be lasting O.K. I had to 'make good' the outside of the hole first with some mortar.

[Dave Liquorice]

That's what the Sky cow^H^H^Hinstallers do. Normally with a 16mm SDS drill going flat out and blasting a saucer sized lump off the outside of the house, which they then hide behind a yuk coloured plastic cover and gobs of silicone.

Drill so the hole rises a bit from the outside, reduces water running down the hole to the inside.

Drill where there aren't any services, power, water, gas etc.

Not sure if you have to take any particular action if the wall is of cavity construction. Either in relation to any insulation or bridging the cavity or stopping air from outside or in entering.

Yes, bearing in mind the minimum bend radius of the cable of a few cm.

Bung at least four cables through the hole or make it easy to add extra ones. 4 cables gives you the choice to run four independant recievers froma quad LNB or or if you want more to bring in the four feeds from a quattro LNB to the multiswitch.

[Spamlet]

Depending on your situation, you could simply run the cable into the loft and distribute the signal from there. Mind you, with our tv aerial feeds I still found it neater to go back outside with each and drill through near to each tv position, rather than feed cables through the house...

S

[Brian Gaff]

Yes, this is exactly what the Virgin guy did for my broadband. Unfortunately, he also glued brick dust to my skirting board underneath with his, 'invisible filler'

Still, the thought was there I guess.

Brian

[nemo]

Virgin did a similar trick with a near neighbour of mine. Drilled through the wall from outside without bothering to check inside. The drill went through a plastic pipe feeding a radiator and dumped gallons of water on the lounge carpet.

[Doctor D]

NTL always used to go from inside out and shell the brick face off!