IMPORTANT INFORMATION
I just spoke with a customer-service rep at GTO.
He said that they care about their customers and want them to be happy. You should return the wand to GTO to confirm that it's working correctly. If you need a longer cable, they will make some accommodation (he didn't say what, and I didn't press him) so that you can have the longer cable.
Sometimes it's just a matter of knowing how to present your problem.
I hope this resolves it.
I don't see the company at fault in the initial purchase. Also, only slightly at fault for conflicting advice from the telephone operator on splicing (which differed from the technician's advice, which is what I'd consider the be the accurate one...)
If you think that companies should cover all their customer's errors and mistakes then I'd suggest you start a company and make that a feature of your operation. Maybe you'll have great success. But my experience, as a business man, has been that some people make errors, and it makes little sense to expect someone else to pay for their errors.
As to not seeing 'why this group should...' realize that is the reason this group exists! After all, it is not called 'alt.home.repair.get.maker.to.replace.it' or 'sci.electroncs.leverage.the.company'. We concentrated on repairing the problem. Not trying to figure a way or justification to make the supplier (who did nothing wrong) to replace a product that was not defective or flawed.
Please don't feed meathead the troll. He offers no advice just a total waste of bandwidth trolling for his 15 seconds of fame.
I don't. But I think it should make an effort.
See the posting "GTO wand problem resolved (???)". I might have solved the problem.
Because everyone is too busy writing one line answers to read what you posted.
There are currently 47 messages in this thread, which is a bit much to read. I've only read about half, with nothing really interesting (except my own postings).
That would be too easy, obvious, no fun, doesn't involve repair, lacking in entertainment value, and not much of a learning experience. I also assumed that he's already tried to do that.
The pickup coil and cabling appear to be a matched set where the cable is an integral part of the tuned circuit. However, at $200 for a coil and roll of cable, I would think there would be sufficient profit to allow for an ocassional courtesy exchange. Whether courtesy is all that common is debatable as companies that have liberal return policies tend to have it abused and overused.
GTO has told me that if the OP contacts them, and returns the original wand for a checkout (and it's working correctly), they will make some sort of accommodation, because they want happy customers.
I've stated this in another posting in this thread.
Why not just replace the whole wire from the control box to the sensor wand? Then theres no splices in the ground.
Typo. I meant it shouldnt' be hard to get. But maybe only mail-order (internet).
And of course no one on any newsgroup is obliged to solve a poster's problems. People try because they want to be helpful and sometimes to show off their knowledge (or what they think is knowledge at the time of posting.)
And I too considered returning the original cable. I asked if it had already been buried and was too dirty to return.
And this question was definitely suitable for sci.eletronics.repair, because the only real question is at the electronics level. The question of how to connect two cables is just an inquiry about technique.
I was told that if you contact customer service, they will make some sort of accomodation to help you.
Give 'em a call.
On Feb 2, 1:26=A0pm, mm wrote: ..snip...
...snip... from PERSONAL experience: DON'T SOLDER LONG TERM CONNECTIONS! ESPECIIALLY OUTDOORS!
Crimp, or constant mechanical pressure is BEST. And DON'T solder a crimp, you will ruin it.
I made the mistake of soldering links in my security system. Now these solder joints were something to be proud of, too. Cleaned wire. Wrapped tightly together at the splice for at least 5 turns. Solder was high quality and not overheated during soldering. Solder shiny and wetting out for at least 1 inch. They lasted 10 years before I got hit with a false alarm. Then a month later another mysterious false alarm. Each time reset alarm system and all connections were good. Then went to every week. Until I went to all my soldered junctions and re-soldered them. Alarm worked for another 10 years, until, repeat.
I never had to re-do my crimped connections.
Being an arrogant college graduate, I did not listen to the "lowly" experienced security system installers who told me about crimping is better than soldering. I knew better. I thought they just were lazy, because careful soldering takes time and crimping is fast. I learned a very humbling experience from these experiences.
By the way, a separate alarm system with links running outside the building, the soldered connections lasted only one year before false alarm. So, again, don't solder your connections.
Crimp is best, because you have constant mechanical pressure between the conductors. Solder won't do that, all eases with time.
Robert
Elmo, believe me.
DON'T SOLDER YOUR UNDERGROUND CONNECTIONS. THEY WILL FAIL
see my other post
No no no....this is the most entertaining thread I have read today. I love the earnestness of the OP.
Mike
On Feb 3, 6:57=A0am, Jeff Liebermann wrote: ...snip...
...snip...
LOL! Thanks. I needed that today.
The overhead power lines provide a voltage disturbance [shorted out by shielding] and a magnetic disturbance, as a result of how much current is carried [most utilities companies provide free EMF surveys] but if those lines are low voltage, they are close together, so the magentic fields won't be as strong as from those 115kV lines, which are separated by more than 15 feet. If you measure more than 1 microtesla at your cable, I would be surprised. And, you can calculate the effect of such a field. Don't worry about it.
But as you know, make the shield a complete 'opaque' wrap, completely enclosing all wires. Do NOT break the shield and use a single wire to 'jump the gap' for any distance.
From reading the manuals, it appears GTO has active circuitry inside the wand. Power is supplied to it. Plus, from your comments with them, it appears the ONLY difference in the wand/cable is length of wire. Note they know the problems of splicing cable underground and provide you with a 'trouble-free' long run of sealed wire. A splice violates that seal, and believe me an underground splice can be challenging.
You have to retrieve your wand anyway, so I recommend trying the extra cable length. The cost of cable is small. And for this initial test, you can simply use any shielded cable containing more than two twisted pairs. Simply lay the cables out on the ground and test the system. Probably will work. If so, then as you reinstall underground, use a better cable and make sure your splice is placed inside a water-free zone, like in an upside down plastic tub covering the splice. Just picture how would you house such a splice if the whole system is underwater? That pretty much covers what rain soaking will do to you. Even so, still use amalgamizing coatings to seal the conductors, else they will deteriorate.
Sadly, William has the BEST suggestion, but it is much less challenging. Go to the vendor and ask them to upgrade you to a longer cable wand for a small charge. Or, if you feel wronged, no charge.
My bet says the buried part of the system will perform well for ten years spliced and for 25+ years with no splice.
Considering the wand is burried, the only way that will happen is if you raise the splice above ground!
I don't remember it being called High Voltage Tape...
I think that's right because otherwise it would stick to itself -- which is exactly what it should be doing when you apply it.
They do in our area.
I seem to remember more like $5-7.
This is a wonderful find. 12 bucks + tax/shipping for a roll.
Thanks for this great idea. I don't have the wire yet, but the plan is to solder them and then tape them with this scotch 23 self-sealing tape.
Should work.
NOTE: Removed sci.electronics.repair due to a prior request.
The sensor wand is sealed.
Right. The only place the wand and wires comes up for air is directly at the control box attached to the gate.
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