Wiring Question -- RG59/RG6 Splice Workable?

[iridium111]

Hello everyone -- I was just about to make the move from Comcast to Dish when I began to read this forum and found out that RG59 was inadequate for satellite. After checking the wiring in my crawlspace last night here's what I found:

1. Main line from outside to splitter in crawlspace is good quality.
2. Line is split 3 ways from there in lengths of approx. 20', 40', and 60' (all same floor.) Wire runs in crawlspace to each of the 3 rooms, and then goes up through drilled hole in floor to wall outlet approx. 3' above.
3. All 3 of these runs use RG59u, which is probably why my Comcast quality is poor in the last two rooms.
4. Existing in-wall wiring is in there tightly and immobile. Although I can't see this section of the wiring, by the way it feels trying to pull it, I think it's stapled to the studs. Running another line through would be extremely difficult.
5. The closest I can get to the room outlets is about 3'-4' below them, immediately below where the floor was drilled through to run the lines through into the walls.

What I would like to know is:

a. Whether replacing *most* of each RG59 run with RG6 and splicing them at points 3'-4' short of the room outlet is a viable alternative. I'd really rather not have to start dealing with extensive drywall repair, which I'm certain I would if that last little tiny length of RG59 is the dealbreaker; and

b. If I do the above, should the new RG6 runs all go back to the splitter already in the crawlspace, or should I just extend each length about 15' more to the outside where the dish will likely be?

Thanks for any insight and also much appreciation for such an informative forum!

 

[HIFI]

your best bet would be to run all new RG-6 from all locations to a central location outside of the house. as far as the existing 59 line, most of us will not use it except for a backfeed

 

[Liquidforce88]

Replace all the lines and run them back to the outside. As for running new cable it should not be all that hard to do. Just drill a second hole where the old cable is at. Use a fish tape and run it up the wall, or if you want you can get fish sticks to do it as well. If your wall outlet is in a box just drill a large hole in the bottom of it so you can see. With 2 people it should not take more than 10 min. per outlet to run new cable.

 

[harshness]

What kind of a setup are you looking at getting? It is imperative that we know what you have in mind so we don't lead you down the wrong path.

You can probably survive the last few feet with RG59 but there are no guarantees.

The splitter probably is going to come out unless, as HIFI suggests, you want to use the RG59 to distribute an SD signal to other rooms.

 

[iridium111]

What kind of a setup are you looking at getting? It is imperative that we know what you have in mind so we don't lead you down the wrong path.

Many thanks for all the great and helpful responses so far.

I'm looking at a 3-room setup with HD+SD+SD receivers (no duo -- all singles). Running the three separate lines outside and just discarding the splitter is not really an issue for me -- I can do that without hassle at all. It's connecting the last couple of feet from the top of the crawlspace to an area where I could get a wall outlet.

Whoever built this house put studs in wherever they could, and the existing wire is stapled tight against an adjacent stud, so pulling it through seems impossible. Drilling up from below through a thick layer of plywood followed by hardwood flooring appears to be my only option to get into the space between the walls to even see if I could run the RG6 up from there and get it close to where the original RG59 comes out, but considering the way the house it built, there might be some other obstruction along the way there too.

It just occurred to me that if I could simply connect the three 3' lengths of RG59 (snipping it just below where it comes into the crawlspace) to the three new lengths of RG6 that I was going to lay out it would save quite a bit of effort (each of these spots is a bit physically challenging to get into and work in). However, I do plan on using HD on one of the receivers, so that might kill that idea. I was hoping the frequencies that Dish uses wouldn't degrade too much on a 3'-4' run of RG59 to the point where HD wouldn't work well, or at all.

 

[cditty]

If I were you, I would drill up and take a look.

You are really opening up a can of worms with any length of RG59. And regardless of whether it works or not, any quirky problem that ever happens will always be blamed on that 3 feet of cable.

I feel reasonably comfortable that after you drill, you will see that you can fish a new cable up.

Please post back and let us know your findings.

 

[gdarwin]

My vote is to not use the RG59. Get yourself a 1/2" long wood bit and drill upward, install new RG6. Use the existing RG59 to send OTA from an antenna to the receivers.

 

[navychop]

You cannot use a splitter with a satellite signal. Operation is different from cable.

New RG6 will give you a better signal and longer life than using old RG59. Every place I move to, I rewire.

 

[harshness]

I was hoping the frequencies that Dish uses wouldn't degrade too much on a 3'-4' run of RG59 to the point where HD wouldn't work well, or at all.

Frequency has nothing to do with it. Most RG59 can meet that requirement ( even though it wasn't typically tested for >2GHz).

The issue is the ability of the cable to carry current and RG59's ampacity is enough lower that you can't run it all the way. For the last few feet, it should be OK.

I'd do my darnedest to undo the staples and try to pull through some RG6 using the RG59 as a pull tape. While you're at it, since you're eventually going to want CAT5 in there too, you might as well run an RG6 and a couple of CAT5 while your running cable.

The other option would be to work something out with a local cabler to bring their long bit and in-wall drill guide and have them go in from the top. This nicely gets around having to try and run a long bit up from the bottom when the clearance is too tight.

 

[Bradtothebone]

Personally, I'd leave the RG59 system in place, and use it for OTA or UHF remotes or something. THEN, I'd install new "old work" low voltage boxes (really just a frame with no back) in the wall near the floor. From there, it would be really easy to fish new RG6 and CAT6 through the subfloor, and you'd be set for anything you want to do. Of course, it's always easier to do this "from a distance!"

Brad

 

[xyz38]

You cannot use a splitter with a satellite signal. Operation is different from cable.

New RG6 will give you a better signal and longer life than using old RG59. Every place I move to, I rewire.

I have RG6 run to a splitter in the crawl space and have RG59 from the

splitter to two small HD and one analog tv. They are on the TV 2 outlet of the receiver and I have no problem with the SD PQ on either tv.

 

[cditty]

I have RG6 run to a splitter in the crawl space and have RG59 from the

splitter to two small HD and one analog tv. They are on the TV 2 outlet of the receiver and I have no problem with the SD PQ on either tv.

Navy wasn't talking about the TV2 backfeed. People split that all the time.

You can't split the satellite input.

 

[whatchel1]

Plain and simple get rid of the 59 on the sat line. It can be used for OTA but that is about all it's good for.

 

[sam_gordon]

Plain and simple get rid of the 59 on the sat line. It can be used for OTA but that is about all it's good for.

I wouldn't go that far. I used exclusively 59 when I first got dish because that's what was installed in the house. Used it for about 3-4 years with NO issues before moving.

That being said, RG6 is preferable. If it were my house and I had access to the wiring (which it appears you do), I would run new RG6 parallel to the 59 (leave the old wire in place). You can change out the existing wallplates to ones that have two RF connections on them. From the crawl space, either drill new holes, widen the existing, or try to force the cable through the existing hole.

 

[navychop]

....The other option would be to work something out with a local cabler to bring their long bit and in-wall drill guide and have them go in from the top. This nicely gets around having to try and run a long bit up from the bottom when the clearance is too tight.

I have a couple of these. Go to your local big box hardware store and price them. Not bad. Drill thru double header at bottom, use to fish back a line to pull coax.

 

[dishnet_tech]

I wouldn't go that far. I used exclusively 59 when I first got dish because that's what was installed in the house. Used it for about 3-4 years with NO issues before moving.

Don't listen to those who would tell ya otherwise, buddy! 59 is not 6 in a lot of different ways and WILL cause you to have issues at some point down the road. Been back on way too many trouble calls caused by failing 59. It has, can, and does work - sometimes for many years with no apparent problems. But with today's advanced receivers, and those on the horizon, RG6 will be much more reliable and trouble free. Aside from the cabling, hopefully the rest of your install will be up to par.

 

[MikeInAlaska]

I use high quality RG59 patches in my wiring cabinet and for short runs the difference with RG6 is negligible.