How To Fix A Coax Cable That Is Cut In Half | Techwalla

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How to Fix a Coax Cable That Is Cut in Half By Quinten Plummer Techwalla may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here. Image Credit: Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images

Coax cables consist of a metal filament--usually copper--insulated by a layer of PVC, which is wrapped in a braided aluminum or foil for grounding. The outside of the coax cable consists of a synthetic insulating jacket. With all of the layers that compose a coax cable, simply splicing two ends of a cut cable could have disastrous effects. But by fitting the severed ends of your coax cable with new connectors, you can rejoin the cable using a coax coupler.

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Step 1

Trim the two severed ends of the coax cable to make two clean, horizontal cuts.

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Step 2

Slide the button at the top of the adjustable coax stripping tool forward to set the tool to the stripping position that corresponds to the type of cable you'll be working with--set it to "6" for stripping an RG6 coax cable, "59" for stripping an RG59 cable, and so on.

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Step 3

Open the jaws of the coax stripping tool, and place the tool slightly over an inch down the first end of severed coax. Close the jaws of the stripping tool around the coax end, and then rotate the tool clockwise around the cable several times to make a complete cut.

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Step 4

Slide the stripping tool off of the coax cable to remove the cutting. Notice, the two blades of the stripping tool have made two cuts to the cable--one cut about half an inch down the cable to expose the copper filament, and a second, more shallow cut an inch down to expose the aluminum braiding and white PVC coating.

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Step 5

Thread the cable's copper filament through the bottom of the coax connector. Apply force while twisting the connector over the PVC layer of the cable--so that the PVC fills the inside of the coax connector and the connector is tightly seated on the cable.

Step 6

Open the jaws of the crimping tool and then close them around the base of the coax connector. Apply force to the coax connector so that it crimps tightly to the cable.

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Step 7

Repeat the stripping and crimping process for the second severed end of coax cable, and then join the two repaired ends of coax cable together with a coax coupler. Screw the ends of the coax cables into each side of the coax coupler.

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references & resources

• Amphenol-Aerospace.com: Crimping Coax Contacts to Wire for the Coax Interconnection System
• EPanorama.net: Introduction to coaxial cables
• Amazon.com: 2-Blade Coax Cable Stripper (for RG59/62/6)
• Amazon.com: Crimp-on RG6 Coax Connectors
• Amazon.com: Coax Coupler

Techwalla may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.