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Buried a splice in a wet vault last summer, regret it now
I thought I sealed it up good with some cheap gel tape and regular rubber tape on top. Three months later I got a call about noise on that line. Opened the vault and water had gotten under the tape and turned the splice green. Had to redo the whole thing in the rain on a Friday afternoon. Cost me 4 hours and a service call. Anyone else stop trusting cheap tape on underground work?
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james_bell1mo ago
Switched to 3M 2228 tape and never looked back, no issues since.
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harper9141mo ago
Wait hold on, you switched to the 3M 2228 and "never looked back"? That stuff is like $30 a roll where I am. I mean I know it works but man that's a lot for tape. I've been using the cheap stuff from Home Depot for years and yeah I get leaks sometimes but it's like $5. What made you drop that kind of cash? Is it really that much better? I keep seeing people swear by it but I can't bring myself to pay that.
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beth2761mo ago
The 3M 2228 is pricey but here's the thing - a buddy of mine @james_bell told me to try it after I had the same problem you did. I was using the cheap stuff too and getting leaks every few months. Finally bit the bullet on one roll of 2228 for a vault splice last year. That tape actually bonds to itself and the cable jacket, it's not just sitting on top like the cheap gel tape. I stretched it tight and put two half-lapped layers on, then regular vinyl tape over that for abrasion. Opened it up six months later to check and it was bone dry inside. The roll will last you a good 10-15 splices easy so the cost per job isn't that bad. I still use cheap tape for indoor stuff but for anything underground or wet I only use 2228 now.
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