Hey all,

This may be a bit off topic for this forum but I'm sure there are tons of guys on here that are probably old enough to know this hitory or reasoning behind these connectors.

I've installed many compression connectors in my time but always revert back to the trustworthy Snap-N-Seal connectors when I'm choosing. For as long as I know and have seen (I've used/seen some of the first ones installed. When they were still just brass!), the Snap-N-Seal connectors have been marked LRC. At first I thought it may be the original brand (That got bought out by who and who, then by T&B, then by Belden) but I can't find anything about said brand that doesn't incorporate Thomas and Betts. More confusing, I've seen other connectors that also bear the LRC distinction and that further makes me wonder about them. I also know some people refer to the compression connectors as Augat connecters which adds yet another terms to remember! I've really never found a definitive answer to their term or modeling of LRC and am finally really curious.

These are the coax compression connectors with colored plastic boots (Blue RG6, Orance RG59, Purple RG6QS, etc...) if you need a memory jog (Also have RCA and BNC compression conn.). Model numbers like: SNS1P6, *LRC*SNS1P6 and such.

Thoughts or guesses are appreciated. And if this is TOTALLY inappropriate for posting here, let me know and my apologies.

I believe Augat is who originally made them.
Augat was bought by TNB, and Belden recently bought the Snap-N-Seal line from TNB.

I agree that SNS connectors are the best. They are all that I use. I do like the red ones best as they tend to fit a wider variety of RG6 cable types.

As for their origin, I can say with certainty that T&B didn't make them originally. I think that we already knew that. They have pretty much bought up anything that Tyco Electronics didn't. I really don't know the true origin of LRC, but it sounds as if you and Jeff have the history nailed.

You just make the rounds everywhere!

Didnt know that about Augat. Went to a shop this summer that misspelled them 'Auget' and thought about correcting it but let it be. Interesting tid-bit.


I'm actually surprised Corning hasn't sold off Gilbert yet. PPC just went to Belden, Tack that on with T&B and ICM Corp and their approaching a monopoly on quality compression connectors. We still have some chinese guys (Holland for one) but, aside from HEC, most are mediocre and personally I don't like Holland ones either but, they are at-least 'decent'.

Thanks for the responses guys. Any thoughts on LRC from the other 'experienced' guys though?

Here is a bit more info!
https://maiteymario.net/mario/work/PSG/catalog/LRC.htm

Looks like the original company was LRC Electronics, which was purchased by Augat.

Thanks Jeff. Looks like quite a bit of snooping to find that! I've looked several times and never run across that.


After 30 years and a couple buy-outs I'm surprised the name has stayed with them. Must be a small niche of people that even remember LRC company let alone any of their produts.

Used to use their hardline fittings all the time back in the 80's as an alternate to Gilbert.


Well, compression fittings haven't been around very long in my lifetime. They became popular maybe 10 years ago as cable companies got away from hex crimp fittings and the weather boots/silicone grease needed to weather proof them. Some will say compression fittings perform better as far as leakage and ingress with bandwidths approaching 1 Ghz. but I'm not convinced. I really think they were adopted for their weather resistant qualities.

I use PPC because that's what the cable company here uses. If they see something else they cut them off.

-Hal

Likewise to Hal, I started using SNS, went to Digicon, and then to PPC because that's what Time Worthless uses here. I didn't have a problem with any of them and they were a darn sight better than any alternative connectors, especially in the hospitality industry where the "guests" can destroy things in a heartbeat.

Sad, but true, I guess I've been using compression tools for about 10 years. I loved them because they are much quicker than crimp and you don't ever seem to get a bad connection. I think I own about 5 tools and the coax inserts. My first 70-room property still has about 95% of the original SNS's intact from 2004.

Carl

Thanks guys. I actually started with PPC compressions because that's what DirecTV uses and to keep it looking like they installed the stuff, I bought the same connectors. (Cheaper than T&Bs which is a plus) Still keep T&B's on hand for when I'm running anything or making a patch. @EV607797, I'm also a big fan of the newer red ones that fit RG59-RG6Q. I always had a bag of RG59 (orange) connectors but rarely use them. If I'm working with RG59, it's probably going to get RCA ends anyway. OT, anyone know of a good place to get the Thomas and Betts RCA compression connectors? I haven't looked at suppliers recently but for just a few, all I can find is $5/piece,

First decent coax connectors I used were the Gilbert crimp connectors also DirecTV standard issue (when the receivers still said 'DSS') but, when D* went to the PPC compression (early 2000's?), I also made the switch and would never go back! (Still use crimp BNC's though, unfortunately.

I use TNB and PPC as well. The red SNS are quite nice.
I am also in Time Worthless territory, and they use PPC.
For BNC I also crimp...can't really get around that for CCTV (though sometimes I use baluns and Cat5e)

Surprisingly, I've bought thousands of SNS connectors on E-Bay. There are lots of people selling them there.

From what I have read. DirecTV has gone back to the T&B connectors.

I think the PPC connectors as the best and I get all of mine off of eBay.

Are the T&B connectors still two-piece?

I always buy mine of eBay too. I can actually get them cheaper on eBay than from any supplier unless I'm buying a bulk pack (1000?) I do sometimes wonder if some sellers are D* guys selling them from the van though. And since I don't use them daily, a bulk pack just isn't worth sitting on considering what I would kind-of save.



DirecTV now approves and installs the red SNS connectors. SNS1P6U (fitting a wider variety of cable)

Yep, still 2-piece, kind-of. The standard ones come with the colour coded plastic boot pre-installed but it can eaisly be removed "in case of installation difficulty" (From lawsuit between PPC and T&B)

I've had a heck of a time finding the SNS BNC and RCA connectors though. The standard F connectors are everywhere but the compression BNC and RCA's aren't up on eBay often and defiantly not reasonably priced.

Great deals on T&B's and PPC F-connectors on eBay though. T&B are made in USA which gives them an even higher edge than PPC but, even without, they are still my preference. Just nicer to work with.

I just recently bought one of these:

https://www.service.kleintools.com/...s%20VDVTOOLS-VDVCRIMP/Product/VDV211-063


and they have a wide variety of connectors for it:

https://www.service.kleintools.com/Tool/PRD/Category/Coax%20Connectors,%20Splitters,%20and%20Accessories%20VDVTOOLS-VDVCOAXCON

I've always been very fussy about the compression tools I use and am very leery about the dumbed down "one size fits all" tools that are really being made for the sparkie and DIY market.

When compression fittings first started being used there were no such tools and like is still the situation with some BNCs, you have to use the tool designed for the connector. Compression connectors haven't changed much and in the beginning you could only find the tools at cable TV supply houses. Cable Prep was the most popular and is what I use today.

Funny thing about compression connectors, all are slightly different in the amount of "push" that the tool plunger must provide for a proper installation. All Cable Prep tools are adjustable for this reason and to enable the user to maintain the original factory calibration . I do notice a difference between RG6 PPC and Digicon and actually have two tools, each adjusted for each brand. So my point is that those "one size fits all" tools are a compromise at best and can't possibly seat everything properly, especially 6 and 11 on the same tool. To little and it's not seated all the way and too much the fitting is damaged. But what the hell would a DIY or sparkie know? VDV is a new source of revenue.

-Hal

I have a Platinum Tools compression tool that does F, RCA, and BNC (each with its own adapter) and a Ripley compression tool for F connectors. Both are fully adjustable.

LRC Electronics was up the road from us. For those of you who know the Corning, Inc. name, it was located about 15 miles East of Corning, New York. A hamlet by the name of Horse Heads.

I did a stint in the middle 70's for a mom & pop cable company, actually we had 9 systems of various sizes. I was the only employee. I had to go directly to LRC and get a bag or two of F connectors and some 1/2" mainline splices a couple of times.

Always amazed me how clean the place was and how many hundreds of thousands of pieces of connectors they had waiting to be shipped out.

J

I went the multi tool path because it was just easier. I own a Digicon branded tool and my original Ripley tool that I used for SNS. When I went to PPC's, it was easy to buy a new tool so I got the Ideal Omniseal set up for PPC's.

When Digicon's were being sold in bulk, I went to the eBay seller (in my case Tech Tool Supply out of Livonia, MI) and set up an account with them. I still get all of my cable hardware from them. Digicon has fallen out of favor, not sure if it's price or availability, and I still have a couple hundred SNS's in my gamefisher box. I have not done a video or hospitality property for a couple of years so I'm a bit out of the loop on what's the latest and greatest video distribution hardware. Pretty much, the startups just go to the local cable TV outlet and beat them up for $8 a room.

Carl

Yes! Horse Heads, NY. That's what I was trying to remember. Back in those days all cable companies were mom and pop. One day I was doing service calls and the next I was setting poles and hanging strand.

-Hal

Remember the f connectors that were available in the olden days? One type had a small separate ring ferrule and the other type had the small ferrule attached to the connector. It didn't matter how well you made the connection, a tug or sharp bend would pull the cable out of the connector. Then came the connectors with a longer attached ferrule meant to be used with a hex crimp tool. You needed a coax flaring tool to be able to insert the connector,and a tool to hold the connector so the copper steel center conductor didn't wind up inside your finger. Even the mil spec bnc connectors were not much better. They were similar to compression fittings for copper tubing. You first had to solder the center conductor to the pin and then wrench tighten the nut at the rear of the connector. A sharp bend would still pull the cable out of the connector. When I first used a LRC connector , I was astounded at the ease of inserting the connector on the cable and the pullout resistance. It's almost impossible to pull the cable out of the latest ppc xl connector.

If I look in the stockroom corners and under the shelves guaranteed I'll find at least a few of those crimp rings. Damn things were everywhere.

-Hal