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Use silicon gel on any electrical connections exposed to the elements but for sure do not plug up the drain hole on the actuator motor housing cover. For LNB connections, many LNBs include a black, sticky waterproof compound called Coax-Seal (or whatever) to wrap around the connection, it is designed to breathe but not to pass moisture. If this is not available, or you get tired of fooling with it (it can be a mess), I have regularly squirted silicon gel into the end connector and immediately screwed the connector onto the LNB but remember that silicon gel does not pass moisture so be sure there is no trapped moisture in the connector before doing this - use a blow dryer on the end connector if you are concerned about moisture; you can also apply the gel around the outside of the connector if you wish. Note that if you use ScotchLok connectors for the smaller guage wire connections, such as servo motor lines, that internal to the ScotchLok is silicon gel which is immediately forced around the wires when the ScotchLok is squeezed to make the connection. If you use screw-on wire caps, bathe them in gel and wrap in electrical tape. For in-line insertions, also be sure to waterproof them very well or, better yet, place them in a waterproof plastic box. For all cable connections, whether to the actuator or into the house, leave a little 'sag' in the cable where it enters into the unit or wall so that water will run to the low point and drip off the cable rather than follow the cable into the connection - this is called a 'drip loop'. For instance, before connecting cabling to the feed assembly (servo motor and LNBs), I loosely wrap the cable once around the feed then make the connections as this servese two purposes - it automatically makes a drip loop and also takes the weight of the cable off the connections.
Regardless of measures taken for waterproofing, the elements will eventually take their toll on your connections so make regular inspections for corrosion and water incursion part of your routine. Replace corroded 'F' connectors - just snip them off and put on a new one; do not bother to clean as usually the corrosion will extend back into the coax and maybe as much as an inch on long neglected connections. Be especially aware that saltwater (salt air) is very damaging to everthing involved with a satellite system - if you live in a salty air environment, in addition to outside electric connections, pay particular attention to corrosion of actuator parts (especially the tube) and mount/cap bolts (they will lock up with corrosion quicker than you think so keep them covered in light oil/grease). Nothing is more aggravating than twisting off a corroded nut/bolt; and remember to spray the bolts that are used in holding the dish together as they are not as high a quality.as mount bolts and they will definitely seize. In regards to the actuator, always install 'this side up' in accordance to manufacturer's instructions; and over time the rubber wiper where the tube goes into the actuator sleeve will loose itsshape (if it is in any kind of sun) and loose completely its wiping capability. Also, in regards to the actuator, I have never been fond of the actuator accordian boots that cover the sliding tube - they always seemed more trouble than they were worth and if you live in a humid environment the tube will become lightly corroded anyway and the boot gives a false sense of security and once you put it on you have a tendency never to check it; I used to sell them to customers that wanted them (easy money) but never put them on display nor promoted them nor installed them - there is no shortcut to regular maintenance.
If you are worried about water incursion into your signal cable then use 'flooded' coax - it contains a water resistent, clear, sticky gel beneath the plastic jacket (a mess to make connections with but will do the trick) and, in the worst case scenario, put all outdoor cable in PVC conduit. To tell the truth, though, in the ten years in Houston (high humidity, relatively close to the coast, high rainfall amount, poor yard drainage) when we would deinstall a system and dig up the DBC cable, it was dirty but none the worse for wear so we never put anything in conduit for below ground applications unless a client really insisted on it. We would put outside cabling in conduit up a wall, commerical installations, etc, but that was to protect the cable from man and not from weather. Now, rusty bolts is a different story - that was always a problem.
Regardless of measures taken for waterproofing, the elements will eventually take their toll on your connections so make regular inspections for corrosion and water incursion part of your routine. Replace corroded 'F' connectors - just snip them off and put on a new one; do not bother to clean as usually the corrosion will extend back into the coax and maybe as much as an inch on long neglected connections. Be especially aware that saltwater (salt air) is very damaging to everthing involved with a satellite system - if you live in a salty air environment, in addition to outside electric connections, pay particular attention to corrosion of actuator parts (especially the tube) and mount/cap bolts (they will lock up with corrosion quicker than you think so keep them covered in light oil/grease). Nothing is more aggravating than twisting off a corroded nut/bolt; and remember to spray the bolts that are used in holding the dish together as they are not as high a quality.as mount bolts and they will definitely seize. In regards to the actuator, always install 'this side up' in accordance to manufacturer's instructions; and over time the rubber wiper where the tube goes into the actuator sleeve will loose itsshape (if it is in any kind of sun) and loose completely its wiping capability. Also, in regards to the actuator, I have never been fond of the actuator accordian boots that cover the sliding tube - they always seemed more trouble than they were worth and if you live in a humid environment the tube will become lightly corroded anyway and the boot gives a false sense of security and once you put it on you have a tendency never to check it; I used to sell them to customers that wanted them (easy money) but never put them on display nor promoted them nor installed them - there is no shortcut to regular maintenance.
If you are worried about water incursion into your signal cable then use 'flooded' coax - it contains a water resistent, clear, sticky gel beneath the plastic jacket (a mess to make connections with but will do the trick) and, in the worst case scenario, put all outdoor cable in PVC conduit. To tell the truth, though, in the ten years in Houston (high humidity, relatively close to the coast, high rainfall amount, poor yard drainage) when we would deinstall a system and dig up the DBC cable, it was dirty but none the worse for wear so we never put anything in conduit for below ground applications unless a client really insisted on it. We would put outside cabling in conduit up a wall, commerical installations, etc, but that was to protect the cable from man and not from weather. Now, rusty bolts is a different story - that was always a problem.
