Rain getting into ethernet connection/cable

[kwicker59]

I have an IP2M-835E mounted on a steel mast on my roof. My connection to it is POE ethernet. The connection is heavily wrapped with Scotch 2229 Mastic, and that is covered with abundant amounts of Scotch Super 33+. It has been on the roof since 2018, first in southern California, and for the past 2 years, in south central Texas (and when installed in Texas, a new cable and all new mastic and 33+ was applied). I started having connectivity issues recently and upon examining the indoor connection between the ethernet cable and the POE switch, noticed some corrosion. I cleaned all the contacts and sprayed them all with Deoxit. The connection was still intermittent at best. I decided to replace the ethernet connector on the cable. When I cut the existing connector off, water practically gushed out of the cable. As we do have plenty of squirrels around, I figured one of the critters must have chewed the cable, but after a thorough inspection, could find no chewed areas. The cable was immaculate. I started to examine the connection at the camera end and noticed what is pictured in the attached photo. After years of punishing California and then Texas sun, the shroud for the camera's ethernet connector had separated from the cable, leaving just enough of an opening to allow plenty of hard-driving Texas rain to enter. A liberal amount of silicone sealant was applied and the problem solved. Probably a one-in-a-million issue, but there might be one of you out there who has encountered the same problem.

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