Heat Shrink Tubing vs. Cold Shrink Tubing and Electrical Tape
Heat shrink tubing, cold shrink tubing and electrical tape are all used as cable management solutions. Is one better than the others? That depends on what you want it to do. Let’s take a look at each and then compare.
- What is heat shrink tubing?
- How does heat shrink tubing work?
- What is cold shrink tubing?
- How does cold shrink tubing work?
- What is electrical tape used for?
- Applications for shrink tubing and electrical tape
What is heat shrink tubing?
Heat shrink tubing insulates wires and protects them from abrasions and environmental factors. It’s also used to repair insulation on wires, or to bundle them together to provide protection. It’s popular for applications such as a rack mount cabinet and it’s widespread across industries, from automotive and aerospace.
Discover Heat Shrink Tubing Materials
How does heat shrink tubing work?
- Wires or cables are fed through plastic tubing.
- Tubing shrinks when heated with a heat gun or gas torch to form a fitted, secure casing.
- Tubing becomes extremely rigid when heated.
- This makes heat shrink tubing ideal for mechanical protection and industrial installations with operating temperatures below 194˚F (90˚C).
With high chemical resistance, heat shrink tubing has a pre-defined shrink rate. This means that it’s simple to decide your shrink tube sizes, depending on the diameters of cables or wires to be encased.
Heat shrink tubing material is usually made of polyolefin, while polyester is another popular choice. You can also get heat shrink tubing braided cable sleeving, which is made of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET). It’s available in a variety of colors, so that it can be used to organize and identify cables and wires.
One of the most important heat shrink tubing applications is strain relief. When wires and cables are subject to constant movement, tension, or vibration, heat shrink tubing helps reduce stress on electrical connections, preventing premature wear and potential failure. This added protection is crucial in industries such as telecommunications and automotive manufacturing, where durable cabling is essential.
Another major advantage of heat shrink tubing is its ability to provide waterproof sealing. Certain types of heat shrink tubing come with an inner adhesive lining that melts during the shrinking process, forming a moisture-resistant barrier around the cables. This feature is especially useful in marine and outdoor applications, where exposure to moisture could lead to corrosion or electrical failure. Additionally, heat shrink tubing is widely used in electrical repairs, offering a quick and effective way to insulate damaged wires and prevent short circuits.
What is cold shrink tubing?
Cold shrink tubing, like its heat-shrink cousin, is used to terminate, splice and provide wire bundling. It provides environmental sealing on cables.
How does cold shrink tubing work?
- It comes with a removable plastic core that keeps the tubing stretched to allow the cables to be fitted.
- It also contains active memory that causes the tube to shrink once the core is removed.
- It’s constantly attempting to return to its original shape. This means that it will expand and shrink around cables as they change size due to changes in temperature or load swings.
- This makes it a good choice for harsh environments where temperatures are likely to fluctuate considerably. It also possesses excellent weather resistance and does not age when exposed to ultraviolet rays.
- This means it is a good choice when cables are likely to be exposed to the elements.
What is electrical tape used for?
Electrical tape is an adhesive tape that is typically made of vinyl, rubber or mastic. Electrical tape is extremely flexible, and can also be stretched, meaning it’s extremely versatile and can cover a wide range of cable shapes and layouts.
Although electrical tape is available in a wide variety of colors, black tends to be the favorite for electrical insulation, bundling, grouping and repair. Other colors of tape indicate different levels of voltage or phases of wire.
Electrical tape is not as durable as for example, heat shrink tubing. Over time it will lose its adhesive properties and eventually fall off the cable or wire. When using electrical tape, it’s important to regularly monitor the condition of the tape, which is an impractical use of your time.
Although it does not offer the same level of protection as heat shrink tubing against abrasion, corrosive substances or the elements, electrical taping is easier and quicker to apply and remove. This means it can be a good cable management choice for temporary solutions.
Applications for shrink tubing and electrical tape
Depending on your application, shrink tubing or electrical tape may suit your project. Our table below outlines the key properties of each and what sort of environment they can be used for.
|
Rigidity |
Flexibility |
Humid environment |
Mechanical protection |
Chemical resistance |
UV resistant |
Environment |
|
|
Heat shrink tubing |
✔ |
✔ |
✔ |
Industrial |
|||
|
Cold shrink tubing |
✔ |
✔ |
✔ |
Outdoors |
|||
|
Electrical tape |
Should only be used as a temporary measure |
View our range of heat shrink tubing
Of course, there are other cable management solutions. Just a few examples include:
Download free CADs and try before you buy
Free CADs are available for most solutions, which you can download. You can also request free samples to make sure you’ve chosen exactly what you need. If you’re not quite sure which solution will work best for your application, our experts are always happy to advise you.
Whatever your requirements, you can depend on fast despatch. Request your free samples or download free CADs now.
Questions?
Email us at sales@essentracomponents.com or speak to one of our experts for further information on the ideal solution for your application 800-847-0486.