Author Topic: Alternatives to heat shrink tubing  (Read 46047 times)

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Offline Mint.Topic starter

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Alternatives to heat shrink tubing
« on: February 10, 2012, 09:35:26 pm »
I am currently working on a small repair project. I need to solder a few wires together that have been cut accidentally apart, but I don't have any heat shrink at the moment for insulation. What are some good alternatives?
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Offline Short Circuit

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Re: Alternatives to heat shrink tubing
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2012, 10:02:10 pm »
Strip a piece of thick wire and use the insulation as a sleeve to slide over the joint.
Or use some electricans isolation tape, or engineers' friend #1, ducktape  ;D
 

Offline G7PSK

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Re: Alternatives to heat shrink tubing
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2012, 10:02:52 pm »
if its low volts, how about pvc insulating tape or at higher voltage you could use self amalgamating tape or even choc strip connectors, If its just a temporary repair until you can get the shrink.
 

Offline PeterG

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Re: Alternatives to heat shrink tubing
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2012, 11:00:18 pm »
I find all sorts of uses for this stuff.
Great to keep on hand for times just like this.

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=NM2834&keywords=electrical+tape&form=KEYWORD

Regards
Testing one two three...
 

Online IanB

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Re: Alternatives to heat shrink tubing
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2012, 11:09:36 pm »
I find all sorts of uses for this stuff.
Great to keep on hand for times just like this.

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=NM2834&keywords=electrical+tape&form=KEYWORD

Regards

Wow. I have never heard of that stuff before now.
 

Online Mechatrommer

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Re: Alternatives to heat shrink tubing
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2012, 01:36:17 am »
off topic but, if you need compact, easy, fast and economic insulation, you can solder each wire in the group in a way so they are not in one plane, or not touching each other if brought together. my way is illustrated in the pic below (insulate only once). insulating each and all the wires in the group can create bulky joint which is not nice at least to me.
Nature: Evolution and the Illusion of Randomness (Stephen L. Talbott): Its now indisputable that... organisms “expertise” contextualizes its genome, and its nonsense to say that these powers are under the control of the genome being contextualized - Barbara McClintock
 

Offline sacherjj

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Re: Alternatives to heat shrink tubing
« Reply #6 on: February 11, 2012, 01:48:46 am »
I find all sorts of uses for this stuff.
Great to keep on hand for times just like this.

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=NM2834&keywords=electrical+tape&form=KEYWORD

Regards

I was able to find some of that at our local Home Depot.  I found it useful to put on solder joints to rotary switches and other uses where it isn't convenient to heat shrink it.  I wouldn't push the voltage specs too far, but I was happy with the results as well.
 

Offline vk6zgo

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Re: Alternatives to heat shrink tubing
« Reply #7 on: February 11, 2012, 02:36:36 am »
Jaycar also sell "self-adhesive heatshrink tape".
You just wrap it around the joint,& it shrinks to size,gluing itself together at the same time.
Disadvantages are--it is expensive & a bit bulky.

I guess this doesn't answer the OP's initial question,as if he can get to somewhere that has this stuff,it will have heatshrink tubing,& he doesn't need an alternative.
If just getting to an Electronics shop is the problem,many Auto & Hardware stores carry heatshrink.
« Last Edit: February 11, 2012, 02:38:37 am by vk6zgo »
 

Offline ivan747

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Re: Alternatives to heat shrink tubing
« Reply #8 on: February 11, 2012, 02:56:21 am »
off topic but, if you need compact, easy, fast and economic insulation, you can solder each wire in the group in a way so they are not in one plane, or not touching each other if brought together. my way is illustrated in the pic below (insulate only once). insulating each and all the wires in the group can create bulky joint which is not nice at least to me.

Great idea. I will do this myself.
 

Offline Mint.Topic starter

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Re: Alternatives to heat shrink tubing
« Reply #9 on: February 11, 2012, 06:04:35 am »
off topic but, if you need compact, easy, fast and economic insulation, you can solder each wire in the group in a way so they are not in one plane, or not touching each other if brought together. my way is illustrated in the pic below (insulate only once). insulating each and all the wires in the group can create bulky joint which is not nice at least to me.


Nice one!
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Offline G7PSK

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Re: Alternatives to heat shrink tubing
« Reply #10 on: February 11, 2012, 10:32:16 am »
Hot glue or hot snot as Dave calls it works quite well on low volts although I have no idea of what it would be like on higher voltage. but on ocasions I have used it as well as silicone sealant to as a get out of trouble on vehicles or plant electrics.
 

Offline nrgeek

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Re: Alternatives to heat shrink tubing
« Reply #11 on: February 11, 2012, 05:26:10 pm »
They sell it in about every hardware store, walmart, kmart, radio shack, harbor freight, auto parts stores, etc etc in the USA not hard to find!
Goes by different brand names but all the same!

quote author=IanB link=topic=6865.msg90122#msg90122 date=1328915376]
I find all sorts of uses for this stuff.
Great to keep on hand for times just like this.

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=NM2834&keywords=electrical+tape&form=KEYWORD

Regards

Wow. I have never heard of that stuff before now.
[/quote]
Geek by Birth, Linux user by Choice
 

Offline siliconmix

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Re: Alternatives to heat shrink tubing
« Reply #12 on: February 12, 2012, 02:25:37 pm »
why is heat shrink so expensive ?
 

Offline Dieselrunner88

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Re: Alternatives to heat shrink tubing
« Reply #13 on: February 12, 2012, 02:47:59 pm »
Raychem Adhesive lined Polyolefin Heat Shrink Tubing
I buy this stuff from amazon $10-$15 us for 48"  it has hot glue lining to stick to the wire.
as for alternatives.  scrap rubber hose or silicone is usually what I use.
Scavenging for parts.  What is this?  oh well I'll throw it in with the rest of the unknown stuff!
 


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