Silicone vs. PVC measuring leads

[dangerousamateur]

Hi guys,

I'll need a new set of measuring leads, I prefer something like this here:
https://www.staubli.com/global/en/electrical-connectors/products/t-m-products/products-for-test-accessories/test-probes-2-mm-and-4-mm/test-probe-with-measurement-cable-xp-484.html

These are available in PVC and silicone.

What would you chose for daily use?

[madires]

Most prefer silicone: more flexible, higher heat resistance, but also more expensive

[Siwastaja]

Get silicone test leads if you can afford them. Much easier to handle and less likely to tangle; not burning from accidental touch from iron tip is a plus. Only if on a tight budget, and saving on test leads allows you to get something more important, consider PVC.

[nctnico]

Hi guys,

I'll need a new set of measuring leads, I prefer something like this here:
https://www.staubli.com/global/en/electrical-connectors/products/t-m-products/products-for-test-accessories/test-probes-2-mm-and-4-mm/test-probe-with-measurement-cable-xp-484.html

These are available in PVC and silicone.

What would you chose for daily use?

Silicone all day long as these are easier to untangle and don't get stiff when cold. Silicone test leads aren't that much more expensive.

[BrokenYugo]

Cost aside I can't think of a situation where I would chose PVC wire insulation over any synthetic rubber option.

[mendip_discovery]

PTFE, because I like my measurements to be accurate.

[madires]

Silicone is easier to damage, e.g. when pinched, and is more prone to generate static electricity.

[wraper]

PVC wires become very stiff at low temperatures, and can even snap when bending if it's like -30^oC

[bdunham7]

I'll be the contrarian here and point out that the extreme flexibility of silicone can cause leads to knot up in strange ways and also allow strand breakage.  Certain expensive Fluke silicone leads are especially prone to this issue and they end up with intermittent connections near the probes.  Also, silicone seems to attract all sorts of garbage that sticks to its surface while PVC seems to stay clean.  I have plenty of both and have no issues tolerating either one, but one thing that can be an issue with test leads or other cables--like soldering iron cords--is that PVC wires will stay where you put them but silicone wires are often completely limp and will go rolling or dropping into inconvenient places.  OTOH, silicone does resist accidental burns and most chemicals.  YMMV

[soldar]

PVC sheaths of alligator clips are an abomination. They soon become rigid and have to be cut away so the alligator is left without insulation.

I need to replace all my alligator clips ASAP because they are all a PITA.

[Nominal Animal]

I use both – but I damn overly plasticized PVC (which some sellers claim is silicone) to the deepest of hells.

The plasticizer will slowly leach out, especially if stored in a warm place.  If you store such leads in a compatible plastic pouch or tub, the plasticizer will act on the container plastic, and you'll end up with PVC leads embedded in your container.  Not just "melted in", but fused to the container plastic at the molecular level.

Thus, I am wary of PVC leads that feel more flexible than ordinary.  When flexibility isn't that important, I'm happy with PVC.  I cannot afford stuff like PTFE (Teflon) insulated wires.

[mzzj]

I'll be the contrarian here and point out that the extreme flexibility of silicone can cause leads to knot up in strange ways and also allow strand breakage.  Certain expensive Fluke silicone leads are especially prone to this issue and they end up with intermittent connections near the probes.  Also, silicone seems to attract all sorts of garbage that sticks to its surface while PVC seems to stay clean.  I have plenty of both and have no issues tolerating either one, but one thing that can be an issue with test leads or other cables--like soldering iron cords--is that PVC wires will stay where you put them but silicone wires are often completely limp and will go rolling or dropping into inconvenient places.  OTOH, silicone does resist accidental burns and most chemicals.  YMMV

This is also my experience with Fluke silicone test leads. Strands break inside the cable.
Im not sure if they have improved the design but this was real epidemic years ago.

Some silicone sheathing is allso very weak mechanically and prone to tear. Cheapo silicone cable from china/ebay has been better than the wire used on fluke probes.

[blue_lateral]

In my opinion, nothing beats rubber. They tangle less and the dielectric strength is sky high. The downside is they will eventually perish in a decade or two. Also rubber (EPDM) test leads are getting extremely hard to find. Apparently the Chinese don't make the wire or make so little of it that you rarely if ever see it as an option. 

Silicone test leads have improved a lot in the last few years. They are less sticky than they used to be, and tangle less than what you probably expect. Of the choices given in the original post, they win hands down. Still, once you've had rubber test leads it is hard to accept anything else. PVC has no redeeming qualities in my opinion. It tangles easy, gets hard in the cold, gets hard with age, and leeches plasticizer. I avoid them whenever possible.

[IanB]

This is also my experience with Fluke silicone test leads. Strands break inside the cable.
Im not sure if they have improved the design but this was real epidemic years ago.

Some silicone sheathing is allso very weak mechanically and prone to tear. Cheapo silicone cable from china/ebay has been better than the wire used on fluke probes.

So, what's the experience with ProbeMaster? Do their products stand the test of time and robustness?

[Sal Ammoniac]

This is also my experience with Fluke silicone test leads. Strands break inside the cable.
Im not sure if they have improved the design but this was real epidemic years ago.

Some silicone sheathing is allso very weak mechanically and prone to tear. Cheapo silicone cable from china/ebay has been better than the wire used on fluke probes.

So, what's the experience with ProbeMaster? Do their products stand the test of time and robustness?

I've had good experience with ProbeMaster (so far). No issues, and the quality seems okay for the price.

[coppercone2]

PTFE, because I like my measurements to be accurate.

do you also hire a electrician with a pipe bender to lay out your test leads???

https://www.qedelectric.com/product/detail/3197407/IDEAL-INDUSTRIES-74-100

[Bud]

This is also my experience with Fluke silicone test leads. Strands break inside the cable.
Im not sure if they have improved the design but this was real epidemic years ago

Not inside the cable, the problem was with weak crimp inside the probe body, I wrote about the failure mode here:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/x-raying-fluke-tl-175-probed/msg4908254/#msg4908254

[soldar]

do you also hire a electrician with a pipe bender to lay out your test leads???

https://www.qedelectric.com/product/detail/3197407/IDEAL-INDUSTRIES-74-100

Access denied
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What happened?
This request was blocked by our security service

Few things are more ridiculous than feeling requests from outside the USA can be a security threat.  Not uncommon though.

[2N3055]

This is also my experience with Fluke silicone test leads. Strands break inside the cable.
Im not sure if they have improved the design but this was real epidemic years ago

Not inside the cable, the problem was with weak crimp inside the probe body, I wrote about the failure mode here:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/x-raying-fluke-tl-175-probed/msg4908254/#msg4908254

My Fluke modular probe set had cable strands broken..
I kept all the probes and crocodiles, and replaced cable+shrouded bananas with UNI-T ones that I had and are so far holding better than original... Go figure...

[coppercone2]

do you also hire a electrician with a pipe bender to lay out your test leads???

https://www.qedelectric.com/product/detail/3197407/IDEAL-INDUSTRIES-74-100

Access denied
Error 16
www.qedelectric.com
2024-05-05 20:22:30 UTC
What happened?
This request was blocked by our security service

Few things are more ridiculous than feeling requests from outside the USA can be a security threat.  Not uncommon though.

its a toy beer bottle opener shaped like a electricians pipe bender and it could be used for bending test cable sized teflon wires (preposterously stiff)

[Zoli]

In my opinion, nothing beats rubber. They tangle less and the dielectric strength is sky high. The downside is they will eventually perish in a decade or two. Also rubber (EPDM) test leads are getting extremely hard to find. Apparently the Chinese don't make the wire or make so little of it that you rarely if ever see it as an option.
...

Belden 8899 is still in production, and I'm using on some of my (homemade)leads.

[coppercone2]

that is something you REALLY need to do a cable inspection for because its HV and also disintegrates.

The worst is if you forget to do a cable inspection for a HV probe you wired with rubber.

[David Hess]

I have a red and black spool of rubber insulated test lead wire which I have been using for decades, and it works great although the rubber insulation eventually gets stiff and cracks.  I recently bought a set of silicone rubber insulated test leads from Probe Master and they are excellent also.  PVC wire for test leads is my last choice.

Spools of silicone rubber insulated test lead wire is on my buy list.

[blue_lateral]

In my opinion, nothing beats rubber. They tangle less and the dielectric strength is sky high. The downside is they will eventually perish in a decade or two. Also rubber (EPDM) test leads are getting extremely hard to find. Apparently the Chinese don't make the wire or make so little of it that you rarely if ever see it as an option.
...

Belden 8899 is still in production, and I'm using on some of my (homemade)leads.

Also Carol and Philmore still have EPDM wire, though I suspect Philmore's is really just one of the other two repackaged. I've also been making my own leads since the demise of Oldaker.

[shabaz]

For red and black wire for thin test leads, I've been using very flexible 24 AWG wire from CPC/Farnell. It's very low cost (£0.99 for 5m lengths) and 'feels' great in use, too. It has 133 strands. However, it is PVC, so it has limitations like temperature range.

In terms of multi-color, I was looking for reasonable-priced flexible wire not for multimeter probes, but for logic probe type applications, and noticed an online store called BNTECHGO, and placed an order for 26 AWG wire (they offer other sizes too). It seems to be silicone (doesn't melt when I apply a 330 deg C soldering iron to the insulation). In terms of stranding, the 26 AWG cable had 30 strands of 0.06 mm tinned wire.

They sell reels at what seems a fair price for low-volume use, but they also sell packs of 10 colors in 5 ft (1.5 m) lengths. Unfortunately, gray is missing from the 10-pack, so if the full color code is needed, a reel of gray would also need to be purchased.

On the negative side, the BNTECHGO wire is initially really stinky. After a month, the smell reduces, but it's not gone (but now, it only smells if you put your nose within a few inches of it). Maybe I'm being too picky, but it's still irritating enough that I'd prefer an odorless wire supplier, even if it costs slightly more, and I will check the normal distributors at some point.