Choosing a heat shrink tubing kit requires some knowledge about the electrical applications you’ll be using it for. Heat shrink insulation is the toughest, given you use high-quality tubing. For that, you should find a shop that has all sizes gathered in a kit.
There is one shop that offers great heat shrink tubing – wirefyshop.com/collections/heat-shrink-tubing. This is a place where you’ll find the best kits, no matter how large your wires are.
Now, let’s see how to choose a kit.
Choosing a Wire Shrink Wrap Kit
There are several characteristics you should consider before making the final choice:
- Inner diameter of a tube.
The descriptions of the products should state tube diameters so that you can understand whether they are suitable for your wires. Allow about 20% of extra space so that any uneven parts of the wire can fit. - Shrinkage ratio.
Another important factor is the ratio of shrinkage. There are 1.2 to 1, 1.5 to 1, and others. This means that the tube is suitable for certain connectors and wires so that it can encase the connector and then shrink a little more to get the wire. It’s said that the sizes shouldn’t vary by more than 40% for successful shrinkage. There are tubes with an adhesive solution inside that can help in extreme situations. - Tube length.
It’s worth mentioning that the tube will shrink in length a little bit as well. It’s usually about 5%, but if you strip the wires too much, you’ll need to redo the job or use an isolation tape to tidy up the application. It’s better to choose a longer tube for your application. - Thickness.
After shrinking, the tube will have a certain wall thickness. Without this knowledge, you may choose a thin one that will not be able to carry the amount of weight there will be on those wires. Consider the application, whether you’re using it inside or outside, what the climate is like in your area when choosing the tubes.
These are the main parameters. There are others like material, the temperature at which the tube shrinks, and the heat and cold range within which the connection will work. In a high-quality kit, there will be most types of shrinking tubes, but you still should read about them. If possible, consult a specialist if you’re not sure what type you need. A professional will tell you just what kit to purchase and which one is of high quality.
Choosing a Heat shrink cable insulation carries a lot of freight and there are tubes for any diameter, colored, black/white, and clear. All of them lined in a kit from WirefyShop will make sure you can wrap every inch of a wire. You can look for kits in physical shops like Home Depot or Lowes, just Google “heat shrink tubing near me”. But if you buy online, make sure it’s a shop that offers great quality and affordable prices!
