Heat shrink tubing is a protective sleeve made of plastic that is shrunk to half its original size by heat. It is used for weatherproofing, color coding, and bundling wires. A heat gun is needed to activate it, and it provides better protection than tape or glue.
A heat shrink sleeve is a protective sleeve placed over cables, hoses, and other components needed to stay dry and covered. Made from a unique blend of plastics, heat shrink tubing is placed over a component and then reduced in size or shrunk to approximately half its original size by the application of heat. This is typically accomplished via a hot air blower or heat gun as it is commonly called. Technological advances have also created a type of shrink fabric that is used in applications where the strongest woven material is used to add strength to a joint.
While most commonly found on electrical splices and terminals, the use of heat shrink tubing is not limited to these applications. The sheath is also used to create corrosion protection, abrasion protection and strain relief. When used as the primary weatherproofing, an adhesive coated sleeve is commonly used. This sleeve incorporates a type of adhesive that melts and flows through the sleeve as it is heated and shrunk. The adhesive seals out moisture, dirt, and debris that could otherwise damage the terminal connector or splice.
Often produced using multiple colors, heat shrink tubing is also used to color coordinate cables, wires, and tubing. This allows workers to color-code the use of the component in future repairs. Heat shrink tubing is also used to contain and hold several individual wires or cables together in a single bundle, allowing the bundle to be more easily routed through a conduit pipe, between floors of the building, and throughout the interior of an automobile .
The airtight seal created when the sleeve is shrunk is far more protective against external contamination than black or electrical tape, duct tape, or glue alone. When cutting a piece of heat shrink tubing, it is critical that you cut off the oversized sleeve. This is necessary, as the product shrinks in length and diameter when heated.
Contrary to some misconceptions, heat shrink tubing cannot be activated using a common hair dryer or blow dryer. The use of a job-specific heat gun is required for most liners to activate. Some of the heavier shrink sleeves can also be activated or reduced with the aid of a cigarette lighter, while the heavier materials require the use of a propane torch to shrink. When using fire to activate shrink tubing, it is important to avoid accidental burns or puncturing the surface of the tubing.
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