Heat- Shrink Tubing
Heat shrink tubing, also known as heat shrink, is a shrinkable tube that shrinks when exposed to heat and is very useful in insulating wires. It looks a bit like some straw or hollow plastic coffee stirrer, depending on its thickness. The plastic tube surrounds two wires before being heated to solder and hold them together. Manufacturers use polyolefin materials to make heat shrink tubing. The materials can withstand high temperatures up to 125°C–135°C.
Manufacturers can also use PVC-based material to produce heat shrink tubing. PVC- based materials cannot withstand higher temperatures like polyolefin materials. Typically PVC-based materials have a maximum temperature of 105°C. However, PVC is more affordable than polyolefin. PVC-based heat shrink tubes provide brighter and more vibrant colors. They also offer better clarity if you need a transparent box. PVC is also available in flammable retardant genres and has greater tensile strength and abrasion resistance than polyolefin materials.
Wire Nuts
They are also known as wire connectors or wire caps. Wire connectors are elementary devices used to create connections between two or more electrical wires or terminations. Wire nuts have long been the primary devices for joining circuit wires in house wiring systems while twisting wires together and covering the connection with electrical tape is no longer accepted by most building codes. They allow for an electrical connection without soldering.
The parts of a wire nut include the insulator, which can vary in material depending on application requirements such as nylon, plastisol, rubber, etc. A brass insert is crimped into the end of insulation to secure it onto the screw terminal, the wire entry part where wires enter from the top side, and the wings with teeth at the bottom are used for gripping bare conductors when installing into device terminals.
Wire nuts look like small plastic sacks with metal inside them (the “teeth”). When you twist together stripped ends of your wires, slide the wire nut over them, and then screw it tight. Nuts twist onto the bare ends of wires to guarantee a secure, insulated, yet reversible connection.
Duct Tape
Despite its multiple functions, duct tape can fix electrical wires but not for long. Now there are different types of duct tape;
• Adhesive aluminum foil. Adhesive aluminum foil is not common today because aluminum is a conductive metallic material.
• Polyethene/Plastic. The duct tape in the market today comes in cloth fabric with polythene on both sides. Fabric and plastics are non-conductors of electricity. There is a wide range of polythene/fabric duct tapes with different end uses.
The Benefits of Using Electrical Tape to Insulate Wires
• Electrical tapes may appear just like any other tape, but they have very distinct and significant benefits that make them unique. The benefits include:
• They prevent possible electrocution. The electrical tape comes as a non-conductive material. If you are using it to insulate your wires, the chance of getting electrocuted is meager. It saves you from shock and other accidents.
• Insulate Electrical Wires. The primary purpose of electrical tape is to insulate wires. It will protect your circuits from getting exposed when repaired or installed in a different location.
• They prevent possible fire hazards. In some cases, you can use electrical tape to insulate wires carrying high voltages of electricity. There will be no chance of fire or overheating when you do the correct insulation, preventing possible explosions and significant accidents.
