If you have frayed sheathing on a wire or cable, have to fix a wire or cable, or are creating a custom cable or wire solution, heat shrinkable tubes come in handy. Here’s how you use them. What you’ll need are utility scissors, a heat gun, and a ruler.
Step 1
Measure the diameter of the wire. Ensure you have a heat shrinkable tube large enough to fit around the wire before heating. This will ensure once it’s heated, it fits snug as intended.
Step 2
Pay attention to what the shrink ratio is as well. For example, 2:1 ratio tubing will mean a 2 mm tube will shrink with heat to become a 1 mm tube with the wire enclosed inside.
Step 3
Measure the heat shrink tube. You want it slightly longer than the section of damaged wire. Prepare yourself for the wire to shrink longitudinally up to 15 percent.
Step 4
Once it is measured, use utility scissors to cut the tubing to the right length. Then, slide the tubing onto the wire. Ensure damaged or exposed sections are fully covered.
Step 5
Use your heat gun to shrink the tubing by moving it back and forth along the length of tubing. Staying in one place with a heat gun can damage the wire. Continue doing this until you’re confident the tubing is tightly secured to the wire. You’re finished!
Bonus Tip – A Hairdryer
Please note, if you do not have a heat gun, you can use a hairdryer to activate the heat shrink. Hold your hairdryer as close as you can to the heat shrink. Set it to its hottest setting.
Rotate the heat around the tube evenly so that it contracts around the wire from every angle down to the right size. This can sometimes require more time than a heat gun but is a DIY repair hack worth mentioning.
Do Heat Shrinkable Tubes Really Work?
Once the heat shrink is activated and the tubing tightens to its intended form around a wire, it successfully insulates the wire and protects it from outside interference.
Heat shrink tubes are frequently used in repairing a wide variety of wires without issue. If you have an affinity for DIY repairs and are skilled with your hands, you shouldn’t have any trouble accomplishing what you intend with a heat shrink tube.
Find a value-pack of 100-pieces heat shrinkable tubes in Canada from PrimeCables.ca. Have multiple colors to choose from and match your existing wire with ease.
Step 1
Measure the diameter of the wire. Ensure you have a heat shrinkable tube large enough to fit around the wire before heating. This will ensure once it’s heated, it fits snug as intended.
Step 2
Pay attention to what the shrink ratio is as well. For example, 2:1 ratio tubing will mean a 2 mm tube will shrink with heat to become a 1 mm tube with the wire enclosed inside.
Step 3
Measure the heat shrink tube. You want it slightly longer than the section of damaged wire. Prepare yourself for the wire to shrink longitudinally up to 15 percent.
Step 4
Once it is measured, use utility scissors to cut the tubing to the right length. Then, slide the tubing onto the wire. Ensure damaged or exposed sections are fully covered.
Step 5
Use your heat gun to shrink the tubing by moving it back and forth along the length of tubing. Staying in one place with a heat gun can damage the wire. Continue doing this until you’re confident the tubing is tightly secured to the wire. You’re finished!
Bonus Tip – A Hairdryer
Please note, if you do not have a heat gun, you can use a hairdryer to activate the heat shrink. Hold your hairdryer as close as you can to the heat shrink. Set it to its hottest setting.
Rotate the heat around the tube evenly so that it contracts around the wire from every angle down to the right size. This can sometimes require more time than a heat gun but is a DIY repair hack worth mentioning.
Do Heat Shrinkable Tubes Really Work?
Once the heat shrink is activated and the tubing tightens to its intended form around a wire, it successfully insulates the wire and protects it from outside interference.
Heat shrink tubes are frequently used in repairing a wide variety of wires without issue. If you have an affinity for DIY repairs and are skilled with your hands, you shouldn’t have any trouble accomplishing what you intend with a heat shrink tube.
Find a value-pack of 100-pieces heat shrinkable tubes in Canada from PrimeCables.ca. Have multiple colors to choose from and match your existing wire with ease.