A comparison: Heat shrink alternatives

Heat shrink tubing, cold shrink tubing and electrical tape are all used as cable management solutions. Is one better than the others? That depends on what you want it to do and where you’re using it. In this guide, we’ll explain the purpose of each of these solutions, covering:

• What is heat shrink tubing?
• How to use heat shrink tubing
• What is cold shrink tubing?
• What is cold shrink tubing used for?
• What is the difference between cold shrink and heat shrink?
• What is insulation tape?
• What is electrical tape used for?

What is heat shrink tubing?

Heat shrink tubing is a type of plastic tubing that shrinks to fit around cables and wires when heat is applied. Can heat shrink be used as insulation? That’s one of its primary purposes. It insulates and protects cables and wires from abrasions and environmental factors. It’s also used to repair insulation on wires, or to bundle them together to provide protection.

Heat shrink insulation and bundling are popular for applications such as a rack mount cabinet and it’s widespread across industries, from automotive and aerospace.

Each heat shrink sleeve, as it’s sometimes called, comes with a predefined shrink rate. This means that it’s simple to decide your shrink tube sizes, depending on the diameters of cables or wires to be encased. The shrink rate indicates how much it will reduce in size when heated. It’s expressed as a ratio that represents the difference between the expanded diameter of the tubing and its recovered (shrunken) diameter.

For example, a heat shrink tubing with a shrink ratio of 2:1 will shrink to half of its original diameter when heated. So, a 2-inch diameter tubing will shrink down to 1 inch in diameter when heated.

The adhesive lining is an inner layer designed to flow and bond with the surface of the component, forming a tight barrier against moisture, dust, and other contaminants. This makes it particularly useful for applications where the components are exposed to harsh environments, such as in automotive, marine, or outdoor electrical installations.

How to use heat shrink tubing

Heat shrink tubing is simple to apply, but you do need a heat source.

1.  Wires or cables are fed through plastic tubing.
2. Tubing shrinks when heated with a heat gun to form a fitted, secure casing.
3. Tubing becomes extremely rigid when heated.

You should also check out our Brief guide to heat shrink tubing

What is cold shrink tubing? 

A heat shrink tubing alternative is cold shrink tubing. Like its heat-shrink cousin, it’s used to terminate, splice and provide environmental seals on cables. It’s called ‘cold shrink tubing’ because it’s designed to shrink onto a cable or other object without the need for heat. Unlike traditional heat shrink tubing that requires heat to shrink down to size, cold shrink tubing is pre-stretched and loaded onto a removable plastic core, which is then removed, allowing the tubing to contract and conform to the shape of the object being covered.

How cold shrink tubing works:

• It comes with a removable plastic core that keeps the tubing stretched to allow the cables to be fitted.
• It also contains active memory that causes the cold shrink tube to shrink once the core is removed.
• It’s constantly attempting to return to its original shape. This means that it will expand and shrink around cables as they change size due to changes in temperature or load swings.

What is cold shrink tubing used for?

It’s ideal for environments where temperatures are likely to fluctuate considerably. It also possesses excellent weather resistance and does not age when exposed to ultraviolet rays. This means it is a good choice when cables are likely to be exposed to the elements.

Where heat cannot be used or just isn’t practical, such as in the telecommunications, power distribution and construction industries.

What is the difference between cold shrink and heat shrink?

Cold shrink vs heat shrink. Your choice really comes down to the environment in which you’re using it. Heat shrink wire insulation might be more dependable because of its tight fit. But providing you use the exact size of cold shrink tube that you need, you can get good insulation. If your application isn’t so demanding, cold shrink tubing can be considered a heat shrink tubing substitute.

Characteristic	Heat shrink tubing	Cold shrink tubing
Installation	Heat source needed	No heat source needed
Temperature range	Can withstand high temperatures and wider temperature ranges. Example: -55°C to 125°C	Typically made of EPDM rubber with a temperature range of -40°C to 90°C
Shrink ratio	Higher, which enables the tubing to conform more tightly to cables	Lower, so it only shrinks to a certain extent
Applications	Ideal when a tight, secure fit is needed, such as in electronics & automotive	Where heat cannot be used or isn’t practical, such as telecommunications, power distribution & construction

 

What is insulation tape?

Electrical insulation tape – or just electrical tape – is an adhesive tape typically made of vinyl, rubber or mastic. It’s extremely flexible, and can also be stretched, meaning it’s extremely versatile and can cover a wide range of cable shapes and layouts.

Although electrical tape is available in a wide variety of colours, black tends to be the favourite for insulation, bundling, grouping and repair. Other colours of tape indicate different levels of voltage or phases of wire.

Can you use electrical tape instead of heat shrink?

Insulation electrical tape is simply not as durable as heat shrink tubing. Over time electrical tape will lose its adhesive properties and eventually fall off the cable or wire. When using electrical tape, it’s important to regularly monitor the condition of the tape, which is an impractical use of your time.

Taping electrical wires doesn’t offer the same level of protection as heat shrink tubing against abrasion, corrosive substances or the elements. It is quicker to apply and remove, however. This means it can be a good cable management choice for temporary solutions – and we stress the word ‘temporary’. Otherwise, using electrical tape instead of heat shrink tubing is not a good idea. Electrical tape vs heat shrink is no comparison when it comes to a permanent solution.

Does electrical tape shrink when heated?

No. Electrical tape is not designed to shrink when heat is applied. This can, in fact, release harmful chemicals and in the worst case scenario, it can melt the tape. And if it doesn’t melt, then the tape will lose its adhesive properties. It becomes useless for insulating and providing protection to your wires and cables. Only use electrical tape – or any product – as it’s designed to be used.

Heat shrink tape for wires is available on the market, so make sure you get the right type of tape.

Does electrical tape insulate heat?

No. It’s not designed for that purpose. It can insulate wires and cables. Self-fusing tape has limited ability to insulate heat, but it does form a tight seal. If you’re looking for heat insulation, look for a thermal insulation tape.

What is electrical tape used for?

Electrical insulation tape is essential for anyone working with electrical components. It’s sometimes used to secure cables and wires, but again, this should only be a temporary solution. Use proper cable management for long-term solutions.

You’ll also find it helpful to read our Guide to cable strain relief

Electrical tape is also used to repair damaged insulation on cables to prevent exposure of live wires – and reduce the potential for electrical shocks. Here again, because electrical tape loses its properties over time, this should be a temporary measure. Electrical tape is excellent for emergency repairs until you can make the necessary permanent fix.

Other than making emergency repairs, what do you use electrical tape for? It’s good for labelling cables for easy identification and troubleshooting. It comes in a variety of colours, making it easy to identify different circuits, wire sizes, or phases. Each colour has its own meaning.

How do they all compare?

Here’s a quick glance at what each gives you:

	Heat shrink tubing	Cold shrink tubing	Electrical tape
Rigidity	✔
Flexibility	Flexible options available	✔	✔
Humid environment		✔
Mechanical protection	✔
Chemical resistance	✔
UV resistance	UV-resistant option available	✔
Application	Industrial	Outdoors	For temporary repairs

Of course, there are other cable management solutions. Just a few examples include:

• Braided cable sleeving
• Nylon cable ties
• Spiral cable wrap
• Cable clips and clamps

Download free CADs and try before you buy

Download free CADs and request free samples, which are available for most of our solutions. It’s a great way to ensure you’ve chosen exactly what you need. If you’re not quite sure which product will work best, our experts are always happy to advise you.

Whatever your requirements, you can depend on fast despatch. Request your free samples or download free CADs now.

Questions?

Email us at sales@essentracomponents.co.uk or speak to one of our experts for further information on the ideal solution for your application 0345 528 0474.