3 Great Tips To Remember When Purchasing Heat Shrink Tubing For The First Time
If you deal with electrical wires on a regular basis, then you may need to invest in some heat shrink tubing. It's used to protect wires from damage. Buying it for the first time can go your way if you remember these tips.
Ensure Your Tubing Meets Regulatory Standards
Before you start applying this tubing around electrical wiring, you first need to make sure you select the right type of heat shrink tubing materials. Since this tubing will be used for electrical purposes, it needs to meet regulatory standards in your industry.
You can find out what these standards are by searching online for electrical-compliant heat shrink tubing. Once you know what attributes this tubing needs according to these strict standards, you'll know exactly what type to purchase. Make sure you don't neglect these standards either because if you do, you could suffer legal consequences should something go wrong with your electrical wiring.
Understand What Diameter Size You Need
When working with heat shrink tubing, you'll be adding heat to decrease its diameter. However, so that this tubing works out long-term, you need to know what diameter to shrink the tubing down to.
This really depends on the thickness of the wiring that you'll be working with. Gather its diameter dimensions first before applying heat to your tubing. Once you do have this measurement, you'll have a better idea of how long to heat your tubing. Just make sure you don't shrink too much because if you do, you could end up damaging the wiring you're trying to protect.
Select a Material
Today, heat shrink tubing comes in several different materials. Some of the most common on the market include PVC and polyolefin. PVC is a material that is extremely cost-effective. It thus works great if you don't have a large budget. PVC also comes in a lot of bright colors, which is ideal for indicating electrical wiring in an area.
If you don't mind paying more, polyolefin is a material that can last in extreme temperatures. The reason this material is so durable is because of its cross-link design. This material also comes in a clear design, which helps you easily see electrical wires when inspecting them.
Heat shrink tubing plays such an important role in many industries, especially when it comes to protecting electrical wires. If you need some for your operations, be sure to focus on the right details. You can then make a sound tubing investment that works perfectly over the years. Look into companies that deal with products like PTFE heat shrinkable tubing to learn more.
