Materials used for insulation of wires and cables
The purpose of wire insulation is to prevent leakage currents in exposed wire connections. Therefore, the insulation material must be non-combustible, withstand high temperature and protect connections from moisture. For various operating conditions and for different kind wires and cables use their own method of insulation.
The method of insulating wires with heat shrink tubing
For insulation and cables, such types of insulation as insulating tape, heat shrink tube, PPE caps, PVC tube are used. Some use tape as insulation, which does not have the necessary insulating properties and therefore it is not recommended to use it for insulating wires.
PVC insulation tape now the most popular. This ribbon is available in many colors. It has good insulating properties, has elasticity. However, PVC electrical tape does not like moisture; in a humid environment, it peels off and becomes limp.
For dry rooms, this electrical tape adheres well to wire connections and is durable. Also, colored PVC electrical tape can be used for cable cores for phase, zero and protective earth wires.
HB insulating tape differs from PVC tape in moisture resistance, resistance to low temperatures, and is not afraid of dirt. Therefore, it is often used in the insulation of automotive electrical wires.
Heat-shrink tubing also has good insulating properties. It can isolate wire connections that are underground, in water. It can also be used in the repair of electrical wiring in cars.
PPE caps do not have the same high insulation performance as heat shrink tubing, but they can be successfully used to insulate twists and brazes in junction boxes.
Insulation of PPE wires with caps in the junction box. Tape wrapping
How to correctly insulate a wire connection
After connecting the wires PVC and HB electrical tape it is wound on bare wires in at least two layers. As soon as they reach the end of the connection, make an empty wrap with a tube. Which is then pressed back, and the second layer of tape is wound in the opposite direction.
This method of insulating wires with electrical tape is used by almost all professional electricians. If a stranded wire is twisted with a monolithic one, then the stranded wire is twisted and clamped with a solid wire as shown in the figure.
The method of twisting and insulating stranded and solid wires
Heat-shrink tubing cut to the size of the insulation plus 2 cm margin. She puts on the wire even before the start of the connection, otherwise she can no longer be put on the wire. You can shrink the thermotube with a building hair dryer, a lighter or a powerful soldering iron 60 - 100 watts. The lighter is brought to the thermotube at a short distance and, moving along the length of the tube, it is heated and upset.
If the wire junction is used underwater or underground, then it is advisable to insulate the wires with two heat shrink tubing. The second tube is taken bigger size and also with the overlap of the first tube. Choose a thermotube according to the diameter of the junction. Typically, heat shrink tubing shrinks 2 times in diameter. Therefore, it must be chosen so that it can be easily put on at the junction of the wires, but not dangling.
PPE caps they are easily wound onto the twisting of wires, wind them up to the stop. Basically, these caps are used when installing electrical wiring in houses and apartments.
Stranding and insulation of solid and stranded wires
The junction of the wires is also insulated and PVC pipes(cambric). For such insulation, the diameter of the tube is chosen slightly less than the junction of the wires, so that it fits tightly on the bare wires and does not jump off. Pick up Exact size PVC tubes to the junction of the wires can be stretched and slightly warmed up with a lighter. Once the tube has cooled down, it is ready for use.
I hope you are aware that any work with electrical wiring is carried out with a de-energized power supply, that is, with the input machine turned off.
All wire connections must be properly insulated. First of all, the safety of a person, the reliability of contact, the absence of current leakage to the ground and the exclusion of a short circuit depend on this. One junction box several twists (connections) are laid and contact cannot be allowed between them. Also, the insulation of wire connections protects against the appearance of traces of oxidation and corrosion on the surface of metals. There are several ways to insulate wires, which we will discuss below.
How to insulate wires?
This can be done with:
- heat shrink tube;
- ordinary PVC electrical tape;
- insulated terminals.
1. Insulation of wire connections with heat shrink tubing.
Today, heat shrink tubing can be purchased at any radio and electrical store and Lately she becomes very popular. It is produced in different diameters, non-toxic, does not support combustion, its operation mode is from -55 0 С to +105 0 С and operating voltage is up to 1 kV.
Here you will need an industrial hair dryer to seat the tube on the cores. However, it is expensive and many people cannot afford it at home. Therefore, they get out of this situation with the help of a lighter.
When connecting wires, it is often necessary to put on a heat-shrinkable tube in advance. Remember this, otherwise you will have to disassemble the connection.
We cut off the tube with a margin so that the free sections protrude from both sides of the bare part of the wire by at least one centimeter.
We put on a heat-shrinkable tube on a twist. The photo shows that it is intended for use in a network voltage up to 600 V and at temperatures up to 125 0 С.
With the help of a hair dryer or a lighter, we seat in place. That's all - it's fast, reliable and inexpensive.
2. Insulation of wire connections with ordinary PVC electrical tape.
Insulating tape is perhaps the most common material that is used in the insulation of twists and other connections. It is available and often inexpensive.
It should be noted that any electrical tape is not suitable for reliable insulation of wires. Most duct tape sold is only suitable for winding a shovel handle or stick, not for electricians.
If your rolls are in a junction box that will be plastered over, then spend the extra $100-200 on a good quality and reliable duct tape like 3M™ Scotch. One skein should be enough for you. This will allow you to get reliable wire insulation and avoid various emergencies.
How do I insulate wires with electrical tape:
I start winding from standard insulation, I lived a little at an angle so that the winding moves towards the end of the twist ...
I continue to wind until I go beyond the twist and you get an empty tube with a length equal to the width of the insulating tape ...
Then I bend this empty section of the twisted electrical tape and lay it along the twist in the opposite direction. Then I continue to wind the electrical tape at an angle, but already in the direction of the standard wire insulation ...
At the final stage, I cut off the excess insulating tape. This method of winding lasts a long time and there are no problems with the appearance of the bare very tip of the twist.
3. Insulate wire connections with insulated terminals.
This insulation option involves the use of different connecting terminal blocks that have a dielectric housing. These are ZVI screw clamps, PPE connecting insulating clamps, Vago universal self-clamping clamps.
If you make wire connections in the junction box using these materials, then you do not have to additionally isolate the connection point. All listed terminals are already well insulated.
Above, we broke down how and how to insulate the wires. And what are you doing?
Let's smile:
Worker:
- I have thoroughly studied this lathe, this cutter and an electric grinder. Now I know them like the back of my hand.
In modern life, electrical appliances have become an integral attribute of a house or apartment. Consequently, we often have to deal with wires. To Appliances served for a long time and was safe for humans, it is important to know how to properly insulate the wires.
It is necessary to insulate the wires when they are connected or if the insulating layer has been damaged. After all, wires without insulation are an open source of current and pose a danger to human life and health.
How to insulate wires
With the help of the corresponding video, as well as detailed text instructions, you can find out the intricacies of wire insulation. When solving this problem, first of all, you need to choose the material for insulation. The following options are now widely used:
- heat-shrink tubing;
- special terminals;
- PVC tube;
- insulating tape.
The use of any of these materials is in a good way insulation of wires in the apartment. And electrical tape is still actively used in cases of wire insulation failure.
How to insulate wires with tubes
First you need to purchase a heat shrink tube or PVC tube. Then you need to sequentially perform the following steps:
- cut the tube so that it is larger than the part of the bare wires on both sides by about one centimeter;
- twist the wires and put the tube on the twist;
- using a special hair dryer (if available) or a regular lighter, shrink the insulating material on the wires.
This completes the insulation of the wire with a tube. It is worth remembering that after shrinkage it is no longer possible to remove the tube. Isolate wires pvc tube follows the same algorithm, excluding the last item in the list. If you have any questions regarding the procedure, it is better to read the video.
How to properly insulate wires with electrical tape
Electrical tape is the most popular option for insulating wires yourself. Such material is available at any hardware store and is relatively inexpensive.
Also, the insulating tape will help you if the insulation of the electrical wire has been broken, and now you need to urgently fix the situation.
Carefully study this issue, it is even better to get advice from the seller in the store. The choice of high-quality electrical tape is a guarantee of safety and a long service life of electrical wiring.
You need to isolate the wires yourself using electrical tape as follows:
- start winding the tape on the twist, moving from the standard insulation to the end of the twist. This should be done at a slight angle;
- when you have gone beyond the twist, wind an empty tube, the length of which is equal to the width of your electrical tape;
- bend the empty section of the tape and lay it along the twist;
- continue winding the tape at an angle, but already towards the standard insulation;
- cut off excess tape.
You can also watch the video to see the process. So in a simple way you can correctly and, most importantly, safely insulate wires for many years. But if they are in a special electrical box behind the wall, then it is better to use more modern methods isolation.
Insulation with terminals
For this method, special terminals are used, complete with which a dielectric case is sold. Additional insulation is not required as the terminal blocks are already well insulated. You must follow the instructions and watch the manufacturer's video to properly insulate the wires at home.
The most common types of terminals:
- terminal blocks, which are produced in the form of a plate with special cells;
- PPE caps;
- Wago terminal blocks.
Before starting work
Working with electrical wires is a responsible and dangerous process. Therefore, before starting isolation with your own hands, carefully study this issue and watch the corresponding video.
If you have any doubts about whether you can isolate electric wires on your own, it is better to entrust this work to a professional. Carefully study the safety precautions when working with electrical wires.
All wire connections must be properly insulated. First of all, the safety of a person, the reliability of contact, the absence of current leakage to the ground and the exclusion of a short circuit depend on this. Several twists (connections) are laid in one junction box and contact cannot be allowed between them. Also, the insulation of wire connections protects against the appearance of traces of oxidation and corrosion on the surface of metals. There are several ways to insulate wires, which we will discuss below.
How to insulate wires?
This can be done with:
- heat shrink tube;
- ordinary PVC electrical tape;
- insulated terminals.
1. Insulation of wire connections with heat shrink tubing.
Today, heat shrink tubing can be purchased at any radio and electrical store and has become very popular lately. It is produced in different diameters, non-toxic, does not support combustion, its operation mode is from -55 0 С to +105 0 С and operating voltage is up to 1 kV.
Here you will need an industrial hair dryer to seat the tube on the cores. However, it is expensive and many people cannot afford it at home. Therefore, they get out of this situation with the help of a lighter.
When connecting wires, it is often necessary to put on a heat-shrinkable tube in advance. Remember this, otherwise you will have to disassemble the connection.
We cut off the tube with a margin so that the free sections protrude from both sides of the bare part of the wire by at least one centimeter.
We put on a heat-shrinkable tube on a twist. The photo shows that it is intended for use in a network voltage up to 600 V and at temperatures up to 125 0 С.
With the help of a hair dryer or a lighter, we seat in place. That's all - it's fast, reliable and inexpensive.
2. Insulation of wire connections with ordinary PVC electrical tape.
Insulating tape is perhaps the most common material that is used in the insulation of twists and other connections. It is available and often inexpensive.
It should be noted that any electrical tape is not suitable for reliable insulation of wires. Most duct tape sold is only suitable for winding a shovel handle or stick, not for electricians.
If your rolls are in a junction box that will be plastered over, then spend the extra $100-200 on a good quality and reliable duct tape like 3M™ Scotch. One skein should be enough for you. This will allow you to get reliable wire insulation and avoid various emergencies.
How do I insulate wires with electrical tape:
I start winding from standard insulation, I lived a little at an angle so that the winding moves towards the end of the twist ...
I continue to wind until I go beyond the twist and you get an empty tube with a length equal to the width of the insulating tape ...
Then I bend this empty section of the twisted electrical tape and lay it along the twist in the opposite direction. Then I continue to wind the electrical tape at an angle, but already in the direction of the standard wire insulation ...
At the final stage, I cut off the excess insulating tape. This method of winding lasts a long time and there are no problems with the appearance of the bare very tip of the twist.
3. Insulate wire connections with insulated terminals.
This insulation option involves the use of different connecting terminal blocks that have a dielectric housing. These are ZVI screw clamps, PPE connecting insulating clamps, Vago universal self-clamping clamps.
If you make wire connections in the junction box using these materials, then you do not have to additionally isolate the connection point. All listed terminals are already well insulated.
Above, we broke down how and how to insulate the wires. And what are you doing?
After you connect the bare wires by twisting or soldering, it is necessary to insulate the junction with high quality. To date, there are several main ways to insulate conductors - using electrical tape, heat shrink, or even special PPE caps. Next, we will tell readers how to insulate wires in the wall, under water and even underground.
Precautionary measures
To begin with, let's talk about what rules you need to follow when isolating with your own hands. First, it is strictly forbidden to insulate live wires. You must be sure to disconnect in the switchboard. Secondly, to protect the junction, it is necessary to use only materials that comply with GOSTs for insulation and shells. In simple words- do not use plastic bags, adhesive tape and other garbage. For example, for everyone's favorite PVC electrical tape, there is GOST 16214-86, to which it must comply, and specifications built on its basis.
We highly do not recommend using tape as insulation, because. this material does not have sufficient insulating properties. Now we will look at how to properly insulate wires at home, and also provide you with the most reliable insulating materials.
Overview of insulating materials
To date, for the insulation of bare cores, it is recommended to use materials such as:
Here we have provided the most reliable and popular insulating materials among electricians. Next, we will tell you how to properly insulate bare contacts with electrical tape, heat shrink and special caps.
Video review of existing insulation methods
By the way, EKF produces both non-combustible PVC electrical tape and cotton-based tape, so you can choose suitable option under own conditions. It is important to note that PVC electrical tape is available in 7 colors, which allows it to be used for color marking wires. There is a choice of professional electrical tape (class A: wide, with a thicker base) and for general household purposes (class B: it is narrower and thinner). You can find out more about the products here: https://ekfgroup.com/catalog/izdeliya-dlya-elektromontazha/izolenta.
Instructions for using insulators
Well, here we come to the main issue of the article - do-it-yourself wire insulation technology. Since there are several materials, we will dwell on each and tell you how to isolate the bare veins yourself.
If you are using electrical tape, you first need. If the wires are stranded, it is recommended to additionally solder them for a more reliable connection. Next, the twist is bent to one side, as shown in the photo, after which the electrical tape is wound onto the bare area in at least 2 layers. This technique is often used in an apartment, even by experienced electricians. Insulating tape can be used when connecting conductors in a junction box, a chandelier, when moving an outlet, and even under plaster, if the junction is in mounting box. About that, we told in a separate article. 
It is also not difficult to isolate bare conductors with heat shrink. The main thing to remember important nuance- the tube must be put on one of the conductors before they are spliced. After soldering or twisting, you will not be able to put on a cambric (it is also called that). When the contacts are connected, the tube must be pulled over the bare junction, and then heated with a building hair dryer. We described in detail how to use heat shrink in a separate article:. 
If a hair dryer is not at hand, heating with an ordinary lighter is allowed, the main thing is to make sure that the heat shrink is hermetically pulled together on the cable. It is recommended to use the HERE tube when the conductor is immersed in water (for example, if the power cable is damaged on deep pump). In addition, heat shrink is used when you need to connect underground wiring. It is also recommended to insulate the wires with this material in the bathroom, wooden house, bathhouse or on the street to reliably protect the junction from water.
Which is better: heat shrink or electrical tape
PPE caps are best used when installing electrical wiring in a house and apartment. PPE is compact and allows you to quickly isolate the twist. All that is needed is to screw the cap onto the wires until it stops, as shown in the photo below. 
If you need to protect the twisting of thin wires, for example in headphones, it is not advisable to use electrical tape, because. it won't fit snugly. In this case, you can do without electrical tape using ordinary superglue. All you need to do is gently drop glue on the bare area of \u200b\u200bthe small conductors. In a 220 Volt power supply, this method is not recommended, because. glue, just like silicone sealant, will fall off quickly. By the way, it is also not worth isolating the cores with a glue gun, for a similar reason.
For additional insulation of the cable from a rabbit, cat or puppy in the house (pets love to gnaw on wires), it is recommended to use tin foil. For other methods, read the corresponding article!
So we provided all the existing methods for isolating bare veins with our own hands. As you can see, it is not so difficult to independently insulate the wire under water, in the wall and the ground, the main thing is to choose the right material for insulation. Finally, we recommend that you additionally protect the electrical wiring with corrugation in damp rooms and outdoors, which will further protect the junction so that water does not get on the bare contacts.
