What is cold shrink tubing?
Cold shrink tubing shrinks at room temperature, so there is no need to heat the tubing to shrink it. It is provided on a removable core that is pre-stretched to shape. The inner core is removed during installation, allowing the tubing to narrow around the cable, and allowing for a tight and compact installation.
Cold shrink has become a convenient technology for making connections between a cable and another cable, equipment terminals, or electrical splice terminals. Electrical installers often utilize this technology to provide a tight-fitting protective seal around stranded and solid wires because it is safe and easy to use.
Traditionally, cable splices are done using heat shrink technology, which involves applying heat to artificially expanded plastic tubing. After the heat is applied, these plastic tubes shrink to provide electrical insulation or connect cables. However, heat shrink technology is not safe to use in all environments. For example, in areas where flammable gases are present, such as gas pipeline projects, it is quite dangerous to use heat tools. Cold shrink is developing as a safer alternative method for terminations and connections in areas where such problems exist.
Where should we use cold shrink tubing?
Cold shrink tubing is an excellent alternative to heat shrink tubing under certain environmental conditions. You can use cold shrink fittings for splicing in field installations, or for cable trench applications in hazardous environments where there may be exposure to oil, gas, and chemicals; or in confined spaces where flammable gases are present. Because you do not need to use a flame (such as a heat gun) to shrink the cold shrink tubing, it will not overheat or crack like ordinary heat shrink tubing, which can cause further complications in splicing cables.
In cold shrink technology, fittings such as connector bodies, terminal bodies, and tubes are made of materials such as rubber and silicone, which are highly elastic at ambient temperatures and perform excellently in connecting and sealing power cables. The cold shrink tubing has a removable internal support system that shrinks the tube to its pre-stretched size when it is pulled out. The tube perfectly wraps around the cable and continuously applies radial pressure throughout the life of the joint or termination.
To use cold shrink tubing correctly, technicians can only remove the inner core during the installation phase and not before. The cold shrink tubing must remain expanded until it is used in the installation.
Cold shrink technology is optimized for field use and can withstand environmental conditions such as UV rays, pollution chemicals, and salt spray. It can be easily used in onshore, offshore, indoor, and outdoor environments. In addition, it is more suitable than heat shrink technology for places with limited space and where power tools and equipment are not easily accessible. Due to these excellent practical characteristics, cold shrink technology is widely adopted in the electrical industry.
