How to insulate wires, and how to do it right. Types of wire insulation for electrical work How to properly insulate a telephone wire in the ground

How to insulate the wires so that the contact connection lasts as long as possible, and the insulation resistance in this place is equivalent to the "native" insulation of the cable or wire?

This is especially important if we remember the fact that more than 90% of all damage to cable and wire products, and indeed electrical equipment in general, occur at the place of contact connections. That is why, the application of high-quality and properly executed insulation should be given the closest attention.

But before we analyze the types of insulating materials and how they are used, let's focus on. After all, the type of insulating material largely depends on this factor.

• Most often in everyday life, we are faced with the need to connect several wires. But the connection to the connection is different. Indeed, according to the norms of the PUE, wires can be connected by welding, soldering, pressing and bolting. Note that the method of twisting wires, which is so popular among the people, is not in this list. And this is no coincidence. After all, twisting the wires does not guarantee the quality of the connections and its reliability during operation.

	The first option is to weld the wires. The essence of this method is that the conductive strands of the wire are twisted, and then, using a special welding machine for wires, the ends of this twist are welded into a single whole. The main limiting factor in the application of this method is the price of the welding machine, which, if you are not doing this professionally, you do not need it at all.
	Soldering is the next option. It has found wide application in low-voltage networks as one of the most reliable and easy-to-implement connections. At the same time, for large cross-sections of wires, this method is practically not applicable. After all, with large cross sections, the contact connections can be heated to significant temperatures, which can lead to the destruction of the contact connection.
	The third option is the pressing of conductors. It requires special equipment in the form of sleeves and presses. Of course, for wires with a small cross section, there are sleeves that can be compressed with ordinary pliers, but they have not found wide application.
	The most common option that you can implement yourself is to connect wires using screw or bolt clamps. Special terminals, which already have insulation, allow you to connect the wires quite reliably. The disadvantage of this method is the increase in the size of the contact connection, and their extremely low protection against moisture penetration.

Types of insulating materials and their scope

We decided on the contact connections - now let's figure it out, but how can we insulate the wires? For domestic use, there are usually two options - this is electrical tape or heat shrink. But each of these materials has a lot of varieties and applications. So let's look at them in more detail.

Insulating tape

Let's start with the most common and time-tested material - insulating tape. This material is applied to the conductor by winding on the conductive part. But the properties of this product depend on the material of manufacture. And there are not so few of them.

So:

• The most common option is PVC tape. It is made of polyvinyl chloride film, on the surface of which a special adhesive is applied. This solution should provide good adhesion of the tape to most types of materials.
• In our country, PVC electrical tape is produced with a thickness of 0.1 to 0.2 mm. The composition of the adhesive solution and the base of the sleeve also differ. In addition, the color range of such electrical tape has recently expanded, which in Soviet times was only blue.
• This material can be used to insulate any type of connection. The insulation resistance of such electrical tape, according to the norms, is tested for a voltage of 1000V.

In the electrical industry, it is often necessary to mark or insulate a piece of cable, strengthen wire connections, protect elements from moisture, and so on. The matter is simple. It is enough to have an insulating tape, wind it in the right place and you're done. But as it usually happens, you have to write about such simple things in great detail, since both beginners and fairly experienced electricians make a lot of mistakes.

In this article, we will look at two methods of insulating wires using vinyl electrical tape and heat shrink tubing. You will learn how to do it right and wrong, what tools are needed and some "company secrets".

When is isolation needed?

• Wire color coding. Sometimes there is no wire of the color you need on hand. It doesn't matter—just have the correct color of duct tape or "thermocouple" and use it to indicate proper cable functionality at both ends.
• Cable insulation - during electrical work, accidental damage to the insulation of the wire can be caused. Usually they do not replace the entire wire, but put a patch.
• The housing can touch not only the insulation of cables, but also connectors that do not have their own insulation, or, for example, they need to be protected from mechanical damage and moisture.
• Strengthening connections - sometimes the outer sheath of the power cord of a device is damaged, frayed. Then such a cable hangs on two or three wires without a protective layer. When a complete break occurs is a matter of time. There are also two options: replace the power cord or try to strengthen it in the place of damage.
• It happens that due to the large number of devices or cables, there is a bundle of wires in some area. They can be cabled, secured with cable ties, framed or, if it is a short section, wrapped with a heat shrink sleeve.

Vinyl electrical tape

This item should always be in every electrician's drawer. And preferably several skeins in different colors: blue (for mass), yellow-green (protection) and phase (brown, black, gray, red). With this set, the marking of the ends of the wires will be functional in color.

What is important when choosing electrical tape?

• Color- it's already been said
• Width- if there are no special preferences, you can take the standard size 19 mm.
• Length- the longer it is, the better
• stickiness is a factor that should also be taken into account. Unfortunately, each manufacturer describes that the adhesiveness is great and the duct tape will stick until the end of the world. It can be assumed that the cheaper the tape, the worse the adhesiveness. So buying a branded electrical tape in an electrical store, most likely it will be of high quality.

How to properly insulate with electrical tape

Suppose you need to isolate shattered insulation. You don't need to wrap the whole section at once, but attach the tape to the cable insulation next to the damaged part of the insulation on the undamaged section. But before you do, make sure that the cord is not dusty, wet or dirty (glue cannot stick in this case).

Sequentially moving the electrical tape to the damage and slightly tightening, wind the tape until you reach the intact wire insulation on the other side of the damage.

If the tape is much wider than the frayed area, simply wrap 3 times in one place so that the damage is in the center.

The insulating tape can be cut qualitatively with the help of side cutters, but this is not always possible and affordable.

You can do without tools at all and firmly grasp the selected place on both sides of the area, stretch the tape and eventually break it. Of course, the edge of the torn ribbon will not be too beautiful, but in many cases it will do.

It is important that the breaks occur quickly. Slowly stretching the tape until it breaks, we get to the point that the tape will be greatly stretched and even more damaged.

Incorrect use of electrical tape

Error 1 - lack of tension

During winding, the electrical tape does not stretch, which means it does not stick to the insulated material.

Mistake #2 - winding back and forth

Winding once in one direction, and then in another, can lead to deformations as in the previous case.

Mistake number 3 - go the easy way

This is well shown in the picture. This option can be tempting when there are a lot of wires and little space. But the small contact surface of the tape with the cable is the basis for disconnecting in a very short time and revealing the bare wire. This is especially important in wires with a small cross section. This method can be used for temporary marking of wires, but not for permanent insulation.

Heat-shrink tubing

Instead of electrical tape, heat shrink tubing can and should be used in many electrical work. What are the differences between these isolation solutions?

• Heat shrink is usually a stronger, more aesthetic and more durable solution.
• To "attach" it to a wire or other element, you need to heat up the tube.
• Heat shrink is not universal, its size must be adapted to the insulated element.
• Unlike electrical tape, heat shrink tubing is rigid and non-separable.

What is important when choosing a heat shrink

1. Size. One of them is the diameter of the hole before heating. And the second is the minimum diameter of the hole after heating. The tube will not shrink indefinitely. Therefore, the tube must not only fit on the cable before insulating, but also pressed against the wire or connector after heating.
2. If you want to use a tube for cable marking, its color is important.
3. Fire resistance. This parameter should also be of interest, especially when we intend to use a lighter to heat the heat shrink tubing.

Heat shrink tubing can be bought in long sections (usually 1m), but you can also buy a set of several short pieces of different colored heat shrink in one package.

How to properly insulate with heat shrink

First of all, we need a heat source:

• Matches- the last resort. Only if the element is small and easily accessible. In addition, you will breathe sulfur and harmful secretions.
• Lighter- for easily accessible items, you can take it too, but be careful! So the insulation of the wire can be generally burned.
• hot air gun- the best, but also the most expensive solution. Unlike open flame sources, the ability to direct heat at any angle is preferable, as damage to the wire will be very difficult. It is best to have a heat gun with adjustable heating temperature to adapt to different occasions.
  You can also try a regular home hair dryer, but this is already a perversion.

Insulation of a thermotube with a lighter

First, we cut the heat shrink tube corresponding to the cable diameter according to the table. It should be slightly longer than the damage, so as to capture the wire insulation on both sides by a few millimeters.

We place a piece on the cable at the point of damage and heat the heat shrink tube until it pinches the cable insulation. If the cord or element is thick, you will have to rotate it so that the heat reaches the tube from all sides.

Attention! The flame must be away from the wire. It's worth practicing before you start the real work.

Standard insulation is designed for a maximum temperature of 70C. Even if the flame does not break the insulation, it may ignite or begin to smolder, especially when the work is long.

Thermal hair dryer for insulation

We can say that such a hair dryer (also called a heat gun) is a slightly more powerful hair dryer (just kidding). It creates an air flow with a controlled temperature from several tens to several hundred degrees.

If the hot air gun has temperature control, start low, it may take longer for the heat shrink to react, but you will safely reach the optimum temperature setting this way. If your hot air gun does not have this setting, start blowing from a distance. If you notice that the heat shrink is not evenly distributed on the cord, you can turn it around to heat the tube on each side.

Attention! When directing the air flow towards the object, be careful, the heat gun can blow out air of the order of 500C. Sometimes after such work with wires in the junction box, the paint begins to peel off the wall!

If you use heat shrink tubing to insulate a solder joint, do not overheat it for a long time.

Mistakes when using heat shrink

Mistake #1 - overheating

You need to be careful not to touch the wire with a flame so as not to ignite it. Also, do not burn yourself or damage the surrounding objects.

Mistake #2 - wrong size

It happens after shrinkage that the diameter of the tube is still too large, and the section does not stick to the insulated element. This can be corrected by trying to stretch the still warm tube. When we have a thicker connector and a relatively thin tube - don't try to put an owl on the globe, it's better to just use the right size heat shrink.

Summarize

Now you have learned how to properly use electrical tape and heat shrink tubing, what mistakes can be made and their consequences. What tools are needed to isolate an object. We are sure that the article has added something to your treasury of knowledge in the field of electrical engineering. If something is not clear, ask in the comments below.

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 fiber-based tape, so you can choose the appropriate option for your 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 a junction 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 is an 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 on the submersible pump is damaged). In addition, heat shrink is used when you need to connect underground wiring. It is also recommended to isolate the wires with this material in a bathroom, wooden house, bathhouse or on the street in order 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, in fact, like silicone sealant, will quickly fall off. 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.

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 electrics.

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 perfectly studied this lathe, this milling cutter and 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. In order for household appliances to serve for a long time and be 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 a good way to insulate wires in an 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. Insulate the wires with a PVC tube following 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. In such 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 insulation methods.

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 insulate electrical wires yourself, it is better to entrust this work to a professional. Carefully study the safety precautions when working with electrical wires.