What size heat shrink
11-19-2018, 07:46 AM
#4
In this case, you will want heat shrink tubing that is large enough to handle the uninsulated butt connector but also will shrink tight enough to seal against the wire insulation at each end. For 14-16 gauge wire, the butt connector will typically be .152" in diameter and a 14 gauge wire will be about .095" diameter. You could use 1/4" tubing but it only shrinks to .125 at 2:1 so it would not seal the wire well. Using 3/16" at 2:1 would shrink to .093 which is sufficient to seal the wire at each end. For 18 gauge you could use 1/8" tubing but it would be difficult to get over the butt connector (connector outside diameter .124" vs. tube inside diameter .125"). The next larger size (3/16") will work fine for the connector but won't handle the smaller wire well at a 2:1 shrink ratio. That means that your best bet to work with both sizes is 3/16" tubing with a 3:1 shrink ratio. It's a little more expensive but much more versatile.
Another option is to buy butt connectors that do it all for you. You can buy insulated connectors which combine both solder and heat shrink properties. Simply insert the wires in each end, use your heat gun to melt the solder in the center section for the electrical connection, then to shrink the tubing around the ends. Very simple, fast, and reliable but certainly more expensive than bulk shrink tubing.
Another option is to buy butt connectors that do it all for you. You can buy insulated connectors which combine both solder and heat shrink properties. Simply insert the wires in each end, use your heat gun to melt the solder in the center section for the electrical connection, then to shrink the tubing around the ends. Very simple, fast, and reliable but certainly more expensive than bulk shrink tubing.
Last edited by WhiteBird00; 11-20-2018 at 06:36 AM. Reason: typo