Heatshrink size

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minsted

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Working out what I need to rewire - can someone advise what size Adhesive heatshrink I would need to cover an AWG 12 (or around 4 mm sq) wire into a yellow crimp and similarly a AWG 16 ( or 1.5 mm sq) wire into a red crimp ?

I was looking at 4:1 - 12mm (shrink to 4mm) and 8mm (shrink to 2mm) - is that the right stuff.

http://www.heatshrink-online.co.uk/heatshrink/cat_313195--003-41-Clear-Glue-Lined-Heatshrink.html

Also am I better buying an eletric heat gun or one of the little ones using a lighter ?

Thanks.
 
Is there a good reason for buying the clear glue lined type that is five times the price of the normal black stuff? What is the glue for? Once it has shrunk it doesn't move. Buy the cheap stuff and you'll be able to experiment.
I've always used a heat gun similar to what you use for paint stripping (carefully!)

PS. Why are you heat shrinking insulated terminals?
 
Heat shrinking to keep moisture out

Not particularly sold on the clear but thought it's better if you can see what's going on underneath and for all I'm doing at the end its pennies
 
minsted said:
Working out what I need to rewire - can someone advise what size Adhesive heatshrink I would need to cover an AWG 12 (or around 4 mm sq) wire into a yellow crimp and similarly a AWG 16 ( or 1.5 mm sq) wire into a red crimp ?...
Click to expand...

I normally buy 2:1 heatshrink sized to fit the crimp before it is shrunk, you normally only need 3:1 or 4:1 if you are retrofitting. You don't necessarily need the adhesive stuff unless this is for above decks, just put a smear of adhesive on the fitting using a glue gun.

A variable electric heat gun makes life much easier, or treat yourself to a gas soldering iron with a hot air blower and a rope cutter. Ideal Xmas presents!
 
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Gas soldering iron with a hot-air (not the same thing as blowtorch!) adaptor is fine for use on board, but if you're doing it in the workshop then an electric hot-air gun is a bit better and only a tenner or so from Machine Mart.

Pete
 
Thanks

Moisturewise - its more for connections to the battery and Isolator switch which are under the floor boards, probably be OK but why not - at the switchboard end don't know if its necessary.

Looked at the heat shrink crimps but saw the recent thread on the nightmare finding the right crimp tool - I have a rachet double which is fine with the insulated terminals, so this seemed the easy answer
 
That was the plan .... I have just removed all the old wiring and replacing. Its a very simple set up Folkboat - no engine - only running Depth / GPS / Nav lights / Domestic lights - and usually only depth so 4mm maybe overkill ?

It was set up with the battery leads on a yellow crimp - haven't checked the old cable size yet but I thought 4mm was mid size for a yellow crimp
 
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