How To Use 3M Cold Shrink Tubes – Silicone & Rubber Cold Shrink Tubings

Published 11 Dec 2017

A series of How-To videos for repairing, jointing and terminating cables using 3M Cold Shrink & Scotchcast products.

• uploaded by Chris Dodds - Thorne & Derrick Sales & Marketing Manager

Cold Shrink Tubes

Thorne & Derrick International, based in the UK, are the largest stockist and supplier of Cold Shrink Tubes manufactured by 3M Electrical – contact us for competitive prices, stock availability and delivery to UK and overseas destinations.

This video by 3M Electrical shows how to apply Cold Shrink Tubes safely and correctly.

3M Cold Shrink Tubes are a series of open-ended, tubular rubber sleeves, which are factory expanded and assembled onto a removable core. They are supplied for field installation in a pre-stretched condition and used by electrical engineers, installers and cable jointers to carry out electrical cable insulation, cable sheath repair and splice joints on cable containment or cable trench applications.

The 3M video shows how to install the cold shrink tubes by unwinding the removable core allowing the tube to shrink and form a tight waterproof seal to prevent water or humidity ingress into the cable. Quicker, easier and with enhanced installer safety benefits compared to heat shrink tube alternatives without a requirement for a heat source or tooling.

Cold Shrinking – the installer should use a gentle unwinding motion to release the expanded Cold Shrink tube from the core maintaining a consistent and even technique resisting temptation to snatch and pull as this will snag the plastic tail within the cold shrink tube. The outer core should remain relatively stationary while unwinding the inner core – the live memory action of the specially formulated 3M Cold Shrink material ensures a permanent, durable environmental seal and insulation. The tough, durable, EPDM rubber construction ensures 3M Cold Shrink tubes withstand operating temperatures of -40 to 194 degrees F (-40 to 90 degrees C).

• Black EPDM Cold Shrink Tubing Manufactured by 3M Electrical

Hazardous Areas

Consequently, cold shrink tubes have been adopted by the hazardous area industries (oil, gas and petrochem) for safe cable sealing and environmental protection in potentially explosive atmospheres and confined spaces where flammable gases or combustible vapours combined with “hot-working” could ignite the “Fire Triangle”. 

Suitable for hazardous area cable repair, however where installation location is exposed hydro carbons a complete range of ATEX cable joints are available for jointing cables in hazardous areas, Zone 1 and Zone 2.

Safe Cable Protection & Jointing In Hazardous Areas & Potentially Explosive Atmospheres – cold shrink is safe to use where “hot-working” is precluded

The absence of a naked flame requirement eliminates fire risk and removes the danger of incurring heat, burn or scorch damage to cable sheath by over-heating with gas torches.

The core is removed manually by a simple clockwise unwinding of a tail piece of the inner former – after the cold applied tube has been positioned for installation over an inline connection, cable terminal lug or other similar application the cold shrink is collapsed to form an effective cable seal.

Faster to install for use on LV, MV or HV cables where working access is possible to an open cable end either by cable cutting or disconnecting from supply point.

Other possible applications include electrical installation, cable repair, mechanical protection and moisture sealing barrier – providing a constant radial seal and pressure even under thermal cyclical load.

No playing with fire when installing Cold Shrink by 3M

Selecting Cold Shrink Tubes

Cold shrink tubes are supplied in a range of sizes with specified minimum/maximum tolerances per tube – the selection of the correct 3M tube requires the outside diameter of the cable to ideally be midway between the recommended min/max range of the shrink tube. Once installed the tubes are immediately energisable and suitable for direct burial, overhead or submersed applications on 1000 volt cables located in indoor/outdoor locations in both safe (non-hazardous) and hazardous area cable locations.

Cold shrink tubes are available in EPDM and Silicone.

Cold Shrink – invented by 3M over 40 years ago and now the preferred technology for heat-free jointing, terminating, sealing and abandonment of LV HV cables

We hope you find this video informative and educational, contact T&D for technical support, quotations and stock availability for 3M Cold Shrink Tubes.

♦ More Cold Shrink | Cable Caps | Cable Abandonment | Cable Joints LV | Cable Joints Terminations HV 11kV 33kV

Silicone Cold Shrink – Fire resistant & Low Smoke Zero Halogen

Silicone cold shrink tubes are open ended, silicone rubber, tubular sleeves installed onto cables, pipes and umbilicals to provide a watertight seal with additional resistance for fire, acids, ultra violet light, moisture and flame – the cold shrink tube is inherently low smoke zero halogen (LSOH). 

No heat source or naked flames are required to install cold shrink – specified for cable joint, repair or cable splice work in hazardous area locations or potentially explosive atmospheres.

The 3M 8440 series of silicone tubes are outlined in the below table to enable correct selection – call should you require any assistance.

The silicone cold shrink tubes manufactured by 3M Electrical provide primary electrical insulation on solid dielectric (rubber EPR and plastic XLPE) insulated low voltage LV cables up to 1000 volts.

Silicone Cold Shrink Manufactured By 3M

➡ Visit 3M Electrical for further information about 3M cable joints, terminations, tapes and insulation to seal, repair, splice and connect LV MV HV cables.

Cold Shrink | Joint | Terminate | Seal | Repair | Splice | LV MV HV Cables | 3M

• 3M Electrical Products Stocked By Thorne & Derrick International 

Further Reading

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