Judaeus Apella
09-24-2005, 01:34 PM
(Please don’t move this, but if you must, please move it to an area with people who have experience working with projects consisting of electrical work.)
Some of you guys that do a lot of extreme modding, especially with electrical components, are usually good at fixing and repairing a lot of things around and outside the house. I was hoping you could help me figure out a problem I’m having with a home project?
I need to protect some wiring along the undercarriage of a riding lawnmower and around the engine, and I was thinking about using black heat shrink. Now this isn't a corvette, it’s just a two cylinder engine we just use one day a week, it’s not going to get as hot as a road vehicle and the heat shrink isn't going to be subjected to hours and hours of heat torture like the parts on a car can be. Taking this into account, I was hoping if anyone would know if heat shrink is ok to use.
Yes, I know of other available materials, but I've looked over many and I don't like anything I’ve seen. Rubber tape can't stand up to any heat, electrical tape is not weather resistant, liquid electrical tape is a mess, and that automotive electrical tubing is the problem that I'm correcting. That stuff has a slit all the way down, and this almost destroyed the existing wiring! When they designed this tractor, they obviously didn’t take into account that covering exterior wires with something that has openings along it, in a hazardous out door environment with wet grass, leaves, twigs, high volumes of dust, and the occasional rock flying in every direction at high speeds, ISN’T A GOOD IDEA! All the crap flying around underneath there occasionally finds its way inside the tubing and rots when it gets wet. It stinks to high heaven, invites insects, and started to dry out sections of the wiring. I treated those areas with some restorer and that seemed to work.
If anyone can offer me some information, I’d be grateful. Also, are there different brands of heat shrink in particular that would be the best choice? Something more durable? Also, is there heat shrink available for places where wires intersect or branch out?
I’d appreciate an answer to the first questions first, but what other choices do I have? Is there anything else I haven’t seen that can be used for this? Just so you guys know, I have heard that I can use just normal water or gas tubing, but that stuff is too thick, doesn’t flex as well, and too much a hassle to work with in areas where wires branch out or intersect.
Some of you guys that do a lot of extreme modding, especially with electrical components, are usually good at fixing and repairing a lot of things around and outside the house. I was hoping you could help me figure out a problem I’m having with a home project?
I need to protect some wiring along the undercarriage of a riding lawnmower and around the engine, and I was thinking about using black heat shrink. Now this isn't a corvette, it’s just a two cylinder engine we just use one day a week, it’s not going to get as hot as a road vehicle and the heat shrink isn't going to be subjected to hours and hours of heat torture like the parts on a car can be. Taking this into account, I was hoping if anyone would know if heat shrink is ok to use.
Yes, I know of other available materials, but I've looked over many and I don't like anything I’ve seen. Rubber tape can't stand up to any heat, electrical tape is not weather resistant, liquid electrical tape is a mess, and that automotive electrical tubing is the problem that I'm correcting. That stuff has a slit all the way down, and this almost destroyed the existing wiring! When they designed this tractor, they obviously didn’t take into account that covering exterior wires with something that has openings along it, in a hazardous out door environment with wet grass, leaves, twigs, high volumes of dust, and the occasional rock flying in every direction at high speeds, ISN’T A GOOD IDEA! All the crap flying around underneath there occasionally finds its way inside the tubing and rots when it gets wet. It stinks to high heaven, invites insects, and started to dry out sections of the wiring. I treated those areas with some restorer and that seemed to work.
If anyone can offer me some information, I’d be grateful. Also, are there different brands of heat shrink in particular that would be the best choice? Something more durable? Also, is there heat shrink available for places where wires intersect or branch out?
I’d appreciate an answer to the first questions first, but what other choices do I have? Is there anything else I haven’t seen that can be used for this? Just so you guys know, I have heard that I can use just normal water or gas tubing, but that stuff is too thick, doesn’t flex as well, and too much a hassle to work with in areas where wires branch out or intersect.