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Is there such a thing as high quality electrical tape?

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Alex M

Thu Feb 02 2012, 02:53PM

Registered Member #3943 Joined: Sun Jun 12 2011, 05:24PM
Location: The Shire, UK
Posts: 552

I know it is an odd question but like the title states.

All of the electrical tape I have found sold in my local hardware and DIY stores seems to be very poor quality and does not stick very well. Some I have tried even breaks apart like wrapping paper. I remember wickes (UK store) used to sell some good quality tape but now the tape they have is not very good.

Are there any particular company's that make's this sort of thing (such as 3M) that I should stick to (pun intended)?

Thanks.

Inducktion

Thu Feb 02 2012, 05:08PM

Registered Member #3637 Joined: Fri Jan 21 2011, 11:07PM
Location: Buffalo, NY
Posts: 1068

Yep, 3M makes the best electrical tape I believe. Don't ever get black stuff if you plan on using it to insulate high voltage; the carbon in it makes it more easy for the HV to break down.

Harry

Thu Feb 02 2012, 05:21PM

Registered Member #4081 Joined: Wed Aug 31 2011, 06:40PM
Location: UK
Posts: 139

The tape Maplin sells is no good, not very sticky at all. Just a little heads up!

Alex M

Thu Feb 02 2012, 06:11PM

Registered Member #3943 Joined: Sun Jun 12 2011, 05:24PM
Location: The Shire, UK
Posts: 552

Inducktion wrote ...

Yep, 3M makes the best electrical tape I believe. Don't ever get black stuff if you plan on using it to insulate high voltage; the carbon in it makes it more easy for the HV to break down.

Thanks for the info, looks like I will try and go for the 3M brand. Didn't know that different colour tape could affect the dielectric strength. Would I be right in thinking white would be the best choice for HV insulation? I am only talking voltages of less than 2kV here.

Harry wrote ...

The tape Maplin sells is no good, not very sticky at all. Just a little heads up!

lol yes I think it was the maplins tape that was like wrapping paper! I would have though that they would have sold some decent tape.

Sulaiman

Thu Feb 02 2012, 06:47PM

Registered Member #162 Joined: Mon Feb 13 2006, 10:25AM
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3140

The Chinese Kapton/Polyamide tape sold via eBay has served me well for hv insulation.
I recommend it.

Inducktion

Thu Feb 02 2012, 07:10PM

Registered Member #3637 Joined: Fri Jan 21 2011, 11:07PM
Location: Buffalo, NY
Posts: 1068

Alex1M6 wrote ...

The primary reason why is that the colorant they use to make the tape black is actually carbon...Carbon is conductive, and well figure the reset out. :P

klugesmith

Fri Feb 03 2012, 05:44PM

Registered Member #2099 Joined: Wed Apr 29 2009, 12:22AM
Location: Los Altos, California
Posts: 1716

Agreed: any discounter can put an "electrical tape" label on any cheap vinyl sticky tape. But there -is- real electrical tape. Look for a respected brand like 3M and beware of counterfeits.

I wouldn't hesitate to use black. Have you ever seen any other colored insulation on HV wires overhead? Or on any taped splice made by a trained worker? (not counting phase-marking stripes)

For example: this product

ScotchÂ® Linerless Rubber Splicing Tape 130C
"The tape has excellent physical and electrical properties, which provide immediate moisture seals and void-free build-ups. This product can be used for low and high-voltage (through 69 kV) applications."

Physical Properties
Test Method  Typical Value*
Color        Black
Thickness    30 mils
(ASTM-D-4325)(0,762 mm)

Void-free build-ups means that when splicing wire with 1/4-inch-thick insulation, you wrap enough tape to restore the 1/4 inch thickness.
I bet you're right that the pigment is carbon black, for UV resistance. I have wondered about the HV insulating properties of black ABS pipe for that reason. Maybe it doesn't take much to make a resin opaque, and the nanoparticles are well separated.

Dr. Slack

Sun Mar 18 2012, 03:39PM

Registered Member #72 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 08:29AM
Location: UK St. Albans
Posts: 1659

There are two types of electrical tape

a) Plastic, usually PVC, coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive

b) Rubber tape which is sold as "self amalgamating" or some other similar phrase

These are as different as chalk and cheese. When the rubber tape is stretched, it activates the cross-linking bonds on the surface, and then successive turns weld together into one single component, which is not going to come off or to come undone. The plastic stuff you know about, ugh!

c) When I make up leads now, I prefer a third route, which is to lightly coat the surface of the splice and the insulation to either side with hot-melt adhesive. Then put a heat-shrink sleeve over the whole lot, and shrink it down, slowly enough that the glue reflows, starting in the middle and working outwards so that as many air bubbles as possible are expelled.

Bjørn

Sun Mar 18 2012, 05:54PM

Registered Member #27 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 02:20AM
Location: Hyperborea
Posts: 2058

Try searching for "self vulcanizing" for the type that fuse into a solid, it is great for some uses.

They also sell heat shrink tube with hot melt glue.

Hon1nbo

Mon Mar 19 2012, 11:41AM

Registered Member #902 Joined: Sun Jul 15 2007, 08:17PM
Location: Pacific Northwest USA
Posts: 1042

I usually use some chemical insulator with a layer of tape for high voltage joints.
MFG Chemicals (I think that's their name, I'll check when I get home and edit if need be) makes what they call "Corona-Dope" which is rated for something like 5-6kV per standard application and comes in a little bottle. The fumes are not the best but it is water tight and simple. I usually put a layer of tape over it just for protection.
I think they also make other varieties besides their standard liquid-tape rated for around 600V per application. I recall a red wire varnish of some kind.
The store in my area has them all in stock, next time I swing by maybe I'll post the ratings and they're names for reference.

-Jimmy

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