Insulation Tubing
Heat shrinkable insulation tubing designed to provide reliable electrical insulation, protection, and identification for wires, cables, and components across low-voltage and general industrial applications.
General-Purpose Insulation for Wiring and Cable Systems
Insulation tubing provides a practical and reliable heat-shrinkable covering for electrical conductors, components, and cable assemblies in low-voltage and general industrial applications. When heat is applied, the tubing recovers uniformly over the substrate — forming a consistent insulation layer that protects against electrical contact, abrasion, moisture ingress, and mechanical damage without the inconsistency of tape wrapping or the bulk of moulded components.
The 2:1 shrink ratio covers a broad range of wire and cable diameters within a standard size range, making it suitable for panel wiring, wire harness assembly, terminal insulation, and cable identification across industrial, infrastructure, and electrical installation applications.
- Material Crosslinked Polyolefin
- Shrink ratio 2:1 minimum
- Standard colours Black, Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, White
- Flame retardant Yes — IEC 60332-1
- Halogen-free Yes
- Operating temperature –55°C to +125°C
Why Insulation Tubing Is Specified
A versatile, field-proven insulation solution for wire and cable protection across general industrial and electrical installation applications.
Reliable Electrical Insulation
Provides consistent dielectric protection over conductors, terminals, and exposed cable sections — eliminating accidental electrical contact and meeting insulation requirements for LV wiring and panel assembly applications.
Abrasion and Mechanical Protection
The recovered tubing wall protects wire and cable surfaces against abrasion, chafing, and physical damage — particularly at conduit entries, cable routing transition points, and areas of sustained mechanical contact.
Moisture Resistance
Recovered tubing forms a continuous, close-fitting barrier over the conductor surface — providing resistance to moisture, humidity, and incidental fluid exposure in panel, industrial, and outdoor installation environments.
Flexible and Conformable Fit
Recovers tightly over irregular profiles, stepped conductors, and terminal geometries — conforming to the substrate surface without lifting, wrinkling, or leaving voids. Remains flexible after recovery, maintaining fit over service life.
Colour Coding Capability
Available in a full range of standard colours to support circuit identification, phase marking, and wire harness colour-coding — eliminating the need for separate adhesive labels or markers on insulated conductors.
Easy Installation
Applied using a standard hot air gun with no specialist tooling or equipment calibration. Fast recovery reduces installation time in panel assembly and harness manufacturing environments where tubing is applied at volume.
Material & Performance Data
Reference data for engineering and procurement. Contact our technical team for full test reports or project-specific qualification data.
| Base material | Irradiation-crosslinked polyolefin |
|---|---|
| Standard colours | Black, Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, White — additional colours on request |
| Shrink ratio | 2:1 minimum |
| Operating temperature | –55°C to +125°C (continuous service) |
| Dielectric strength | Suitable for LV insulation applications — refer to product datasheet for voltage withstand values by size |
| Flame retardant | Yes — compliant with IEC 60332-1 |
| Halogen-free | Yes |
| UV resistance | UV-stabilised — suitable for outdoor and exposed installations |
| Chemical resistance | Resistant to oils, fuels, mild acids, and alkalis in recovered state |
| Installation method | Hot air gun — 2:1 shrink ratio achieved at standard heat shrink temperatures |
| Shelf life | 10 years from manufacture date when stored per IEC 60684 storage guidelines |
| Applicable standards | IEC 60684 (heat-shrinkable tubing), IEC 60332-1 (flame retardance) |
Where Insulation Tubing Is Used
A standard component across electrical installation, panel assembly, and industrial wiring wherever reliable conductor insulation and identification are required.
Electrical Wiring Insulation
Applied over bare conductors, stripped cable ends, and splice points to restore or supplement insulation in LV wiring systems — providing a consistent, field-applied insulation layer without tape wrapping.
Wire Harnessing
Used in wire harness assembly to insulate individual conductors, bundle entry points, and branch-off locations — providing colour-coded insulation that integrates with harness design specifications and identification requirements.
Panel and Switchgear Wiring
Applied in panel build and switchgear assembly environments to insulate terminal connections, bus links, and wiring runs where exposed conductors require consistent insulation and phase colour identification.
Cable Identification
Colour-coded tubing applied at cable ends and termination points to provide durable circuit identification — replacing adhesive labels and marker sleeves with a heat-shrunk insulation-grade identification covering.
Connector and Terminal Insulation
Applied over crimped terminals, connector pins, and cable lugs to insulate exposed metallic contact points and prevent accidental electrical contact in panel, equipment, and field installation environments.
Industrial Electrical Systems
Used across industrial facilities, manufacturing environments, and infrastructure installations wherever conductor insulation, mechanical protection, and colour identification are standard wiring practice requirements.
How to Select the Right Insulation Tubing
Six criteria determine the correct size, colour, and specification. Work through each before ordering to ensure the tubing is correctly matched to the conductor dimensions and application requirements.
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01
Wire or Cable Outer Diameter
Measure the outer diameter of the wire, cable, or component at the point where the tubing will be applied. For the tubing to recover correctly, the substrate diameter must fall within the tubing's recovery range — between the recovered inner diameter and the supplied inner diameter. For a 2:1 product, select the size whose recovered diameter is equal to or slightly smaller than the substrate outer diameter.
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02
Shrink Ratio
Standard insulation tubing has a 2:1 shrink ratio — the tubing recovers to half its supplied inner diameter. This is suitable for most wiring insulation, terminal covering, and cable identification applications. Where a wider range of substrate diameters must be covered by a single tubing size, consider medium wall tubing at 3:1 shrink ratio as an alternative.
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03
Installation Environment
Confirm whether the application is indoors, outdoors, or in an environment with elevated temperature, moisture, or chemical exposure. Standard insulation tubing is UV-stabilised and suitable for outdoor use. For applications requiring moisture sealing at the tubing ends, consider medium wall adhesive-lined tubing as an alternative.
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04
Colour Requirement
Select the colour based on the circuit identification, phase marking, or harness colour-coding requirement of the installation. Standard colours — black, red, blue, yellow, green, and white — are held in stock. Additional colours may be available on request. Confirm colour availability before placing an order for non-standard requirements.
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05
Voltage Level
Insulation tubing is designed for LV and general-purpose insulation applications. Confirm that the voltage withstand value for the selected tubing size is adequate for the system voltage of the application. For MV insulation requirements, medium wall or anti-tracking tubing should be specified instead.
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06
Required Length
Determine the total tubing length required per conductor or application point. Allow for axial shrinkage during heat application — typically 5–10% depending on tubing size and recovery conditions. For harness or panel assembly applications at volume, insulation tubing is available in standard reel or cut-length supply formats.
If the application involves elevated voltage, aggressive chemical exposure, or non-standard substrate dimensions, contact our technical team before finalising the specification.
Common Technical Questions
The shrink ratio describes how much the tubing reduces in diameter during heat application. A 2:1 product recovers to half its supplied inner diameter — so a 20mm supplied size recovers to approximately 10mm. A 3:1 product recovers to one-third of its supplied diameter, allowing a single tubing size to cover a wider range of substrate diameters. For standard wiring insulation applications where conductor sizes are consistent, 2:1 tubing is the practical choice. Where the substrate diameter range is variable or larger steps must be covered, 3:1 medium wall tubing provides greater accommodation.
Yes. Western Cablex insulation tubing is UV-stabilised and suitable for outdoor and exposed installations. The recovered tubing provides resistance to UV radiation, moisture, and temperature cycling in standard outdoor service conditions. For applications requiring an additional moisture seal at the tubing ends — such as direct-buried conductor splices or outdoor junction points — medium wall adhesive-lined tubing is the recommended alternative, as it forms a bonded seal over the substrate on recovery.
Yes. Insulation tubing is widely used to cover crimped terminals, cable lugs, and connector barrel sections — insulating the exposed metallic crimp zone and providing a neat, mechanically stable covering over the conductor-to-terminal interface. Ensure the tubing supplied diameter is sufficient to pass over the barrel of the terminal before crimping, and that the recovered diameter is smaller than the conductor insulation outer diameter to achieve a tight fit at both ends of the applied tubing.
A standard hot air gun is the recommended tool for applying insulation tubing. No specialist equipment or calibration is required. Move the gun along the tubing length in a consistent motion to achieve uniform recovery — avoid concentrating heat at a single point. Recovery is complete when the tubing surface is smooth and wrinkle-free, conforming clearly to the profile of the substrate. For small conductor sizes, a low-power hot air gun or heat pen may provide more controlled application than a full-sized industrial gun.
Standard insulation tubing is available in black, red, blue, yellow, green, and white — the full set of colours commonly required for circuit identification and phase marking in electrical installations. These colours are held in stock across standard sizes. Additional or custom colours may be available subject to minimum order quantity — contact our technical team with the specific colour reference and quantity requirement to confirm availability and lead time.
Insulation tubing is available across a standard size range covering small conductor applications from 1.5mm² wiring through to larger cable and lug covering dimensions. It is typically supplied in standard lengths on reels or in cut pieces depending on size. For panel assembly and harness manufacturing applications requiring a specific cut length or reel format, contact our team to confirm the supply format and minimum order quantity for the required sizes and colours.
Need Help Selecting the Right Insulation Tubing?
Speak with our technical team for sizing, application guidance, and product recommendations.