If you do any DIY electrical or electronic work, it's inevitable that you'll need to use heat shrink tubing at some point. It's a versatile product that lets you insulate wires, add strain relief, color-code cables, and more. With special types of heat shrink tubing, you can even waterproof and solder!
Insulating wires with heat shrink tubing is fairly simple, but it's important that you know some tips and tricks to avoid unnecessary mistakes.
In this article, I'll teach you how to choose the right size and type of heat shrink tubing for your project, share a step-by-step guide to using heat shrink tubing, and teach you everything else you need to know to get the best results.

What is heat shrink tubing?
Heat shrink tubing (also known as heat shrink tubing) is a shrinkable plastic tube that has many useful applications in electronics work. It shrinks along its radius when heated, which is how it got its name.
Heat shrink tubing is available in a variety of materials, colors and sizes. Regardless of wire size, shrinkage requirements or environmental requirements, there is a heat shrink tubing for a specific application.

What is heat shrink tubing used for?
The properties of heat shrink tubing make it suitable for a wide range of applications. Most of them are related to wire and cable, but they can also be used with other objects. Here are some of the most popular ways to use heat shrink

Electrical insulation
One of the primary ways to use heat shrink tubing is to electrically insulate wires, solder joints, connectors and terminals. Because heat shrink tubing is non-conductive, it forms a protective layer that prevents accidental short circuits.
In addition to insulating electrical connections, heat shrink tubing can be used for repairs. For example, wires with damaged insulation and exposed copper can be easily secured with a section of shrink tubing.
Protection against damage
In situations where moving parts are at risk of damage, heat shrink is an excellent way to form a physical protective layer against abrasion, accidental cuts or wear.
Because heat shrink tubing can be shaped to fit around its components, you can use it to protect a variety of connectors, wires or solder joints.
Environmental Protection
Heat shrink tubing not only protects against mechanical damage. It also provides a barrier against liquids, such as water, oil or acids. Likewise, heat shrink prevents dust and other unwanted small particles from entering.

Strain Relief
Strain relief is used to relieve mechanical stress on the wire. This is important in applications where wires are moved or pulled frequently, such as in cell phone chargers. Without strain relief, fragile wires can break quickly.
One of the easiest ways to add a strain relief to a cable is to add a piece of heat shrink tubing around the bent portion of the wire. This causes some force to be transmitted through the heat shrink rather than the copper wire itself. As a result, the life of the wire will be significantly longer.

Bundling Wires
If you use an electrical system that contains many wires, you know how easy it is to organize them neatly. Heat shrink is a great tool for bundling loose wires. It gives a clean result and is more compact than zip ties.

Color coding
Another important application for heat shrink is color coded wire. Use specific colors of heat shrink to identify certain wires without having to buy multiple colors of wire.