Heatshrink

[vireo]

Hi all

I'm fitting auxy lights (FF50s) and am nearly done, but I have reached a point of confusion!. Namely, when running power to the lights I need to get back a relay in the fusebox and to the battery. This requires running the feed under the tank.

I've seen various references to "heatshrink" in threads about lights and other wiring projects, and a lot of the time the inference, intended or otherwise, is that this material somehow offers heat shielding properties to wiring.

My understanding of heatshrink was that it creates an exterior sheath for a number of wires to (do no more than) tidy it all up, and offers little protection other than to reduce some wear on the PVC coating on the cabling.

I'm not sure I need heat shielding, TBH - the cables run under the fuel tank after all............. but it would be some comfort to have it in there. But just to satisfy my curiosity, which is correct ?

Thanks
Paul

 

[cookie]

My understanding of heatshrink was that it creates an exterior sheath for a number of wires to (do no more than) tidy it all up, and offers little protection other than to reduce some wear on the PVC coating on the cabling.

which is correct ?

Thanks
Paul

that bit

 

[Rob Farmer]

If your fellow countrymans wiring is anything to go by when they have wired lights in - then the harness will be a mixture of old car wiring harness and bailing wire so I wouldn't worry too much

Oh yes! don't forget to change the colour and cable size at least twice.





Just kidding - I'm sure there will be a few sensible answers

 

[Runt]

Heat shrink is used to cover a join in 2 or more wires to prevent moisture from getting at them.
If you want to prevent chaffing then buy spiral tubing or corrugated loom tubing.
The twin core exterior (I'm guessing thats what you used) provides pretty good resistance to none direct heat on its own.

 

[bustupbiker]

You could try these peeps...
http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/VWP-onlinestore/sleeving/sleeving.php#heatresist

 

[Roger Chatterton]

the reason it's called "Heatshrink" is that you buy it over-sized, thread cableing through, and then apply heat; this then shrinks the sleeving down to a size that holds wires/cables together. You can buy it with a glue in the sleeving, which makes the sleeve-ing very rigid, and makes the join watertight too. Only tricky bit is applying the heat (using a paint stripper gun or similar) without damaging other wiring, or melting the insulation.
Maplin's sell the adhesive heat shrink, plus hear guns to suit.
If you want to protect cables from any rubbing from contact with frame or similar, you can get a kind of spiral plastic cable-tidy, that is pretty tough, and gives some protection-you can just wind it onto cables, without the need to cut into a loom or bunch of wires-Maplin sell this as well, or Radio Spares if you have an account.
Another source might be Studio Spares....http://www.studiospares.com/pl_50_50220_CABLE%20and%20CONNECTORS_CABLE%20INSULATION.htm

Hope this helps ?

 

[vireo]

Thanks for the responses - I guess my query was a bit arse=about-face and I probably should have asked a more direct question such as 'Is the stuff that the bikes loom is covered in a heat shield, do I need it for what I'm doing, and, if so, where can I get it?

 

[cookie]

i've run wires down the LHS of the frame, under the tank on my 1150 and 1200. i used no heat proof sleeving or similar, i just used PVC sheathing (like heat shrink, but with no heating or shrinking involved).

didn't even take the tank off the 12.

 

[Greg Masters]

Make sure that you use proper automotive wire - it's much more heat resistant in the first place.

Heat shrink is good for tidying wires and I use multiple applications for insulating soldered connections. Check the shrink ratio before buying - the higher the better.

Greg