Self amalgating tape instead of heatshrink

[Bill Wright]

I would always overwrap with pvc if it's outdoors.

Bill

[Bill Wright]

It might depend on the type. I've seen it last for years and I've seen it split open after a couple of years.

Bill

[Dave Liquorice]

ordinary

Electrical tape is very variable in quality. Some of the tape used to bundle the cables that I've just removed after 4 years had become brittle and the adhesive vanished from anywhere other than where it was stuck to something. Other tape was still well stuck but was showing signs of degradation where exposed directly to sunlight. The SA tape showed not degradation.

[Bill Wright]

I've seen some last longer than that, but I've also seen some fail after just a few years.

Bill

[Bill Wright]

But if you get the ties tight (enough) the small regular deformations of the cable can cause standing waves. This isn't just theory; I've seen it happen many times.

Bill

[Brian Reay]

The above works but that tape which is like bandage impregnated with a putty like gunge is quicker and easier to remove, if needed.

I think the tape is called Silglass or something similar.

The only down side is that it is messy to use, you need to guard against getting it on your clothes etc.

[Brian Reay]

I think 'everyone' has, I've certainly never met anyone who didn't do it.

Oh well, no harm done.

[PeterC]

I used the green ties for garden plants on the 4 cables from the dish - they fell apart due to UV - who'd of thought that a garden might be expoased to UV. Thanks, B&Q!

[dennis]

I thought garden ties were designed to biodegrade.

[damduck-egg]

Seems sensible for something that is holding up plants that for many will be a fairly short term use, then when bits get left on the ground after removal they will start to degrade, though the benefit may only be visual.

G.Harman

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I got re-usable ones in Lidl some years ago. Used in the garden for a clematis. This will be their fourth year - they came off OK in the autumn.

[PeterC]

Cheers. If I see them in there I'll try some.

[Harry Bloomfield]

Bill Wright submitted this idea :

For anyone has never used SA tape, its the action of stretching it, which seems to activate the self amalgamating properties.

[Dave Liquorice]

If that was the case it wouldn't need a separator when on the roll... Two bits of SA tape just pressed together will bond.