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Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: ksquared on June 20, 2009, 10:42:50 PM

Title: 1/8 inch diamter heat shrink tubing (Inner Vs. Outer Diameter)
Post by: ksquared on June 20, 2009, 10:42:50 PM

1/8 inch heat shrink tubing is something my book calls for.  Alas, on Digi-key, the Diameter options are:

*Inner Diameter - Recovered
*Inner Diameter - Supplied

Is "Recovered" how far it shrinks, or what?

Thanks. 

Title: Re: 1/8 inch diamter heat shrink tubing (Inner Vs. Outer Diameter)
Post by: Soeren on June 21, 2009, 04:14:04 AM

Hi,

I only see one diameter on Digi-Key, do you have a link to the one you've found?
Never the less, "Supplied" should be the larger measure and "recovered" (strange term, but reasonable when you think about how it's made) should be the lesser diameter.

The cheapest heat shrink tubing usually shrinks to about half the diameter of the unshrinked tube and some of the best stuff shrinks to 1/3 the diameter.

If the "recovered" measure is within these limits (1/3 to 1/2) you can count on it as being the shrinked (minimum size).

Btw. Some people use it with a tight fit before being shrunk, which makes it rather weak - using a size that can just shrink to the needed size makes it stronger with a thicker wall and gives a much higher structural strength.

Title: Re: 1/8 inch diamter heat shrink tubing (Inner Vs. Outer Diameter)
Post by: ksquared on June 21, 2009, 03:21:50 PM

http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Cat=1704112&keywords=heat%20shrink (http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Cat=1704112&keywords=heat%20shrink)

And yes, odd. When I type in "tube" it says "Heat Shrink Tubing (7 items)"
When I type in "heat shrink" it says " Heat Shrink Tubing (1,712 items) " and gives the link above.

Thanks!