{"id":1302,"date":"2021-10-02T18:30:35","date_gmt":"2021-10-02T18:30:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whatblueprint.com\/?p=1302"},"modified":"2023-04-14T09:51:23","modified_gmt":"2023-04-14T09:51:23","slug":"is-it-safe-to-connect-wires-with-electrical-tape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whatblueprint.com\/is-it-safe-to-connect-wires-with-electrical-tape\/","title":{"rendered":"Is It Safe To Connect Wires With Electrical Tape?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
When making any electrical connection, it is very important to do it safely and properly. Even household electric current can be dangerous and fatal if connections from supply to appliance or device are not correctly done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Connecting wires using electrical tape is not recommended for several reasons. While this may be common practice in many homes looking for a quick DIY solution, there are better ways to securely and safely connect wires to ensure proper connecting and reduce any risk of shorting or exposure.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Using the right tool for the right job is always a good way to do things, especially when it comes to electricity. Let\u2019s look at safer and more effective methods of connecting electrical wires and the right use for electrical tape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Electrical tape or insulation tape, as it is also known, is used for exactly that purpose- insulation. It\u2019s made from a non-conductive vinyl, fiberglass, or plastic cloth; electrical tape is a pressure-sensitive tape designed to insulate electrical wiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Covering live wires with electrical tape protects from possible electrocution if someone comes into contact with them. It prevents current from traveling from one wire to another, preventing a short circuit or electrical fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As an electrical accessory, it is not designed to connect electrical wires but to INSULATE them after they have been properly and safely connected as need be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The safest use of electrical tape is to cover minor cracks, cuts, and abrasions on electrical wires where the core insulation is still intact. Where the wire is exposed and that outer jacket is compromised, using electrical tape to cover it is not safe or recommended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That wire should be replaced and not repaired. While these types of quick fixes using electrical tape to cover those exposed wires are common, they would not pass safety certification from a regulatory perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before we condemn electrical tape, we should point out that for lower voltage, smaller wires, twisting them together and using the tape to insulate them is fine. This is because hobby wires and other low voltage and low-current wires pose little or no risk of electrocution or fire.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n With any DIY job, the saying goes,\u2019 Use the right tool for the right job,\u2019 and in this case, using electrical tape to connect wires is not following this sage advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Electrical tape has an adhesive designed to stick to the plastic casing of the wires and itself. So when you insulate electrical wires, the tape adhesive is sticky. Over time, this adhesive will dry out due to air exposure, heat from the connection, and moving around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So the insulation around the wires can move or shift, exposing live wires to the open air and people, kids, pets, and materials that could catch fire under the right conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many people twist the wires together and then apply insulation tape over them to seal and protect them. Under normal circumstances and for smaller wires, this can be a temporary solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even though the typical PVC \/ PTFE has low conductivity, it could still lead to a short and electrocution or fire with the right amount of heat and current.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For larger wires, a more secure and electrically sound connection method is recommended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While we are focusing on using electrical tape to connect wires, this is only one side of this discussion. The way the wires are connected also has an impact on the safety of that connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wire splicing or the action of connecting wires together is also something that needs to be looked at in this conversation. The common way to connect electrical wires is to take the two exposed ends, twist them together and then insulate them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While this is easy and convenient, there are some weaknesses with this type of connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even having the wires twisted solidly has some inherent faults. Firstly, twisting the wires puts strain and stress on the individual strands of the cable. Often after doing this, you may find one more small coppe strand has detached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over time, more and more of these may come loose, compromising the integrity at the point of current transfer, and this can lead to resistance in the wire, creating an unsafe connection and even getting hot enough to melt the tape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Secondly, this splicing method is not securely connected; for example, if the wires were soldered together and then insulated with electrical tape, that connection is far less likely to produce disconnected strands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, any sudden force applied to the spliced connection can easily cause the wires to be ripped apart, removing the insulating tape and exposing live current and uninsulated wires to the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where animals, kids, or potentially combustible materials are in the vicinity, this is a recipe for disaster. A live exposed wire on a carpet or near other electrical cables is very, very unsafe.<\/p>\n\n\nWhat Is Electrical Tape Used For?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why You Shouldn\u2019t Use Electrical Tape To Connect Wires<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why Twisting Wires As A Splicing Method Isn\u2019t Recommended<\/h2>\n\n\n\n