Everyone may know about heat shrink tubing and cold shrink tubing, 

but what is the difference between heat shrink tubing and cold shrink tubing? 

1. How to use: 

Cold shrink tubing is easy to install and stretch on a removable plastic core, allowing the sleeve to slide on the application. After the plastic support is removed, the sleeve begins to shrink and seals around the cable or connecting parts. Heat shrink tubing is directly put on the wire joint and heated with a heat gun or other heat source. When it is heated, it shrinks and the joint is locked. 

2. Physical properties: 

Compared with heat shrink tubing, cold shrink tubing has excellent weather resistance, UV aging resistance and high brittleness resistance. It is relatively simpler to use, does not require a cutting torch or heat source, and can be directly started without professional training. Heat shrink tubing is compatible with most chemicals and becomes very rigid once heated, making it a good choice for mechanical protection. 

3. Waterproofness: 

Because heat shrink tubing needs to be heated to shrink. From the waterproofing point of view, the double-wall adhesive heat shrink tubing is a heat shrink tubing with outstanding waterproofing performance, which can work in water for a long time. However, the waterproofing design of the cold shrink tubing is different. First, there is a difference in the material selection. The heat shrink tubing uses the heating self-adhesive principle of hot melt adhesive to prevent water from entering. The sealed cold shrink tubing uses the hydrophobic principle of silicone rubber to achieve the waterproofing effect, and during use, glue mud is generally applied to the protected product to improve the waterproofing effect.

4. Price: 

Because the heat shrink tubing is relatively more mature, the price will be more favorable than the cold shrink tubing of the same specification, and it is more widely used. The cold shrink tubing is simpler to use and does not have high requirements for the construction workers, but the price is also more expensive. 

5. Main uses: 

Cold shrink tubing: Because the cold shrink tubing has a stable radial clamping force and a thicker wall thickness, it is also widely used in insulation and other aspects. All solid insulation (rubber and plastic) insulated wire and cable joints are rated at 1000 volts for primary electrical insulation in accordance with ANSI C119.1 and can be buried or laid underwater for indoor, outdoor or elevated use. 

Heat shrink tubing: Not suitable for installation areas with high temperature or high humidity, but suitable for most industrial/commercial equipment and places where chemical resistance is required. Materials used in power plants must have the two most basic functions of insulation and sealing. Therefore, both heat shrink tubing and cold shrink tubing have the above functions, and different materials of protective tubing are used in different application environments.