Electrical Wire Insulation Repair

The quick and dirty fix to repair damaged wire insulation is to just wrap it in electrical tape.

Electrical wire insulation repair.

This works but it looks bad and eventually that tape is going to fall off and then you re going to need to fix it again. The insulation covers the wire and it can be damaged through everyday use. Use a wide crimping tool which will provide a good crimp of the spliced wire. Slide heat shrink tubing over the damaged insulation area if the wire is not part of an electrical extension cord or power cord.

Look at the electrical wire where the insulation is damaged. If the wire is nicked or cut repair the wire before repairing the insulation. Peel off the outer jacket of 12 2 nonmetallic cable. This works but it doesn t look professional.

Electrical wire insulation for lamp and appliance cords is made from flexible polyvinyl chloride and electrical house wiring insulation consists of a thermoplastic high heat nylon material. Wrap heat shrink sleeve around the cable and install the steel closure channel over the raised profiles of the heat shrink sleeve and centre the repair sleeve over the cable damage section. Since the wiring in a ceiling fixture is usually 14 gauge you can fix it with insulation stripped from a 12 gauge wire. Use electrical tape to cover up the nicks made to the wire insulation.

As long as the copper conductors inside the wires are not damaged however the insulation is repairable. Inline barrel crimp type splice connectors work well where the wires may be cut short. The easiest and cheapest option is to just wrap some vinyl electrical tape around the damaged insulation to shore it up. Use a blow dryer or a heat shrink gun to shrink the tubing onto the wire.

Pick up a short length of 12 2 nonmetallic cable and a package of heat shrinkable tubing. Then strip off about 8 in. Inline splice repair for wires that are cut short.