I have some wires on a solar panel that I would like to make less obtrusive. They are out in the elements and are designed to be outdoors. I have a red and black wire, and I’d like the covering to be black.
I thought wrapping in electrical tape, but my experience with that is the tape fails quickly and loosens up. I thought of heat shrink, but the connectors are large and I’d have to cut them off, then reconnect…and I have about 3 feet…so that might be expensive and I’d rather not cut and reattach the wires to put the wrap on.
Is there an alternative? Is there a tape I can use that I can be more confident will hold? Black duct tape did not hold.
Ugh…we hates the spiral wrap, don’t we, my Preciouses?
@Snowboarder_Bo has the right idea; you can find a wide variety of cable molding and management at any large hardware store or online. I like the PVC floor cord protector because it is very secure and has a big surface to grab or adhere to even if you aren’t running it on the floor.
Electrical tape is a bane and should be eliminated from existence, and ‘duct’ tape is barely an improvement. If you need to use tape, proper gaffer’s tape is far better, but I wouldn’t use it as an overwrap on cords because it will eventually unwrap and leave a residue.
Self-amalgamating tape (silicone or other rubber) leaves no residue, but note it’s tape that you wrap around something and not a cable duct or floor cord protector, nor an adhesive.
Electrical tape might work if you add some cable ties to stop unravelling, maybe consider painting the majority of the wire and leave the end red for identification.
“Gaffer” tape is fine for temporary fixing stuff in place. (Lord knows I used my share) it is wholly unsuitable for more permanent installations: it dries out in about a year and even new it is a perfect kindle.
— don’t get me wrong: I love gaffer tape, but the stuff has limits.
Electrical tape is slightly less likely to start a fire but its mechanical properties are not so nice to work with. It also degrades equally fast in UV.
In terms of a means of attachment or protection, all tape should be considered a temporary measure. A conduit or braided wrap is what the o.p. needs to protect exterior cords.
My vote for Self-amalgamating tape. Probably got enough stretch in it to also cover the terminal joints so you’ll have one long weatherproof cover for the whole cable length.