Cable sheath repair techniques for unbroken cable?

Thread Starter

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
The power cord for my Macbook laptop got pinched in something and the outer sleeve is cut. The conductors are still OK. But I'm worried about things getting worse because the cut is less than a half inch from the fancy and proprietary MagSafe connector that fits into the laptop. This is right where you need strain relief and if the conductors fail, a repair will be very difficult.

I wish I could just slip heat-shrink tubing over the cut, but I don't have easy access to either end of the cable. (It has been repaired in the past, from another cut, but I'd rather not reopen that wound.)

Is there anything like heat-shrink that can be applied without opening the cable? A wrap-around heat shrink? Some of my usual tricks like hot glue or black tape would be ugly.

I'll get a picture up if that would help.
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,621
There is a heavy rubber-like Electrical splicing tape, (not the typical electricians tape), also you can get a type of heat shrink that wraps around.
Max.
 

Thread Starter

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
Son of a gun, you're right. I should've searched before posting, just like we tell noobs everyday around here. :oops: I've never seen those and assumed they didn't exist.

I see there is even a trick where you cut heat shrink lengthwise, wrap it around, and then seal it with a thin bead of superglue before heating it as usual. Lots of positive reviews.
 

Evil Lurker

Joined Aug 25, 2011
116
Take a hunk of semi-stiff black rubber fuel line with the I.D. about the O.D of the cable. Slice a a section off about as long as you think you will need, and take a sharp knife and slit it down the side so it will slip over the cable (a rotary tool with a diamond cut off bit works much faster *grin*). Do a test fitting to see how it is gonna work, then yank it off and put some silicone on the inside of the tubing (a little dab will do unless you have a lot of paper towels handy) and slip it back over the cable. Put a few small zip ties on the tubing to keep it nice and snug while the silicone cures. When it is done if you can get heat shrink tubing around the end of the connector slap that on there, otherwise electrical tape the heck out of it (be sure and remove the zip ties first).
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
I get mine from one of the local electrical suppliers, I am not sure if HD stocks it yet.
Max.
This may be what you are thinking of:

3M makes a self-fusing rubber tape called Temflex 2155 Rubber Splicing Tape. It is for use up to 600V. There is a high voltage version called 3M 2242 Electrical Tape that is corona resistant. Neither has an adhesive to get gooey. The 2155 has a non-adhesive liner. The 2242 does not even have a liner. I think either will work. When you stretch and warp, they fuse and are effectively impossible to unwrap after a day or so.

HD carries at least one version, maybe both. (I know I bought one version there, but I don't remember which one.)

John
 
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