Damaged Electrical Wire Insulation

Nicked insulation is often caused by a wire being pulled across the sharp edge of a metal conduit or box.

Damaged electrical wire insulation.

Pick up a short length of 12 2 nonmetallic cable and a package of heat shrinkable tubing. Insulation frayed or damaged on electrical wiring nicked wiring. The hole is but a mere dot measuring at about 1 32 in diameter. Rubber insulation is prone to damage due to regular bending and twisting.

In this case there is a distributed flow of leakage current during a test or while energized. This damaged insulation would result in. How to repair wire insulation electrical tape. Of insulation from the black and white wires.

Use a blow dryer or a heat shrink gun to shrink the tubing onto the wire. Look at the electrical wire where the insulation is damaged. Peel off the outer jacket of 12 2 nonmetallic cable. Damaged underground electrical cable all insulation deteriorates naturally with age especially when exposed to elevated temperature due to high loading and even when it is not physically damaged.

If the wire is nicked or cut repair the wire before repairing the insulation. Using electrical tape or heat shrink tubing to repair compromised insulation on a conductor may be permitted by the nec. Common appliances that bend twist during usage. The quick and dirty fix to repair damaged wire insulation is to just wrap it in electrical tape.

The local inspector has a lot of discretion under 110 2 and 110 3 and as far as i could tell there is no section of chapter 3 in the nec expressly addressing repair of minor damage to the insulation of conductors. 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. Since the wiring in a ceiling fixture is usually 14 gauge you can fix it with insulation stripped from a 12 gauge wire. Home improvement stores sell a polymer compound they call liquid electrical tape.

Rubber is used as insulation for the current carrying conductors of most electrical appliances. The damage is located halfway between the electrical box and the 5 8 hole in the frame s bottom plate where the wire disappears to beneath the floor somewhere. The insulation covers the wire and it can be damaged through everyday use. Unfortunately this can occur when drywall installers use a router which can cut into the electrical wires and cause damage.

Rodent chewing on the insulation. I been through this situation several times where electrical wires get damaged during the installation of dry wall. Then strip off about 8 in. As long as the copper conductors inside the wires are not damaged however the insulation is repairable.

Slide heat shrink tubing over the damaged insulation area if the wire is not part of an electrical extension cord or power cord. Hair dryer and iron the rubber insulation might break apart and expose the wire.