Can I Use Duct Tape Instead Of Electrical Tape

Sometimes, substituting one tool for another makes sense – merely that's non the case when information technology comes to electrical work. You lot might be tempted to apply duct record if you lot've run out of electrical tape, but y'all actually shouldn't. I've done a LOT of wiring and re-wiring in my fourth dimension as a DIYer (I ran every single outlet and tons of new lights in our kitchen renovation, which you can read more well-nigh hither), and while I'd sometimes feel comfy substituting tools (like using a claw hammer instead of a prybar) when it comes to electric piece of work, information technology's meliorate rubber than distressing.

Never use duct tape instead of electrical record. Tape used in electrical work should have high adhesion, resistance to corrosion, be flame retardant, be able to withstand up to 600 volts, and should insulate and protect confronting the elements. Super 33+ electric tape has all of these backdrop, and duct tape has none.

What Happens If You Use Duct Tape Instead of Electrical Record?
What Are The Differences Between Electrical Tape and Duct Record?
- Adhesion
- Colors
- Materials
- Durability, Heat Resistance, and Moisture Resistance
- Force
- Price
Can Electrical Record Take hold of Burn?
Which Electrical Tape is Best?
- 33+ vs 88+
How To Properly Use Electrical Tape
- Do You Accept To Use Wire Nuts, Or Is Electrical Record Enough?
Alternatives to Electrical Tape
- Heat Shrink Tubing
- Wire Basics
- Scotch Tape, Masking Tape, and Other Tapes

In that location are a few other things you'll desire to be aware of when considering using duct tape instead of electric – including what would happen if you did, what all the differences between electric tape and duct tape are, which electrical tape is best, how to properly utilise electrical tape, and alternatives to electrical tape.

Duct tape and electrical tape sitting next to each other, with some tape pulled out to describe whether you can use duct tape instead of electrical tape. — Can You Use Duct Tape Instead of Electrical Tape In A Pinch? 1

What Happens If You Utilise Duct Tape Instead of Electrical Tape?

Let's say you ignore all of the warnings and use duct record instead of electrical tape – what would happen? Immediately, probably nothing. But very shortly after, you'd be able to feel rut start to build upward from the electricity, and might observe the agglutinative get-go to melt and go sticky. If left long enough, the fibers duct tape uses for forcefulness would eventually catch fire. If you're fifty-fifty considering using duct record instead of electrical record, don't practise it. It only isn't condom.

Duct record is Non electrically insulating and offers no protection against live currents, no matter how small. It is combustible and degrades quickly nether adverse conditions.

What Are The Differences Between Electric Tape and Duct Tape?

Adhesion

Duct tape is designed to adhere to a huge range of materials – it will stick on nearly everything from wood to brick. Electrical tape, on the other manus, is designed to stretch and stick to itself, which yous probably know also well if you lot've ever lost control when trying to cut it. it sticks incredibly well to insulated wiring, which is it'southward main application.

Colors

Duct tape comes in pretty much whatsoever color you could ever want – I actually used a bunch of different colors to label moving boxes when nosotros moved from Texas to Kentucky, and they were super helpful! Just duct tape colors are cosmetic, non functional.

Electrical tape, on the other hand, is usually black. If you lot are able to find other colors, know that they generally represent to traditional wire colors: white is neutral, green is ground, etc. RS Components has a really interesting article on electric record colors- consider giving it a read if you'd like to know more!

DIY Without Fear | Can You Use Duct Tape Instead of Electrical Tape In A Pinch? — Can Y'all Use Duct Record Instead of Electrical Tape In A Pinch? 2

Materials

Electrical record is made of stretchy vinyl or PVC, and duct tape is usually made of a thin polyethylene-coated cloth with fibers interspersed to arrive like shooting fish in a barrel to tear without tools and help with strength.

Immovability, Heat Resistance, and Moisture Resistance

Duct Tape, though strong at beginning, can degrade pretty apace, especially if it's exposed to water or heat. Electrical tape, on the other manus, is incredibly durable and can withstand both water and heat (though it is non considered waterproof). The shelf life of electrical tape is nigh 5 years, but your mileage may vary – you'll know it's no proficient anymore if information technology seems brittle or too gummy.

Force

This is pretty much the only category where duct tape wins – the fibers that are integrated into the tape make it very potent…but that's not ordinarily a concern when working on electrical projects. Electrical record doesn't need to be potent against tensile stress, since its job is to insulate, not adhere.

Price

Electrical tape runs from $0.03/ft for a super-budget option to $0.07/ft for professional-course tape. Duct tape runs from $0.12/ft from craft-mode duct record to $0/19/ft for super tough and broad (simply not HVAC canonical) duct record.

Equally you lot can come across, the price difference between an off-brand, untested electrical tape and a solid, brand-proper name one is small-scale – I always get for the expert stuff. Information technology'due south worth the peace of mind.

	Duct Tape	Electrical Tape
Electrically Insulated?	No	Yep
Burn Resistant?	No	Aye
Durable in Adverse Conditions?	No	Yes

Tin can Electric Record Catch Fire?

Anything tin can catch burn if heated up enough – including electrical tape. Nigh of today'due south electric tapes go up to fourscore degrees Celsius or around 220 degrees Fahrenheit. Nearly all domicile electric applications are never going to reach those temperatures, so you're safety using any of the reputable brand names of electric tape.

Which Electrical Record is Best?

The brusque answer is Scotch brand Super 33+ electrical tape – it's a bestseller for a reason, and information technology'south what I use in nearly every single DIY electrical awarding (which you can run into by my very small leftover supply below!). If yous're wondering if it'll work in your detail case, read on.

33+ vs 88+

There are two main types of electrical record – Super 33+ and Super 88, with Super 88 being the more robust of the 2.

The chief difference between Super 33+ electrical tape and Super 88 electric tape is the thickness. Super 33+ is vii millimeters, while Super 88 is 8.5 millimeters. 3M actually has a pretty stellar comparison chart that could be helpful if you're trying to decide.

For most people and nigh applications, Super 33+ is plenty, and it'southward not worth upgrading to Super 88.

How To Properly Utilise Electrical Tape

To utilise electrical record properly, it should exist used in addition to wire nuts and other electrical-specific fasteners. It's great for adding an additional layer of protection, but should never be used to 'hold in' wires into a wire nut – the wire nut itself should practise all of the holding. If it won't concord, you probably need a unlike size wire nut – it should grab on securely and not pull out.

Think of electric tape as a non-permanent patch. It'due south a dandy ring-aid, just should never exist used to make major repairs – it simply isn't enough. You should never apply electrical tape to make permanent connections between two wires, like in a light switch or junction box.

When using electrical tape, I like to starting time by testing my wire cap, checking for a strong grip on the stripped wires, and so I wrap the wires together, being sure to overlap my tape. I go on a medium-strong pull on the tape at all times to brand certain information technology's wrapping tightly.

Do You Have To Use Wire Nuts, Or Is Electrical Tape Enough?

Wire nuts are necessary, not only from a safety standpoint but likely too from a local building and electrical lawmaking standpoint, too. It is never acceptable to twist two wires together and cover them in electrical tape – wire nuts are needed. Plus, if you accept whatsoever inspections on your work, your inspector Will fail you if you take connections made with just electrical tape.

Alternatives to Electrical Record

Heat Shrink Tubing

If y'all're short on electrical tape just happen to take estrus compress tubing around, you're in luck! It's i of the few items that you tin utilize instead of electrical record. That beingness said, heat shrink tubing is generally used in larger applications with thicker gauge wire, and you'll need a heat gun to properly shrink it.

Simply remember – connections in wiring should just ever be fabricated within an electrical box. In other words, you can't just heat compress two pieces of wire together, drywall over information technology, and call it a day…every electrical connectedness MUST exist in an electrical box.

Wire Basics

The same tin be said for the other alternative to electrical tape – wire nuts. Wire nuts are insulated caps that twist onto the end of a stripped wire, and in that location are various sizes. I tend to keep a bunch of sizes with me for any electrical projection I'thou working on since depending on the wire you're working with, some wire nut sizes 'seize with teeth' the stripped wire better than others.

Scotch Tape, Masking Tape, and Other Tapes

You lot should NEVER use scotch tape, masking record, or any type of tape other than electrical tape in an electrical awarding. Other tapes don't take the necessary coatings, insulation, etc. to withstand an electric awarding.