Things you need to know for Electrical tape
What is electrical tape made of?
The key properties of a reliable and trustworthy electrical insulating tape are that it must:
By far the most common material for electrical tape these days is vinyl, but we’ll investigate more materials and their uses in a later section. For now, we’ll take a closer look at some of the general properties of insulating tape listed above, and how best to use it to make the most of those key attributes.
Does electrical tape conduct electricity?
When used properly, electrical tape should act as an insulator - that is to say, it should protect against transfer of any electrical current passing through the wires to people or components potentially coming into contact with them. As such, properly rated and applied insulating tape should NOT conduct electricity.
How to use electrical insulation tape
Electrical tape is most commonly used in DIY applications for making repairs and joins to smaller wires. As we’ll outline in more detail below, it should not be used for major repairs to very badly damaged wires, or on its own for creating permanent connections in junction boxes, light switches, or wiring outlets.
In these sorts of high-demand, potentially high-temperature environments, insulating tape should only be used in conjunction with purpose-made wire nuts and other connector tools for a safer and more secure fix. Furthermore, electrical tape shouldn’t be used as a standalone repair for damaged or unspliced wires in close proximity to soft furnishings or other flammable materials