modern replacement for HP clear tubing (suggest your favorite "cable" sleeve) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 02, 2024, 02:31:13 am
content: I am working on HP 6177B and holy shit the cable harness is so bad.I am thinking its possible to replace that sticky ass clear tube with some silicone tubing. Is there anything special about it? Is it just old vinyl tubing?Something is messed up in the cable harness I think, because the nodes are not making sense (test point 7 works but VR2, R5 and R6 are not connected to the same node), so I am thinking maybe its the cable harness or a fried trace on the under side. Well I do need to take it apart anyway.What cable sleeve is the best replacement for this stuff? Digikey has alot of options. I am worried about getting something too tough. Silicone tubing came to mind but I might as well buy something from a electronics distributor.Good balance of strength, heat resistance, longevity and ductility goes to???I thought maybe braid but then you need heat shrink and thats even more work.Silicone fiberglass seems like common, but it does not bend super well. Anything better?the way this thing is wired just makes me have a core meltdownI will probobly teflonize it, chances are the wiring will all fucking fail once the boards are moved around anyway, I know better then trying to salvage that god damn wiring unless its really clear cut as to whats wrong.looks like my laser experiments got pushed back at least a month, if I want to do a decent job restoring this unit. Probobly should.Althought, it might be enough to rewire with teflon, zip tie it, and just skip the sleeve. imo its only there because the wiring is low quality. but it would still be nice to know

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2024, 01:43:09 pm
content: I have no knowledge of that device, but if the tube has gone sticky, there’s a decent chance it was just PVC whose plasticizer is leaching out.Teflon tube is stiff, but durable and common.Silicone depends entirely on the wall thickness. There are some with really thin walls (0.6mm and below) that are quite flexible. Just remember that silicone is not the most resistant to being cut.Silicone-coated fiberglass tends to be very flexible, at least the kind that is designed to be stretchy (in diameter, like a boa constrictor after eating, but not in length).Of these, the latter is the most heat-resistant because the wires inside the sheath aren’t in direct contact with the main material of the sheath. Though if the original was PVC, then heat resistance was never a design criterion.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2024, 07:05:26 pm
content: i have only seen non flexible type of silicone fiberglass (noctua fan sleeve type)what is the stretchy one? The non stretchy one is almost like paper, but it feels rubbery and does not deform, but it immediately kinks if you bend it

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 06, 2024, 12:45:47 pm
content: I know that kind too. The stuff I mean is very different.This isn’t the one I ordered (from a local vendor) but looks like it:https://www.techflex.com/electrical-insulation/electrical-fiberglass-fr-silicone-cHere’s some pictures of one of the ones I have. It’s 7mm OD. The inner hole, without touching the fiberglass, is around 3mm. This shows it stretched over the 10mm outer diameter of a nut driver. The other shows a 20mm long piece cut open to show the weave. And the last shows the unstretched cross section that shows the distinct fiberglass and silicone layers.

author: TERRA Operative
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 06, 2024, 01:02:50 pm
content: How about clear heat shrink tubing, but don't shrink it?

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 07:30:33 am
content: that looks like it will make fiber glass residue which is not acceptable for me. Maybe I will just use nylon braid

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 08:40:05 am
content: What's wrong with braid? Heat shrink is not required. The ends are easily treated to prevent fraying.Most tubing will require a relatively small end to get through it. That might mean disconnecting things that don't otherwise need to be disconnected. Consider spiral wrap or split loom. Zip ties or tape will keep it closed.What's wrong with ordinary wire lacing? It looks great, can be almost as flexible as the wire or can be made stiff, is heat stable, doesn't get hard, and unlike zip ties doesn't cut into the insulation. A picture of one of the Mars rovers I saw had its cabling all laced. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_lacing). You do not need to do a running lace, but they do look great.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 08:53:29 am
content: Quote from: jpanhalt on May 07, 2024, 08:40:05 amIt's also immensely satisfying to do (unless it's on repetitive jobs).

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 01:05:40 pm
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on May 07, 2024, 07:30:33 amNot as bad as one might expect (I was positively surprised), but there are some glass fibers for sure. It’s a great product where real heat resistance is required (good to around 200C IIRC) but overkill for most purposes. It is also good when you need the wire inside to slide smoothly within the sheath.From what I gather, heat resistance is not actually a real requirement here, despite you mentioning it in the original post. Pretty much anything will do fine up to around 70C. Ok, maybe not wax paper. :pQuote from: coppercone2 on May 07, 2024, 07:30:33 amNot a bad option either. Unshrunk heat shrink like Terra O. said is also a great option.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2024, 02:54:50 am
content: i just said it because its the defacto standard for quality computer parts to put fiberglass silicone braid on it. I think it offers a high degree of abrasion resistance to shitty PC cases and stuff like thatnot sure WHAT can happen in a modern PC now that has a 1000W power supply if something malfunctions. maybe there is more to it

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2024, 06:05:36 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on May 09, 2024, 02:54:50 amMaybe in some boutique gamer PC brands, but it’s certainly not even mainstream, never mind “de facto standard”.What has become quite common is nylon braid.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2024, 06:52:14 am
content: Noctua is high end they use fiberglass silicone. I can't think of a fan that is more popular.The power supply cables are braided with nylon, but that makes sense, because you don't want to insulate those I guess. But noctua does use very fine wire too, its cutting corners

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2024, 12:19:51 pm
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on May 09, 2024, 06:52:14 amAmong enthusiast PC builders yeah, but they’re not mass-market as such.I’ve used a few Noctua fans and they did not come with any sleeving, fiberglass or otherwise.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2024, 08:27:04 pm
content: every one of the fans I got from them had fiber silicone with heat shrink

author: iJoseph2
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2024, 09:22:23 pm
content: I've used spiral wrap in automotive applications before. Like this stuff (comes in various sizes) ..https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305557061743https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/404956473526Or I guess the other option is to just refresh what was there with new PVC Sleeving (if that's what it is?)..https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260797450280https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/132361145900