Electrical tape quality - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Jay112
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 11:50:06 am
content: Do you notice a big difference in quality between different brands of electrical tape? Do you notice that some brands seem to smell much more than others? Do you have a favorite brand?

author: dr.diesel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 12:10:03 pm
content: Yeah there is a huge difference in quality of tape, I only use 3M Super 33+.

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 12:10:54 pm
content: Honestly, I haven't really noticed smells. I have used cheap electrical tape and found that is usually under performs for my needs. I now use Scotch 33 almost exclusively. My main use, combined with self amalgamating taps is to waterproof connectors on my ham radio antennas.

author: Richard Crowley
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 12:11:32 pm
content: There is lots of cheap, bottom-of-the barrel stuff from asia, etc. Substrate of various (perhaps random, unknown) plastics, and a mixed-bag of different kinds of adhesive. You never really know what you will be getting.If you want something quality, consistent and reliable, my preference is to stick with 3M (no pun intended). The Scotch Super 33+ is the "industry standard" in my book. They also make a "mastic" tape for protecting things out in the weather. For example I am using it to protect the F-connectors on all the antennas for the new TV station.http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/EMDCI/Home/Products/ElectricalTapesMastics/

author: Jay112
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 02:02:30 pm
content: Thanks guys! I guess I'll be purchasing the Super 33+ from now on. I'm pretty fed up with cheap / unsticky / smelly electrical tapes.One of them that I have smells so bad when unrolled that I can never use it indoors, and if I have a small piece to throw away I only throw it in outdoor garbage cans, because it smells up the whole house!

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 02:13:36 pm
content: Weird, I never use vinyl electrical tape.It's okay for electrician type stuff, but it always feels too soft and gooey, that I wouldn't want it on something semi-permanently. Certainly not over temperature extremes.I find I use masking tape often (temporary holding, covering), and yellow polyester (Scotch something or other) for windings, transformers, general insulation; and Kapton for high temp, HV, etc. Ironically I suppose, none are really all that great at room temperature, and tend to come loose either due to poor bond or ingress of plasticizers (which is what turns most adhesives gooey -- rubber and PVC tend to leach easily). On transformers that get warm enough to set the adhesive, they're great though..Tim

author: KD0CAC John
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 02:17:02 pm
content: I suspect you may not run into the issues I see with 3M tape .Being in MN - where 3M is and also a member of the Mining Amateur Radio Club , I see a lot of bad tape from 3Mers , getting mostly from the company store .The adhesive transfers , partially to the top surface .I have not labeled each role as I get them to document , because a also end up with other electrical tape , most of what I have comes from 3M and most of that is free - door prizes at club meetings .I almost never see this with other brands , might be the company store is selling there sub-grade stuff ?I would guess that about a 3rd of what I have , has this issue .My point is that its not that easy to find quality , in any product .It seems the general quality of everything is being lowered ?

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 02:22:17 pm
content: Quote from: KD0CAC John on December 21, 2015, 02:17:02 pm3M PVC tape, at least the stuff I've bought, is manufactured in two locations: China and Germany.Guess which stuff is decent.

author: Jay112
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 02:29:38 pm
content: Quote from: Monkeh on December 21, 2015, 02:22:17 pmVery interesting. When purchasing it online, is there any way to know beforehand where it was manufactured?

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 02:30:29 pm
content: Quote from: Jay112 on December 21, 2015, 02:29:38 pmI've only purchased from 3M's own online store, and receive mixed lots.

author: MarkL
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 02:56:03 pm
content: I like the 3M 130C linerless rubber tape for sealing. That and a roll of 3M Super 88 vinyl tape can handle just about any splicing task. Super 88 is a little thicker than 33+.

author: fubar.gr
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 03:05:57 pm
content: I hate it when after some months in storage, the adhesive starts leaking from the sides of the tape roll. Then all kinds of crud stick to the side of the roll, making it disgusting. Even the 3M tapes are not immune to this.I've thrown otherwise perfectly good, mostly unused rolls to the garbage due to leakage.And it seems that white colored tape is more prone to leaking compared to other colors.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 04:41:21 pm
content: Back in graduate school, we used a specialty high-dielectric-constant tape to terminate high-voltage cables, covered with self-fusing rubber tapes (one layer of EPR and one of silicone) from 3M.The high-dielectric tape had a distinctive smell, like unwashed sweatshirts in gym class.The lab technician and I were working on one cable, and each one thought of the other that he usually showered before work.

author: Richard Crowley
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2015, 06:04:33 pm
content: Quote from: KD0CAC John on December 21, 2015, 02:17:02 pmI remember growing up in Southern California and hearing people far away marvel at how wonderful California oranges were.But we never had very remarkable fruit. Then I realized that they were shipping all the good stuff out of state and leaving us with the B-grade.QuoteOne of my favorite quotes from Statler and Waldorf (The Muppets)"They just don't make them like they used to!.No, they never did!"That becomes more profound every time I read it.

author: jmegar324
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2015, 08:52:33 am
content: Thats funny smell as a characteristic of tape. Yea but I do notice a lot of difference in E tape out there.

author: flolic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2015, 12:31:48 pm
content: Scapa 2701 or 2702 is what I use.

author: v8dave
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2015, 12:59:44 pm
content: Scotch 33 for general use and Scotch 23 if you need something waterproof. I've not found anything half as good as these 2.

author: savril
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2015, 02:29:26 pm
content: I would be interesting to test TESA tapes. It is a well established German brand.I've never tested their electrical tape but their other tapes are of good quality.