Electrical wire jacket repair suggestions?

[Aloha Joe]

Let's call this a hypothetical problem as I appreciate the associated risk with some possible solutions:

A friend has a heated undergarment and the cable from the controller is disintegrating. I thought I'd post here to see if anyone had suggestions on how they might repair it. I'm not sure how the wire connects inside the vest yet, hopefully I'll get to see within the next day or two.

My thoughts:
It looks like 'water resistant cable' so repairing what's there is probably not much of an option. That would leave either splicing in a section w/ appropriate sealed connections (risks using sections of old jacket), or opening up both ends and replacing, which has potential to damage whatever seal is inside.

Any other ideas?

 

[tbone1004]

only safe option there is to replace the whole thing unfortunately

 

[rmssetc]

Let's call this a hypothetical problem as I appreciate the associated risk with some possible solutions:

A friend has a heated undergarment and the cable from the controller is disintegrating. I thought I'd post here to see if anyone had suggestions on how they might repair it. I'm not sure how the wire connects inside the vest yet, hopefully I'll get to see within the next day or two.

My thoughts:
It looks like 'water resistant cable' so repairing what's there is probably not much of an option. That would leave either splicing in a section w/ appropriate sealed connections (risks using sections of old jacket), or opening up both ends and replacing, which has potential to damage whatever seal is inside.

Any other ideas?

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View attachment 653630

That looks like a Thermulation shirt, right?

It's hard to tell from the photo, but is the insulation really coming off the wiring, or is the rubber jacket in the cable coming off, exposing the individual insulated wires?

If it's just the casing, and the wiring is intact, I'd wrap the wiring with something like self-fusing tape, to prevent more of the outer cable jacket from deteriorating and to mechanically support the wiring.

Except for the battery packs, I don't think there are really any "seals" inside -- as far as I can tell from my own Thermulation shirt (and other similar heated garments), none of the components (the switch, heating elements) are sealed to prevent water ingress under pressure beyond the electrical insulation in typical harsh-service electrical connections.

If the wiring itself is degrading, you could probably replace it with a jacketed cable (probably 18 or 20GA, stranded). I'd use soldered connections with heat-shrink tubing -- they'll provide some mechanical support, but the splice will be more delicate than the original wiring was when new. Offset the splices so they don't rub against each other. Sure, some water will probably enter the tubing and will cause corrosion, but there won't be an electrical short. Maybe it'll last a couple of years, with care not to mechanically stress the wiring and & good rinsing with fresh water.

Or you could send it back to Thermulation in Taiwan for out-of-warranty repair. As I recall, when the controller failed in my shirt, it was under $250 to "repair" it (which really meant a replacement). Lots more than DIY, lots cheaper than a new heated garment. The factory support was helpful and communicated clearly & promptly. The US representative...much less so.

 

[Aloha Joe]

@rmssetc yes it's Thermalution, and it looks like it's just the black (PVC?) jacket. That is the owners picture, she wrote insulation but that's not what I'd call it.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Aloha Joe]

I contacted the manufacturer and was able to get to the distributor through them. Thanks for the advice. I suggested that was a better route than trying to DIY and my friend agreed.

 

[lucca brassi]

I think that there is desintegrating cable because of bad choice on cable . It should be silicone cable because it is soft and heat resistant ( could be also PTF but is usually stiffer )


Also is possble that friend uses higher voltage that means higher current and could be problem cable thin dimmension because power is P= I^^2 * R ! That's means that cable act as heater and not as conducter.

I would switch cable with one with right crossection and silicone type. Soldering joints cower with shrink tubes could be watertight type with glue inside.