Wireline Splice with Heat Shrink Tubing

 

Why Raychem WCSM Is the Field-Proven Choice for Splicing HDD Drill Wire and Repairing Cable Jackets

In the world of horizontal directional drilling (HDD), you don’t always get ideal working conditions. Mud, weather, tight timelines, and constant mechanical stress are part of everyday life on a drill site. When it comes to wireline—also known as HDD drill wire—any splice or cable repair has to be fast, repeatable, and strong enough to survive the forces of going underground.

That’s exactly where Raychem’s WCSM heavy-wall heat shrink tubing has earned its reputation.

A Heavy-Wall Heat Shrink Designed for Tough Jobs

WCSM is built with a thick, rugged polyolefin heat-shrink sleeve and a fully bonded internal sealant layer. As it shrinks with heat, the material conforms tightly to the cable, and the sealant flows into every gap, creating a durable, watertight, dirt-tight seal.

This combination makes WCSM a go-to solution for two important HDD applications:

• Splicing HDD drill wire / wireline

• Repairing damage to cable jackets

These are high-consequence tasks. HDD wireline carries location data, communication signals, and power to the downhole tools. A weak splice or exposed jacket can lead to downtime, signal failure, or even full pullback interruptions—none of which anyone wants in the middle of a bore.

Fast Installs—With No Complicated Prep Work

One of the biggest advantages of WCSM is how quickly it can be installed. Crews don’t need specialty tools or extensive surface prep. A propane torch or industrial heat gun is all that’s required.

Once the sleeve is positioned over the splice or damaged jacket:

1. Apply heat evenly.

2. The sleeve shrinks and the sealant activates.

3. Within seconds, the splice is fully sealed and protected.

When the sleeve cools to ambient temperature, the cable can immediately handle the rigors of an HDD pullback. And if the job demands speed, the sleeve can be quench-cooled to get drilling operations moving even faster.

Built for High Voltage and Harsh Environments

WCSM is rated for use on electrical lines carrying 1,000 volts or more, which gives crews confidence when working on critical power-carrying cables and specialty drill wire. When used in jacket repair applications—without direct exposure to conductor voltage—the safe operating range increases even more.

This voltage rating, combined with the mechanical strength and environmental sealing of the product, makes WCSM suitable for a broad range of industries:

• HDD and trenchless construction

• Underground utilities

• Power and electrical contractors

• Industrial cable installers

• Field service and maintenance crews

Any Size. Any Length. Ready When You Are.

Another reason WCSM is such a widely used field solution is its flexibility. It comes in multiple diameters to match everything from small communication lines to larger power cables. And because it’s cut-to-length, crews can order exactly what they need:

• 6-inch sleeves

• 12-inch sleeves

• 24-inch sections

• 48-inch sections

• Or custom lengths beyond that

No wasted material. No improvising on site. Just the right size for the splice or repair.

A Simple Product That Solves a Big Problem

In HDD operations, small issues can quickly turn into big headaches—especially when underground cable integrity is at stake. Raychem WCSM is one of those straightforward, reliable products that saves time, reduces rework, and gives crews confidence that their splice or repair will hold up under pressure.

If your team regularly splices HDD wireline or repairs field-damaged cable jackets, adding WCSM to your standard toolkit is a smart investment. If you need help selecting the correct size or want lengths pre-cut for a particular project, we’re always here to help.

Shrink Sleeves with Hot Air Gun?

 Can I Shrink Heat Shrink Sleeves with a 

Hot Air Gun?

     Here at JSI, we handle a lot of different coating and sealing options.  Everything from shrink sleeves for a 100" OD pipe; down to heat shrink tubing for an 1/8" cable --- and everything in between.  In some cases, a product like WCSM or TWDB is going to be installed indoors some significant portion of the time.  In those cases, an open flame is sometimes disallowed --- so the only option is to use an industrial hot air gun.

     Some hot air guns can reach VERY high temperatures.  In some cases even 1400 F.  That is certainly sufficient for shrinking a sleeve (though very often, quite a lot slower than an open flame propane torch would be).  As long as the installer is aware that the sleeves are not going to respond as "quickly" to a hot air gun as they would with a torch -- you should be good to go.

     Keep in mind, preheat temperatures are still critically important!  So please consider that if you find yourself in a position to decide if your installers can reasonably use a hot air gun or not!

TPS Slip On Heat Shrink Tubes

 Covalence (formerly Raychem) TPS 

Tubular Pipe Sleeves / Slip On Shrink Sleeves

     Once upon a time (decades ago) the original heat shrink sleeves created by Raychem Corp were extruded tubes.   Wrap around shrink sleeves weren't developed until later.  The idea was simple though; prior to the weld being made, the shrink sleeve would be slid into place (and moved away from the weld joint).  Then the pipe would be welded; allowed to cool a bit and then the shrink sleeve would have been moved into its proper place (on top of properly preheated pipe); the release paper would have been removed and then the sleeve shrunk.  Simple. 

    Though TPS is no longer the TOP DOG (so to speak) in the pipeline coating world; or even in the shrink sleeves for corrosion prevention world; there is still quite a market for TPS slip on shrink sleeves (now manufactured by Covalence - a part of the Seal for Life family).  

     TPS shrink tubes are kept in stock at JSI's facility in Conroe, TX 77385.  We stock tubes that are specifically made for the following pipe outside diameters:

2.375"

2.875"

3.5"

4.5"

6.625"

8.625"

Sleeves are also made for 10.75" OD and 12.75" OD but we have never found much of a market for them.  They can be available in larger quantities though. 

     What are some of the great features of a TPS shrink sleeve?  

• The butyl mastic is quite forgiving, meaning that the product can be installed on pipe that is wire brushed clean (and free of dirt, grease, etc).  
• The product can be installed on pipe that has been preheated to only 140F (hand hot)
• The installation process is quite simple:  clean, preheat, slide into place, shrink.  
• Decades of use successful use history.  Despite what you may see in some of our competitors advertising; TPS is a great product.  In my 20 years I've not heard of a single failure or a single problem caused by this product.  If you have experienced one; please reach out and let me know about it:   steve@jsicoatings.com

     One of the greatest features of (many) Covalence shrink sleeves is the PCI (permanent change indicator).  Over the years it has also been called a permanent thermal indicator. This is a close up of the TPS sleeve backing (easily visible to the naked eye even without a close up as you can see in the first photo up above).  This cross hatch pattern in the TPS disappears as the shrunk tubing is properly shrunk; fading to a clean, smooth black surface.  

     This allows installers to see that they are properly shrink the TPS sleeve - and it allows inspectors; even if they a day or a week late; to see that the sleeve was properly shrunk.  It is a wonderful tool!.

     Now if you're looking for a product other than TPS; I would certainly love to speak to you about that.  Maybe you're looking for Canusa's PLA product.  Much like the TPS, PLA is a slip on (slide the shrink sleeve in place before the pipe is welded up) shrink sleeve.  I would love to talk to you about it.

    Likewise, maybe you're looking for heat shrink tubing that is designed for substrates smaller than 2.375".  Maybe you need something for 1" pipe and perhaps our Flexclad heat shrinkable tape would be the perfect product for you.  Maybe you're looking for something even smaller and you need Raychem's WCSM - low voltage heat shrink for splicing and sealing up cable connections (and cable repairs).

     No matter what your application is, I would love the opportunity to talk to you about the different options we might have available for you.