Common Electrical Tubing Specifications

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standard for extruded heat shrink and non-heat shrink electrical insulating tubing in a variety of materials. These two standards were merged into one common standard which became effective Dec. 2001. Standard includes dimensional, physical and electrical properties.

Temperature Rating: tubing is rated as 90°C or 105°C for PVC, 105°C or 125°C for polyolefin, and other temps for other materials.
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VW-1 Flame Rating: VW-1(CSA had called this OFT) is an optional requirement for flammability (Vertical Wire flame test).

Voltage Rating: Tubing may be rated 150V, 300V or 600V depending on wall thickness (150V does not apply to PVC). See UL Voltage Rating Guide for details.

VW-1 Flame Rating: VW-1(CSA had called this OFT) is an optional requirement for flammability (Vertical Wire flame test).

Voltage Rating: Tubing may be rated 150V, 300V or 600V depending on wall thickness (150V does not apply to PVC).

UL/CSA listed products have been tested by UL and/or CSA to verify that they meet all of the requirements of the standard. Listed products are identified by the UL/CSA mark on the Grayline package labels.

UL/CSA listed products include:

UL/CSA listed products have been tested by UL and/or CSA to verify that they meet all of the requirements of the standard. Listed products are identified by the UL/CSA mark on the Grayline package labels.

UL/CSA listed products include:

American Society for Testing and Materials specification for nonrigid PVC tubing for use in electrical insulation. Standard includes dimensional and physical properties.

Grade A – General-purpose, brittle point <=-30°C (9848 PVC Tubing)
Grade B – Low temperature, brittle point <=-55°C
Grade C – High temperature, brittle point <=-10°C (105C PVC Tubing)

American Society for Testing and Materials specification for heat shrinkable PVC tubing for electrical insulation. Standard includes dimensional and physical properties.

Type I – Non-cross-linked PVC, shrinks at 135°C
Type II – Cross-linked PVC, shrinks at 175°C

Grayline's HS-105C heat shrink tubing is compliant with key performance requirements but has not been fully tested to all requirements and does not comply with all dimensional requirements.

Ford Engineering Specification for flexible insulating tubing. This spec is much more detailed then Ford ESB-M4D103-A. It includes dimensional, physical properties and color.

Type A - 85°C (9848 PVC Tubing)
Type B - 105°C
Type C - 125°C
Type D - 135°C+

Old Ford Engineering specification (last issued 1978) for PVC insulating tubing. Includes basic physical properties. (73A PVC Tubing)

US Military specification for plastic electrical insulation tubing. Covers a variety of materials and includes dimensional and physical properties.

Type F – PVC,
Form U – Tubing,
Grade a – General purpose (631 PVC Tubing)
Grade b – Low temp. (631 PVC Tubing)
Grade c – High temp. (105C PVC Tubing)
Class I – Fungal resistant, (631 PVC Tubing), optional on (105C PVC Tubing)
Class II – Not fungal resistant
Category 1 – Flame resistant

Japanese Industrial Standard for electrical insulating tubing. This standard was “withdrawn” 3/1/94. Includes dimensional and physical properties. (JIS-85 PVC Tubing)

Society of Automotive Engineers, Aerospace Materials Specification for flexible electrical insulation sleeving (very low temp.). SAE took over this spec after the US Military “inactivated” MIL-I-7444 as of 7/30/87.

Type I - Clear
Type III – Colored (there is no Type II)
Class 1 – brittle point -67.8°C & self extinguishing within 45 sec.
Class 2 – brittle point -55°C & self extinguishing within 15 sec.
Grayline's 7444 PVC tubing meets both Class 1 and Class 2

Society of Automotive Engineers, Aerospace Material Specification. This is a multipart spec (/1 thru /18) for a variety of plastic electrical insulation tubing. It includes dimensional and physical properties, and color.

SAE took over this spec after MIL-DTL-23053 was canceled on 9/16/99. In 2016 SAE-AMS-DTL-23053 was replaced by AS23053. AS23053 includes provisions for demonstrating compliance with qualification requirements. Tubing that claims compliance with AS23053 must be listed in a QPL (Qualified Product List) maintained by the Naval Air Command (NAVAIR). See NAVAIR QPL.

/1 HS cross-linked chlorinated polyolefin – for heavy duty cables and harness systems. Oil and chemical resistant.
Class 1 - -55°C to 90°C
Class 2 - -70°C to 121°C (NHS Chlorinated Polyolefin Heat Shrink Tubing)

/2 HS PVC – This spec is marked as Inactive for new designs. Grayline does not meet all dimensional requirements.
Class 1 – crosslinked
Class 2 – non-crosslinked (HS-105C PVC Heat Shrink Tubing except for dimensions)

/4 HS cross-linked polyolefin – adhesive lined (dual wall) – for one step potting, encapsulation, or moisture sealing and corrosion protection.
Class 1 – Semi-rigid, non flame retardant (ML251 semi-rigid, melt liner heat shrink polyolefin tubing)
Class 2 – Flexible, flame retardant, 2:1 (AL2X 2:1 Adhesive lined, Heat Shrink Tubing)
Class 3 – Flexible, flame retardant, 3:1 (AL3X 3:1 Adhesive lined, Heat Shrink Tubing)

/5 HS flexible cross-linked polyolefin – for light duty harness jackets, wire color coding, marking or identification.  Class 1 – Flame resistant, wide operating temp. range (SL2535 colored Heat Shrink Tubing)
Class 2 – Flammable (clear only) (SL2535CL clear Heat Shrink Tubing)
Class 3 – Highly flame resistant (SL125 Highly Flame Retradant Heat Shrink Tubing)

/8 HS semi-rigid, cross-linked Polyvinylidene fluoride – for wire or termination strain relief at elevated temps. (PVDF Heat Shrink Tubing)

/13 HS flexible Fluoroelastomer – for elevated temp applications or where exposure to elevated temp solvents (MF392 Modified Fluoroelastomer Heat shrink Tubing)

/15 Heavy Wall Adhesive Lined
Class 1 –Heavy wall (HWT Heavy Wall, Adhesive Lined, Heat Shrink Tubing)
Class 2 – Medium wall (MWT Medium Wall, Adhesive Lined, Heat Shrink Tubing)

AS23053 list specific Military part numbers with the following format:
M23053/A – BCC – D

Where:
A is the Specification Sheet
B is the Class
CC is the Size Identifier
D is the color Code

The table below shows the Grayline tubing type and size corresponding to these military part numbers.(*=color code)

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard – also known as 49 CRF 571.30. This is a federal safety standard for the flammability of materials used in occupant compartments of motor vehicles.