Silicone Sleeving Guide: What It Is and Where to Use It

Date: 21/06/26

Silicone sleeving is one of the fundamental components of any electrical system. It offers protection from electrical, thermal and environmental threats in even the most extreme environments. 

Silicone sleeving is versatile, sliding into place on even the most complex wiring systems, dependable, operating across a range of temperatures from -60°C to 250°C, and affordable, available in reels, hanks or cut to bespoke lengths so there’s no waste.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at silicone rubber sleeving, how and where to use it, and the many benefits it brings.

What is silicone sleeving?

Symel silicone sleeving from Sleeve It is a high quality, high performance protective tube made from extruded silicone elastomer. The extrusion process involves heating a specially formulated silicone rubber compound and forcing it through an opening – called a die – to create the desired shape. It’s a bit like making your own pasta from dough. The extrusion process is used to make many plastic products, from window frames to straws, and can also be used for fashioning aluminium products.

Silicone electrical sleeving from Sleeve it is available in a range of bores, from 0.5mm to 125mm, so you can find the perfect fit for any wiring, cables, brushes or electrical connections. Our technical team will be happy to advise you on the correct bore specification and thickness for your installation, from fine wiring in data centres to heavy duty cables in manufacturing plants.

Key Benefits of High-Temperature Silicone Sleeving

There are numerous benefits to fitting silicone sleeving to your electrical system, including:

• Thermal protection – Symel is rated IEC Class H, and is designed to protect at a constant operating temperature of up to 180°C. It provides thermal protection from as low as -60°C to short term exposures as high as high as 250°C

• Electrical protection – Symel prevents short circuits and electrical arcs, with a dielectric strength of 1kV per 0.1mm wall thickness

• Flexible application – Symel is fully flexible, making it easy to install in complex systems or tight spaces

• Environmental protection – Symel protects wiring and electrical connections from oils, fuels, hydraulic fluid and water. It also resists mechanical abrasion

• Weatherproofing – Symel protects exterior wiring from weather and UV damage. 

Why choose Symel from Sleeve It?

In addition to the general benefits of silicone sleeving, there are a number of additional benefits to choosing your electrical protection from Sleeve It, including:

• An excellent reputation for high quality protection products

• Dependable deliveries, next day in the UK and promptly across the world 

• A wide range of colours available for easy identification of wiring

• Silicone sleeving supplied to suit you, in reels, hanks or cut to length

• Fully compliant to both British and international standards

Symel is also available in a flame resistant form, as Symel SE5559UL. This meets the UL specifications of UL94 V-O flame retardance - the strictest vertical burn classification for plastics.

Common Applications for Silicone Sleeving

Silicone sleeving is used across a wide range of industries. It can provide protection wherever wiring systems are used, making it an indispensable product. Industries that use silicone rubber sleeving include:

• Rail, Aerospace and Automotive – protecting wiring from engine heat and friction

• Electrical and Electronics – insulating sensitive components, transformers and domestic appliance wiring

• Computing and Data Centres – ensuring vital data and processing is never compromised  

• Industrial Manufacturing – protecting electrical cables in foundries and heavy industrial environments

Don’t Leave Protection to Chance

Don’t leave your critical wiring exposed to extreme heat or electrical failure. Browse the Sleeve It range of Symel Silicone Sleeving today, or contact our expert technical team to find the perfect bore size and thickness for your specific application.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

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