Cold Shrink Cable Accessories: No Special Tools, 5‑min Install
- Power Frequency Withstand Voltage:
- 117 kV, 5 min, No Breakdown
- Partial Discharge Test:
- Partial Discharge Magnitude≤ 10 pC at 45 kV
- Impulse Voltage Test:
- 200 kV, 10 positive and 10 negative impulses, no breakdown
- Constant Voltage Load Cycling Test (in Air):
- 65 kV, conductor temperature 95–100 ℃, total 60 cycles, no breakdown, no flashover
- Moisture Test (Indoor):
- 32.5 kV, 300 h, no breakdown, no flashover
- Salt Spray Test (Outdoor):
- 32.5 kV, 1000 h, no breakdown, no flashover
- DC Withstand Voltage:
- 104 kV, 15 min, No Breakdown
In rainy outdoor trenches, narrow cable ducts, or chemical plants where open flames are prohibited, terminating a medium‑voltage cable used to require torches, hot‑work permits, and careful temperature control. Cold shrink cable accessories eliminate all of that. Install a termination in 5 to 7 minutes – pull the core string, and the pre‑stretched elastomer contracts onto the cable instantly. No heat gun, no torque wrench, no waiting. Field data shows cold shrink terminations achieve a failure rate of just 0.022%.
What Makes Cold Shrink Different
Cold shrink technology uses silicone rubber or EPDM that is factory‑expanded and held in place by a removable spiral core. When the installer removes the core, the material returns to its original diameter, generating uniform radial pressure against the cable insulation. No external heating or mechanical pressing is involved. This “living seal” expands and contracts with cable load fluctuations, preventing void formation between the accessory and the cable surface.
Cold Shrink vs Heat Shrink: At a Glance
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Shrink method – Cold: remove core string, elastomer contracts naturally. Heat: torch or heat gun required.
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Installation time – Cold: 5–7 minutes per termination. Heat: 20–25 minutes.
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Tools required – Cold: knife and cleaning solvent only. Heat: torch, gas cylinder, temperature gauge.
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Hot‑work permit – Cold: not required. Heat: always required in restricted areas.
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Weather impact – Cold: unaffected by wind or rain. Heat: heating control compromised in adverse weather.
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Seal behaviour – Cold: dynamic, moves with cable thermal cycling. Heat: static, may loosen over time.
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Installer skill – Cold: low, repeatable. Heat: high, heating technique is critical.
Step‑by‑Step Installation Guide
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Verify kit compatibility – Check voltage rating, conductor cross‑section, and cable construction against the kit label.
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Prepare the cable end – Strip insulation to specified dimensions. The semicon layer cut position determines stress control effectiveness – keep the cut square and clean.
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Clean the insulation surface – Wipe with the supplied cleaning pad, then lightly abrade and wipe a second time. The second wipe removes residual semicon particles that could become sources of partial discharge.
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Position the cold shrink accessory – Slide the pre‑expanded tube over the cable end and align it with the marking line.
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Pull the core string steadily – Remove the core in one continuous motion. Stopping mid‑pull can trap air and create wrinkles.
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Inspect the finished installation – Confirm full shrinkage, no folds, and proper overlap with cable jacket and insulation.
Product Specifications & Selection
Cold shrink cable accessories cover a wide voltage and cross‑section range. Typical product types include:
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Cold shrink cable end caps – temporary waterproof sealing for cable ends during storage or as spare cores.
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Cold shrink cable jointing kit – straight‑through and branch connections with pre‑moulded stress cones and insulated bodies.
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Full termination kits – single‑core and three‑core cables, 12kV to 36kV, cross‑sections 50mm² to 630mm².
Selection parameters follow IEC 60502.4 and GB/T 12706.4. Operating temperature ranges from ‑40°C to +95°C continuous. Silicone rubber construction provides hydrophobic properties, delivering superior tracking resistance and wet flashover performance in coastal and high‑pollution environments.
Reliability Data & Test Standards
Failure rates for cold shrink accessories are documented from U.S. field data covering installations between 2009 and 2012:
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Terminations: 0.022%
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Joints and splices: 0.067%
These figures reflect performance under actual service conditions, not laboratory‑only measurements. The constant radial pressure – typically 0.3 to 0.5 MPa – ensures the interface remains sealed against moisture ingress throughout the cable’s service life. Independent tests confirm the elastomer retains its elasticity after extended thermal cycling, maintaining the seal for over 20 years of continuous operation.
Common Installation Mistakes to Prevent
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❌ Wrong kit diameter – each cold shrink product specifies a cable outer diameter range. Verify before installation.
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❌ Incomplete surface cleaning – residual semicon dust becomes a source of partial discharge under operating voltage.
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❌ Jerking or pausing while pulling the core – traps air under the elastomer, creating wrinkles that compromise dielectric strength.
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❌ Rotating the accessory after core removal – the silicone has already begun gripping; rotation breaks the interfacial seal.
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❌ Ignoring the grounding connection – a floating screen layer invites future insulation failure.
Cold shrink technology turns cable termination from a skilled trade into a repeatable manual operation. Installation time drops by two‑thirds. Hot‑work permits disappear. Field reliability improves. For renewable energy projects, oil and gas facilities, and urban distribution networks – wherever space is tight, flames are unwelcome, and downtime costs money – the choice is clear. Browse the full 12/20kV cold shrink cable accessories specifications for detailed product data and ordering information.
26/35 kV Fully Cold Shrink Three-Core Terminal – Installation Outline Drawing
Electrical Performance Tests
| No. | Test Item | Standard Requirements |
| 1 | Power Frequency Withstand Voltage | 117 kV, 5 min, No Breakdown |
| 2 | DC Withstand Voltage | 104 kV, 15 min, No Breakdown |
| 3 | Partial Discharge Test | Partial Discharge Magnitude≤ 10 pC at 45 kV |
| 4 | Impulse Voltage Test | 200 kV, 10 positive and 10 negative impulses, no breakdown |
| 5 | Constant Voltage Load Cycling Test (in Air) | 65 kV, conductor temperature 95–100 ℃, total 60 cycles, no breakdown, no flashover |
| 6 | Moisture Test (Indoor) | 32.5 kV, 300 h, no breakdown, no flashover |
| 7 | Salt Spray Test (Outdoor) | 32.5 kV, 1000 h, no breakdown, no flashover |
Product overview
◆The product is available in single-core, two-core, three-core, four-core, and five-core versions, and has been widely used for low-voltage cable terminations and intermediate connections.
◆Excellent surface hydrophobicity, ensuring the product maintains strong resistance to contamination.
◆Compact size, lightweight, and reliable performance.
◆Application Scope: The product demonstrates excellent cold and heat resistance, making it particularly suitable for high-altitude, cold, humid, salt-spray, and heavily polluted environments.
Installation requires no open flame, making it ideal for flammable and explosive areas such as petroleum, chemical, mining, and tunneling sites.
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| 26/35 kV Single-Core Cold Shrink Outdoor Termination – Installation Drawing | 26/35 kV Three-Core Cold Shrink Outdoor Termination – Installation Drawing | 26/35 kV Three-Core Cold Shrink Outdoor Termination – Supporting Drawing | 26/35 kV Three-Core Cold Shrink Intermediate Connection – Supporting Drawing |
Technical Data - Model Selection
| Product Type | Model | Conductor Cross-section(mm²) |
| 26/35 kV Cold Shrink Indoor Termination | GHD-35HNLS-3(1)*50-630 | 50-630 |
| 26/35 kV Cold Shrink Outdoor Termination | GHD-35HWLS-3(1)*50-630 | 50-630 |
| 26/35 kV Cold shrink Joint | GHD-35JTLS-3(1)*50-630 | 50-630 |