Mid cable nick

[Ramper]

I just picked up some HEAVY DUTY jumper cables from an auction of an implement dealer. There is a nick in the middle of one of the cable's insulation. The copper looks fine, but I am sure there is some oxidation. I have read about what to do if the ends have oxidation (cut back to clean copper), but what about the middle.
Can I load the nick with dielectric grease and then cover with marine heat shrink? I was thinking to clean the copper first, but could not figure out how to keep the cleaner from wicking down the cable.
Any thoughts?

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Tape it up, 'n use 'em til they no longer work,.....

Then cut it apart, 'n fix it,.... if that day ever comes,.....

 

[rlitman]

Don’t grease under your tape. It won’t stick.
If the oxidation isn’t that bad, just seal it up and forget about it.

 

[cybrdyke]

3M #2234 Insulation repair tape, covered by a couple of layers or 3M 33+ .
Good to go.
CD

 

[Richard Cranium]

you are over thinking this, just tape it up. It will work for years this way.

 

[ard]

Agree with above on the tape. However, if you CAN get some nice heavy shrink tubing over it, by all means do so. It will not come undone like tape. Nice tight tape, then a sealing layer of shrink.

 

[Mr. T]

..covered by a couple of layers or 3M 33+ .
CD

Super 88 or bust for me but to each their own.

 

[tonyprovo723]

Jumper cables for a car?

If it is the black/negative cable side, I might not even do anything. Red/Positive side, yep liquid tape and then some wraps of good electric tape.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[matt_i]

The copper oxide is still nice and conductive, one of the reasons we love it for electricity.

Unless some sort of nasty green stuff driven by acid or salt, I'd tape it up and run with it. I nicked a cheapo set on an accessory drive serpentine belt about 15 years ago and its still in use with just electrical tape. Aside my XL stick welding leads which are bought used at auction are also full of electrical tape repairs but the copper inside is thick and flexible and is still working great.

 

[nsula_country]

Tape with 3M 130C (linerless splicing tape) followed by Super 33. Or just tight wrap with 33.

I had a set of cables Dad made from some 1/0 welding leads that were too cracked up for welding many years ago. I had them for a decade and pieces of insulation started "chunking" off. Wrapped the whole length of both cables with Super 33. Used them for another decade before cutting the clamps off and scrapping the copper.

Then bought a set of #2 cables 20' long...

CT

 

[nelstomlinson]

Liquid electrical tape is a good idea. I'd cover that with the 130C followed by the Super 88 as nsula suggested.

It'll be fine if you don't, but fine longer if you do.

 

[rlitman]

The copper oxide is still nice and conductive, one of the reasons we love it for electricity...

Corrosion on copper is not conductive. However, in the middle of a wire, it would have to be VERY severe before it would make much of a difference, as there should be plenty of good copper underneath. Knowing that, the best option is to seal it up (assuming it is currently dry), to stop the corrosion.

Where the corrosion would be a bigger problem would be at the ends of a wire, as copper oxidation on the interface would provide significant resistance.