Kapton Tape?

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
1

I often see references to Kapton tape in DCC install tutorials. I even recognize it as the translucent yellow stuff (I think). What are the advantages to Kapton that makes it so popular for these applications? And, where do you get the stuff?

Thanks in advance,

Tom

2

Here is a link to Litchfield Station http://www.litchfieldstation.com/xcart/product.php?productid=999003138&cat=0&page=1

It sticks well and does not have that nasty soft gooey glue on it that regular electrical insulation tape has.

3

Everything that Simon just said above. Bruce Petrarca @ Litchfield Station got me hooked on Kapton tape. Love the stuff! [tup] It’s terrific for most decoder and lighting installs - except when tape might restrict proper cooling of the decoder. (My Lenz Silver MP decoder manual states this.)

The other pluses to it is that it’s strong and transparent.

Tom

4

I simply love the stuff for decoder installs. A little bit goes a long way, too. I used to have a short bit I got through Litchfield, last year one of the vendors at a train show had full rolls for cheap so I now have enough kapton tape to install decoders in locos for half the model railroaders in the world.

–Randy

5

I find it indispensable for decoder installs. It’s so thin you can see through it, yet has a higher dielectric rating than the thick electrical tape. I purchased a full roll from an electronics supply house (Mouser) several years ago and haven’t used even half of it in over 100 decoder installs.

6

I just recently switched from electrical tape to Kapton tape for all my decoder installations. I don’t know if its better but everybody seems to say it is so thats why I switched. I got a role off of Ebay cheap.