Hose & Cable Sleeving

Types of High-Temperature Protective Sleeving

The products in this category use glass fibre as their principal heat-resistant reinforcement, but their construction and surface finish differ. Uncoated sleeves provide flexible thermal insulation and abrasion protection, while a silicone coating creates a more enclosed outer surface for applications where exposed fibres, external contamination or mechanical wear require additional control.

Silicone Rubber Coated Glass Fibre Sleeving

VITCAS Silicone Rubber Coated Sleeving consists of a heat-resistant glass fibre base with a red silicone rubber outer coating. The glass fibre is rated up to 550°C, while the silicone coating is limited to 250°C. Where the coating must remain intact and retain its protective properties, product selection must therefore be based on the 250°C limit.

The sleeve has a nominal wall thickness of 2 mm and provides flexible thermal and mechanical protection for cables, hoses and pipes. Its coated surface improves resistance to abrasion and external contamination while reducing direct contact with exposed glass fibres. Compatibility with oils, fuels, hydraulic fluids, chemicals and other process media must be verified for the actual operating conditions.

Fibreglass Sleeving

VITCAS Fibreglass Sleeving is a white, flexible thermal sleeve rated for service temperatures up to 550°C. It can be fitted around suitable flues, hoses, pipes and other heat-exposed components to provide a protective glass fibre layer and help reduce heat transfer.

The uncoated construction is easy to cut and form around suitable components. It also provides a degree of abrasion protection, but it is not fluid-tight and must not be assumed resistant to every oil, fuel, chemical or corrosive atmosphere.

E-Glass Braided Sleeving

VITCAS E-Glass Braided Sleeving is manufactured in a flexible braided construction for routing around cables, wires, hoses, tubes and pipes. Its published operating temperature range extends from -60°C to +550°C. The braid allows the sleeve to conform more readily to curved routes and components than a rigid thermal protector.

The E-glass sleeve provides thermal and mechanical protection in applications including electrical wiring, hydraulic systems and industrial pipework. Compatibility with aggressive gases, liquids and process chemicals must be confirmed against the current technical data rather than inferred solely from the glass fibre construction.

Hose and Cable Sleeving Selection Guide

Product	Construction	Published temperature	Principal characteristics	Typical duties
Silicone Rubber Coated Sleeving	Glass fibre with red silicone rubber coating	Glass fibre up to 550°C; silicone coating up to 250°C	Coated surface, 2 mm wall thickness, flexible thermal and mechanical protection	Hoses, flexible cables, discharge pipes, process lines and suitable furnace-area services
Fibreglass Sleeving	Uncoated glass fibre sleeving	Up to 550°C	White, flexible, cut-to-length thermal and abrasion protection	Flues, hoses, pipes and other heat-exposed components
E-Glass Braided Sleeving	Braided E-glass fibre	-60°C to +550°C	Flexible braided profile for curved routes and moving services	Electrical cables, wiring, hydraulic hoses, gas or water pipes and industrial tubing

The maximum material temperature is not necessarily the permissible operating temperature of the protected hose, cable or pipe. The underlying component must remain independently suitable for its internal pressure, voltage, fluid, conductor temperature and service environment.

Industries and Applications

High-temperature hose and cable sleeving is used across industrial maintenance, thermal processing and transport applications. Typical sectors and duties include:

• Foundries and metal processing: protection of hydraulic hoses, control cables and service lines routed near furnaces, ladles and other hot equipment.
• Furnaces, kilns and heat treatment: thermal protection for wiring, instrumentation lines, pneumatic tubes and hoses near furnace casings and kiln equipment.
• Welding and fabrication: protection of cables and hoses against radiant heat, abrasion and incidental process exposure.
• Power generation and boilers: sleeving for suitable cables, instrument lines and hoses near boilers, turbines, ducts and high-temperature pipework.
• Oil, gas and petrochemical processing: protection of service lines around process heaters, refineries and hot pipework, subject to fluid and hazardous-area compatibility.
• Automotive and motorsport: protection of wiring looms, fluid hoses and control lines positioned near engines, turbochargers and exhaust components.
• Rail and heavy transport: thermal and abrasion protection for cables, hoses and pipework in engine compartments and other heat-exposed areas.
• Marine and offshore: suitable engine-room, boiler, exhaust-adjacent and machinery-space services, subject to the required marine approvals.
• Aerospace manufacturing and maintenance: suitable thermal protection duties where the material specification, traceability and required aerospace approval have been confirmed.
• Industrial manufacturing: cable, hose and pipe protection around ovens, dryers, presses, robotic systems and production machinery.
• Domestic and commercial heating: suitable secondary protection for services near boilers, stoves, fireplaces and flue systems.

These are typical sectors rather than universal product approvals. Critical applications involving molten metal, fire-survival circuits, high-pressure hydraulics, aviation, marine systems or hazardous areas require documented product performance and approval for the complete installation.

How to Select the Correct Protective Sleeve

1. Identify the protected component: establish whether the sleeve will cover an electrical cable, wiring loom, hydraulic hose, pneumatic tube, flue or process pipe.
2. Measure the outside diameter: select an internal sleeve diameter that can pass over the component and any unavoidable connectors without excessive stretching or compression.
3. Determine the heat source: assess conducted, convected and radiant heat as well as the distance from exhausts, furnaces, burners and other hot surfaces.
4. Check continuous and peak exposure: distinguish between normal operating temperature, intermittent peaks and emergency exposure. A short heat pulse must not be treated as a continuous service rating.
5. Select coated or uncoated construction: choose silicone-coated sleeving where a more enclosed, abrasion-resistant outer layer is required, provided the coating temperature does not exceed 250°C. Select uncoated glass fibre where service temperatures up to 550°C are required and an open textile surface is acceptable.
6. Review electrical requirements: confirm working voltage, dielectric strength and the required insulation standard. Thermal sleeving must not be treated as primary electrical insulation without supporting test data.
7. Assess fluids and chemicals: verify compatibility with hydraulic oil, fuel, coolant, acids, alkalis, solvents, gases and cleaning chemicals at the expected temperature.
8. Consider movement and abrasion: allow for vibration, flexing, bend radius and contact with neighbouring components or sharp edges.
9. Check fire and splash requirements: confirm any required flame, molten-metal splash, fire-propagation or fire-survival test classification for the specific product.
10. Specify end retention: use temperature-compatible clamps, ties, tapes or other approved methods to prevent the sleeve moving or exposing the protected component.

Installation and Maintenance

Before installation, isolate and cool the equipment. Electrical circuits must be safely de-energised, while hydraulic, pneumatic and process lines must be depressurised where the work requires disconnection or movement.

Measure the full route and cut the sleeve with a suitable tool. Protect cut ends against fraying using a method compatible with the sleeve and operating temperature. Slide the sleeve into position without twisting, crushing or forcing it over connectors that exceed its usable internal diameter.

Secure the sleeve with temperature-rated fasteners positioned clear of sharp edges and moving parts. Do not use standard plastic cable ties or other low-temperature components within the heat-exposed zone unless their suitability has been confirmed.

Inspect sleeving during planned maintenance. Replace it if the braid becomes heavily abraded, cut, flattened, contaminated or detached. Silicone-coated sleeving must also be replaced if its coating becomes cracked, burnt, swollen or separated from the glass fibre base. The protected cable, hose or pipe should always be inspected independently.

Important Performance Limitations

• Protective sleeving does not increase the certified maximum conductor temperature, pressure rating or chemical compatibility of the component underneath it.
• Silicone Rubber Coated Sleeving must be specified around the 250°C coating limit wherever the silicone surface is required to remain functional.
• The 550°C rating of the glass fibre base must not be presented as the operating limit of the intact silicone-coated assembly.
• A heat-resistant sleeve is not automatically a fire-survival cable system, passive fire-protection product or firestop.
• The sleeve must not be used as primary or reinforced electrical insulation unless the required dielectric performance has been documented.
• Uncoated Fibreglass and E-Glass Braided Sleeving are not fluid-tight barriers.
• A silicone coating does not provide universal resistance to every fuel, oil, acid, alkali, solvent or hydraulic fluid.
• Protection against molten-metal splash, direct flame or emergency fire exposure must be supported by relevant product-specific test data.
• These sleeves are not pressure-containment devices and should not be relied upon to restrain a failed high-pressure hose.
• Personnel should not assume that an insulated surface is safe to touch without measuring or calculating its external temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is high-temperature hose and cable sleeving?

It is a flexible protective tube fitted around cables, wires, hoses or pipes to reduce thermal exposure and provide an additional barrier against abrasion and external damage.

What is the difference between Fibreglass and E-Glass Braided Sleeving?

Both use glass fibre, but the E-glass product has a defined braided construction that provides greater flexibility around curved routes and moving services. The two products should still be compared by diameter, wall construction and current technical data.

Why choose Silicone Rubber Coated Sleeving?

The silicone coating encloses the glass fibre surface and provides a more robust outer layer against abrasion and contamination. The coating is limited to 250°C, even though the underlying glass fibre base is rated up to 550°C.

What temperatures can the protective sleeves withstand?

The uncoated Fibreglass Sleeving is rated for service temperatures up to 550°C, while the E-Glass Braided Sleeving has an operating temperature range of -60°C to +550°C. In Silicone Rubber Coated Sleeving, the glass fibre base is rated up to 550°C, but the silicone coating is limited to 250°C. Where the coating must retain its protective properties, product selection must therefore be based on the 250°C limit.

How do I choose the correct sleeve diameter?

Measure the maximum outside diameter of the component and any connector over which the sleeve must pass. Select a sleeve that fits without excessive stretching, crushing or uncontrolled movement.

Can hose sleeving be used on hydraulic lines?

Yes, where its temperature, diameter and fluid compatibility are suitable. It provides external thermal and mechanical protection but does not increase the hose’s working pressure or replace routine hose inspection.

Does cable sleeving provide electrical insulation?

It may provide an additional insulating layer, depending on the product, but it must not be used as the primary electrical insulation unless its dielectric strength, working voltage and relevant test standard are documented.

Can this sleeving protect against molten-metal splash?

Only when the selected product has suitable test data for the metal, splash temperature, exposure duration and installation arrangement. General heat resistance does not establish molten-metal splash performance.

Will sleeving make a hot hose or pipe safe to touch?

Not automatically. External temperature depends on the internal temperature, sleeve material, thickness, air gaps, exposure time and surrounding conditions. Surface temperature should be calculated or measured.

Can fibreglass sleeving be cut to length?

Yes. Use suitable cutting equipment, control fibre and dust exposure, and protect the cut ends against fraying with a temperature-compatible finishing method.

Can the sleeving be exposed to oils or chemicals?

Only after compatibility has been confirmed for the specific product and substance. Temperature, concentration, exposure time and mechanical movement can all affect performance.

When should protective sleeving be replaced?

Replace it when it becomes cut, severely abraded, brittle, flattened, contaminated or loose. Silicone-coated sleeving should also be replaced if its coating cracks, burns, swells or separates from the glass fibre base.