3M 7000031458 3M, Cold Shrink Insulator 8429-18, Tape/Wire/UniShield Shielding, 1 kV, Standard, 10/Case

Yes, as long as the connector barrel is 14 inches (355.6 mm) or shorter. The 8429-18 has an 18 inch (457.2 mm) relaxed tube length, which leaves roughly two inches of overlap onto the cable jacket at each end of a 14 inch connector. Long-barrel lugs and splices on 1000 kcmil aluminum can run past that, so measure the barrel before you order.

Low voltage only. The 8429-18 is rated 1 kV and is intended as primary insulation on solid dielectric wire and cable splices up to 1000 volts. It is a non-shielded insulator, so it does not restore a shield or provide stress control. For 5 kV and above you need a medium voltage cold shrink splice body, not this tube.

No heat at all. This is a cold shrink tube: it comes pre-expanded on a removable core, and you pull the core out to let the EPDM rubber contract onto the splice. No tools and no flame, which is why crews use it in cable vaults, manholes and other spots where open flame is a problem.

They are not equivalents, and buying one in place of the other leaves the joint incomplete. The Burndy YS6C is a Hylink long barrel copper compression splice - a metallic connector that is crimped to join the two conductors mechanically and electrically. The 3M 8429-18 is a cold shrink insulator: an EPDM rubber tube, 18 inches long, that goes over a completed connection to provide insulation, mechanical protection and repair on power cable rated 1 kV. On a typical low voltage splice you use both - a compression connector such as the YS6C to make the metal-to-metal joint, then the cold shrink tube to reinsulate it. The 8429-18 accommodates a connector barrel up to 14 inches long.

Order both, for different steps. The 3M 8429-18 covers conductors from 900 kcmil to 1000 kcmil (456 to 500 mm2), single conductor, with an aluminum conductor listed, and it shrinks from an inner diameter of 2.669 inches down to 1.268 inches over the finished joint. It is the insulation layer only. The Burndy YS6C is the compression connector side of the job, and it is a copper compression splice, so on an aluminum run you need to confirm the connector you select is rated for the conductor metal you are joining. The 8429-18 itself does not care which brand of connector is underneath it, so long as the barrel is no longer than 14 inches and the finished diameter falls in the tube's shrink range.

The 8429-18 is specified for aluminum power cable. It insulates over the connector and cable, so it is not in contact with the conductor metal in a way that drives the choice, but 3M lists aluminum as the conductor material for this size. For a copper compression connection you still need the correct connector itself, such as a Burndy YS6C Hylink long barrel copper compression splice, with the appropriate insulating cover for that build.

Continuous service from -40 degC to 90 degC (-40 degF to 194 degF). That covers northern winter installs and the elevated conductor temperatures you see in loaded feeders. The EPDM rubber contains no chlorides or sulfur, so it will not attack the cable jacket or connector over time.

A compression splice such as the Burndy YS6C Hylink makes the electrical connection but leaves bare metal, so it still needs a dielectric covering. The 3M 8429-18 is that covering in one pre-expanded EPDM rubber tube: it installs with no tools, holds from -40 to 90 degC (-40 to 194 degF), and contains no chlorides or sulfur. It is built for primary insulation of solid dielectric insulated wire and cable splices to 1000 volts, and also serves for sealing terminal lug barrels, conduit couplings and conduit-to-cable breakouts. It is black, RoHS 2011/65/EU compliant without exemption, and ships 10 per case, which suits crews standardizing a feeder repair kit.

3M lists it for insulation, mechanical protection and repair. Common uses beyond a straight splice are sealing terminal lug barrels, sealing conduit couplings, and covering conduit-to-cable breakouts. It is a black EPDM tube, so it also works as a jacket repair sleeve where the recovered 1.268 in diameter will grip the cable.

Ten tubes per case. The 8429-18 is sold as a 10-unit case under 3M part number 7000031458, which suits a utility or contractor doing a run of feeder splices rather than a one-off repair.

It is RoHS 2011/65/EU compliant without exemption, and it is manufactured in the United States. Note that it is not halogen free, so if your project spec calls for halogen-free materials in the cable accessory, this one will not meet it.

Cold shrink stays expanded on its core while stored, and 3M assigns the 8429-18 a shelf life value of 1800 days. Stock rotation matters with this product class more than with tape, so pull the oldest cases first rather than letting a case sit in the truck for years.