In the pub all topics valid, right?

So - my fridge freezer started to trip the circuit breaker a few days ago - My nano couldn't connect, so in true P38 style I disconnected everything I could until the circuit breaker didn't trip, and then reconnected things bit by bit.... Turns out the defrost heater element is shorting to the outer case - which was touching the earthed cooling matrix... so, my question is... how about I put a heat shrink sleeve on said heater matrix tube? It shrinks at 100 degrees, which is more than the heating element will be allowed to generate (it's in series with a bimetallic thermal relay - which is closed only below +5 deg C) - the only question is if the heat-shrink can stand repeated heat.... or is there a kind of rubberised but heat-resistant paint I could get for the element?

Heat shrink should be fine. I've used it in various places under the bonnet on P38's and we all know how hot they get on a normal day... at least 80 odd under the bonnet on mine, I'm sure...

Heat shrink quality seems to be somewhat variable these days. Back in my lab rat days, usually using whatever RS were selling, it would just shrink enough and excess heat did nothing noticeable. Quite practical to work it nicely over lumps

In the last couple or three years I've had it split almost immediately after its gotten down to size. Had one on an admittedly really lumpy joint that split before it came down onto the wire proper despite using the localised heating and aiming tricks to produce uneven shrinkage.

Clive

Thanks guys, maybe i'll use two layers, and then test the heater "on land", so to speak, as a bench test

And the answer was...split in half. It seems fine to shrink once, but repeated/ continuous heat causes a melt-down. I dare say better quality stuff wd have reacted better

This is the stuff that'll last:
https://za.rs-online.com/mobile/search.html?searchTerm=Dr-25-

What kind of heating element is it? An enclosed tube, or a bare beating element?

If its an enclosed tube it sounds like it is soon to be done for anyway. Maybe I'm missing something a picture would reveal - but if a heating element is shorting in any way internally, I'd be replacing it. I've had to replace some on my Samsung. Actually I'm still missing one of the drain heaters... if/when the drain ever freezes up I might get around to sorting that!