wire stripping methods

Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails from Albany County Fasteners. The key to success on how to strip wire is controlling the depth of the cut by keeping the angle of the blade low, almost parallel with the cable. Always make sure you're using the correct set of markings for the wire type you are cutting. They twist over the ends of joined wires to strengthen the connection and conceal the bare ends of the wires. Otherwise, buy a less expensive, general purpose stripper, and use a knife (Photo 2) or other method to remove the outer sheathing. Align the wire with the notch that matches the wire gauge and squeeze to cut the insulation. Shaped like bullet casings with the ends cut off, some compression sleeves have the added feature of being insulated. Deane is a member of The Spruce's Home Improvement Review Board. 3 Slide the compression sleeve onto the bare wire ends, and then crimp the sleeve with a multipurpose tool or the end of a wire cutter thats made for crimping rather than cutting. Match the wire gauge with the appropriately labeled hole on the wire stripper. Good answers and guide. Press the handles together and pull to score the sheath.Use a cable ripper to remove the sheath from nonmetallic cable. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. If the copper portion of the wire is nicked and compromised it is likely it will simply break off and you will have to start over. A wire stripper is a hand tool designed to remove the protective covering, or jacket, from electrical wires. Read the lettering on the sheathing to determine whether your coaxial cable is RG-58, RG-59 or RG-6, and adjust the slide on top of the cutter to match your cable type. Self-stripping wire strippers are more expensive than normal strippers. If you only have emery boards, just place one board on top of the wires tip and one under it. Open the scissors halfway and fit your wire as close as possible to where the blades meet. HomeTips articles may contain links to Amazon.com and other partner programs that provide helpful products and services. Ricardo Mitchell is the CEO of CN Coterie, a fully licensed and insured Lead EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Certified construction company located in Manhattan, New York. Make a practice cut and adjust the blades if necessary (Photo 1). We recommend our users to update the browser. As an Amazon Associate, HomeTips earns from qualifying purchases which allows us to continue creating helpful DIY content. Since the sheathing surrounds each conductor, you cant just score it and slide it off. Align the plastic-sheathed cable with the notch that matches the wire gauge youre usingeither 14/2 or 12/2and squeeze down to cut the sheathing. <> Whether youre rewiring an old lamp, installing a new doorbell, or adding another outlet to a wall, the first step to this sort of do-it-yourself maintenance project often involves stripping the sheathing from the wire. Deane Biermeier is an expert contractor with nearly 30 years of experience in all types of home repair, maintenance, and remodeling. The teeth of a serrated blade would just make a mess instead of slicing cleanly through the insulation. 1 Insert the wire into the proper slot for the size wire you are stripping (or adjust the screw on the stripper for the size of the wire). Receive the latest news on new promotions, exclusive offers, and new arrivals. 2 Gently rock the stripper blades back and forth to cut through the insulation but not into the wire. To easily strip the insulation off of small solid-core wires from sizes #18 to #10, use wire strippers or the graduated wire stripper jaws on a multipurpose tool. Different types of electrical cable and cords, coaxial cable, communication wires and thin phone and bell wire are all covered. 5 To secure the wire nut, many electricians also wrap the wire nut and wires clockwise with electricians tape. Inspect the twisted pairs of wires to make sure the insulation isnt sliced. But the dedicated tool we show here makes the job quick and accurate. When you twist the bolt out of the hole, the threads in the hole realign the threads on the cut end of the bolt. How Does It Differ From A Phillips Drive. Bend and break the sheathing and slide it off. Never work on active electrical wiring without turning off the electrical power first! You thread a bolt into the hole to the desired depth, then squeeze the tool's handles to cut off the end of the bolt. A special type of plastic-sheathed cable called UF (underground feeder) requires a slightly different technique. This means that three actions take place when you squeeze the handle:grip, strip, and remove. References. Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY. Tilting the stripper can cause nicked wires. If the wire insulation does not fully cut, you may have to gently rotate the wire within the hole (or the wire stripper around the wire, whichever is easier). Most electrical jobs such as installing light switches or electrical outlets involve cutting electrical wires and stripping the insulation from their ends so they can be joined together. Theyre affordable and easy to use, and they produce high-quality results. If you do nick a wire, snip it where the nick is and begin again. Identify the gauge of the wire you plan to strip by comparing it to the guide along the side of the stripper. Develop your skill before trying it on a real project. <>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> Disclosure: BobVila.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for publishers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. q?B[YJ~p'od2sY4 [NE\_\n@dcy. Read the packaging before you buy to find the stripper thats right for your job. Once the end sheathing has been separated, go ahead and pull it off. Direct Ventilation Safety Goggles When To Use Each. You can find this on the outermost sheathing that binds multiple wires together inside an NM cable (nonmetallic sheathed cable). Carefully guide the knife around the cable until you reach your starting point. If youre using the notch with the right gauge, you should be able to cut through the insulation without doing any damage. *Disclaimer: Before we begin discussing how to strip wire the fast and easy way, we should note that using fire is dangerous and many types of wire have multiple layers of insulation that may make this method ineffective. A much easier solution to strip wire quickly and easily is to use a lighter. He appeared for 3 seasons on HGTVs The Fix, and served as MSNs home expert for several years. Apply very light pressure with the knife and keep your finger on the opposite side of the cable. Push against the stripper with your thumb to slide the insulation from the wire. Slice through the insulation at an angle all the way around the wire. Pull the wire stripper towards the cut end of the wire to remove the insulation. Wire Stripper vs. In one hand, hold the utility knife so that its blade gently rests on the wires sheathing at the exact point you intend to cut to strip it off. The process is similar, but takes a little more practice to get just the right touchenough pressure to cut off the sheathing without damaging the actual metal wires. Don founded HomeTips in 1996. Turn the adjusting screws clockwise with the Allen wrench (included with the tool) to make a deeper cut. Especially useful is a version commonly known as a combination tool, which not only has a wire stripping function, but also pliers jaws, cable-cutting blades, and a couple of threaded holes for cutting bolts commonly used with electrical boxes. When the insulation has been cut through, pull it off in one fluid, fast motion. stream Open the wire stripper handles. Then you strip the individual conductors. Opening up nonmetallic cable to expose the individual conductors inside is called ripping.. Laminate, Bamboo, and Vinyl Plank FlooringBuying Guide, Smart Devices Protect Your Home During Power Outages &, Ductless Mini-Split Air Conditioner Buying & Installing. Then hold the wire with one hand while you push the stripper with your thumb to remove the insulation. This is a good practice. Combination Wire Stripper, How to Side Wire and Bend Wire for an Electrical Outlet, Different Types of Household Electrical Wire, How to Choose the Right-Sized Electrical Wire, BX Cable and Wire: What to Know Before You Buy, All About Electrical Wiring Types, Sizes & Installation, How to Read the Labels on Electrical Wire and Cable, How an Electrical Circuit Breaker Panel Is Wired, How to Attach a Plug-In Cord to a Garbage Disposal, Romex Brand and NM Electrical Cable: Buying Guide, Make Screw Terminal Connections on Switches and Outlets, Pro Tips for Wiring Electrical Outlets and Switches, How to Install an Old Work Electrical Box in an Existing Wall. All the tools we show are available at home centers and electrical supply stores. Remember, if you gouge the insulation or nick the wires inside, cut off the cable at that point and try again. By removing the jacket, the wire stripper helps the electrician expose the wire for new uses or repairs. In whatever form the tool takes, a wire stripper has a series of labeled holes that match the common wire gauges, typically 10-gauge to 20-gauge. Bend it the opposite way to tear the other side and slide it off. 6 May 2020. Use the other hand to roll the wire across the work surface so that the blade scores the sheathing all the way around the wire. You have to remove the outer layer of plastic without nicking or slicing the insulation or wires underneath; otherwise, your connection might break or an electrical short might occur. Well show you how to strip wire safely and carefully. Score the plastic sheathing with a sharp knife if you dont have a special tool. If you're scrapping it, it's easier to slice the wire lengthwise with a razor or use a wire stripping machine. Copyright 2022 Albany County Fasteners. A wire stripper is a tool with different gauges and blades designed to remove the insulation from wire. Open the jaws and position the cable as shown. 3 0 obj Always inspect the wire for damage after stripping if youre using it for an electrical project. 1 0 obj &Dv$VlWvo00YjVY+|8V2{dMEM*xU" /:;aQc@ar<=k`%E2Y)h';aZB Ol|*^&2,9VBcPFjVt@!6'2,0chHRY+q8: Zbigniew Guzowski / Shutterstock.com. This post may contain affiliate links. A wide variety of tools is available for cutting wires, including linemans pliers, diagonals, and the inner cutter of a wire strippers. Which connector you use will depend on your project and your local building codes. endobj % How to Cut & Strip Electrical WireHow to Cut Romex Nonmetallic CableConnecting Electrical Wires. First is actually needing them. They serve one function only and are normally owned by professional electricians who prefer specialty tools for each function. Carefully scoring and bending the wire are useful if you want to reuse the wire in an electrical project. Use a flat-edged blade instead of a serrated knife. Another type of wire stripper is a self-stripping tool, or self-adjusting wire strippers, that removes wire insulation with a compound action. Cutting Romex or similar nonmetallic sheathed electrical cables doesnt require much instructionjust use linemans pliers or heavy-duty diagonal cutters to snip snip the cable in half. Stranded wire is slightly larger in diameter than solid wire of the same gauge. How do I properly use wire strippers to remove insulation? To strip larger wires, from #8 to #2/0, use a pocket knife to take off the insulation as if you were sharpening a pencil, away from your body. Ricardo Mitchell. It might take some practice before you can apply the correct amount of pressure, so consider trying the technique on scrap wires first. If it doesnt score the outer sheathing, move it to the next smaller slot and try again. Never work on active electrical wiring without turning off the electrical power first! Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 79,218 times. You can find wire strippers that fit your needs online or at your nearby home improvement or electrical store. For example, the hole that is marked for 10-gauge solid wire is the same hole you use for 12-gauge stranded wire. A wire stripper can make DIY electrical work especially easy for a beginner, outfitted with several notches that correspond to various wire gauges. Poorly joined, or spliced, wires can lead to electrical shorts and become a fire hazard. Specialty tools can help you with the task, but arent a necessity; you can still get by just fine without them with a little bit of practice. Practice with the blade extended (Photo 1) or barely visible to see which technique works best for you. The same jaws may also be used to ream the inside of the metal conduit after it is cut, using the outsides of the jaws when they are in the closed position. signal) has several layers that will prevent this method from working. This technique may look dangerous, but its safe as long as you apply very light pressure with the knife and keep your thumb on the opposite side of the cord. (You can unsubscribe anytime). Peel the plastic sheathing from the wires underneath with a sharp utility knife. While this introduction to electrical work may seem scary, its a skill thats not hard to master. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. The action is like pulling a sock off a foot. The length of wire youll need to strip varies depending on the job. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Everything You Should Know About Rivet Nuts, How to Measure Material Thickness for Rivet Installation, What Are Spanner (Snake-Eye) Security Bits, What Kind of Fasteners for Installing Deck Boards, Rivet Guns Tools Used to Install Blind POP Rivets, Indirect vs. Wire nuts are color-coded to distinguish their sizes, which range from the smallest, gray-colored #22 American Wire Gauge (AWG) to the largest, red-colored #10 AWG. Though putting on compression sleeves is a little more complicated than putting on wire nuts, they are perfect for projects where durability is paramount. Safe, durable electrical connections begin with clean, accurate wire stripping. When working on an electrical project, taking care that all the connections are made well and will last isnt just about getting the job done rightits also a matter of safety. Bend the cable at the scored line to break the plastic covering. How to Install Surface-Mounted Wiring and Conduit, Illuminate Your Deck With Low-Voltage Light Fixtures, Electrical Wiring: How to Run Electrical Wire Outside, How to Hide Wiring: Speaker and Low-Voltage Wire, How to Connect Old Wiring to a New Light Fixture, What You Should Do with Crowded Electrical Boxes, Use a Surge Protector for Electronic Devices, How to Successfully Move Electrical Boxes, Installing Recessed Lighting for Dramatic Effect, Power Surge: Protect All Your Electronics, How to Run Wire Through a Wall to Avoid Water Leaks, We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer). With the jaws of the wire strippers still closed, pull the sheathing off the end of the wire. Ricardo has over 10 years of electrical and construction experience and his partners have over 30 years of relevant experience. Scrape the metal foil from the plastic insulation with your fingernail. Use the same pulling technique if youre using emery boards. The stripping tool were using is unique because it combines both sheathing removal and wiring stripping in one tool (Photo 1) and works perfectly for both tasks. Because wire comes in many different sizes, or gauges, finding the right-size wire nut for your project is crucial. Photos 1 3 show how to strip UF cable. Wear work gloves when using sharp tools to prevent injury. Once you have the right-size wire nut for the project, making a connection is easy: 1 Strip about 1 inch of insulation from the ends of the wires being spliced together, using a wire stripper as discussed above.

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