Top 10 Essential Tools for Electricians
One of the important things that help an electrician succeed in their jobs is having the proper tools. While the list of exact tools an electrician may need is determined by a particular project or repair they could be working on, there are tools they should consider not missing in their toolbox or tool bag. These tools are considered more of absolute basics regardless of the size of a job or apprenticeship level.
10 Essential Tools Every Electrician Needs
1. Pliers
Pliers are among the most useful hand tools an electrician will need to complete a wide range of tasks from cutting and shaping wires to gripping bolts. One could have a multi-purposes plier (combination plier). However, there are variety of pliers designed for certain tasks. They include:
- Longnose pliers (for gripping small objects)
- Locking pliers (for hand-free object tightening)
- Lineman’s pliers (for cutting, bending and twisting wire)
2. Wire strippers
Wire strippers often feature a pliers-like design and are mainly used to remove insulation on ends of electric cables or wires in order to attach terminals or connectors. Different types of wire strippers include adjustable, triple action, automatic and sheath wire strippers.
Recommendation: The iCrimp HS-700B Automatic Wire Stripper with adjustable length stop and iCrimp FSA-0626 Wire Stripper for 0.6-3.6mm AWG-10 cables.
3. Screwdrivers
Every electrician needs an assortment of insulated screw driver: they’re the most basic yet indispensable tools for electricians. They are used for tightening and loosening screws attached to electric boxes, fixtures, switches, outlets etc.
4. Wire/cable cutters
Wire/cable cutters is another tool that should never lack in an electrician’s toolkit. They help electricians cut wire/cable to length with precision when preparing them for installation or repairs.
Recommendation: The iCrimp ICP-206 Wire Cutter for aluminum and copper wires and the iCrimp VC-30A Cable Cutter Ratchet.
5. Insulation tape
Insulation tape is fundamental in electric job making it an essential tool for electricians. It mainly helps insulate and protect electrical connections thus reducing the risk of electric shocks, short circuits or fires. Electricians also use it to bundles and secure wires together helping maintain a tidy installation. Lastly, insulation tapes help electrician color code wires/cables for easy identification.
6. Crimping tools
Electricians are often required to create secure and reliable electric connections whether they’re doing a new installation or repairs. Therefore, having a place for crimping tool is quite important. Wire crimpers are of different types based on various designs and type of terminals they crimp.
Recommendation: The iCrimp HSC 16-6 Self Adjustable Crimping Pliers for AWG 20-5 ferrules, iCrimp SN-02 Ratcheting Wire Crimping Tool for insulated terminals and iCrimp IWC-1424A Crimping Tool for Deutsch DT series open barrel terminals.
7. Voltage tester
Voltage testers are among the essential safety tools that electricians must have. It allows electricians to quickly determine whether a circuit has live currents before they begin working on it preventing electrical shocks and accidents.
8. A Power drill and drill bits set
Every electrician should have a power drill and drill bits set in their tool bag. It’s a versatile tool that helps electricians achieve efficiency in completing various tasks such as drilling holes on different materials (metal, plastic or concrete). It’s also useful in installation and fastening screws.
9. Clamp volt meter
Clamp volt meter or clamp meters are essential tools for electricians in today’s world. It allows electricians bypass the old-school way of cutting into a wire (no interruption of current flow) to take in-line current measurement. Generally, it’s a versatile diagnostic tool every electrician needs.
10. Tape measure
The last item on essential tools for electricians is a tape measure. Electrical work often requires precise measurements and a tape measure helps electricians cut and positions materials with precision.
Bottom line
Above are essential tools every electrician need often in their day to day electrical tasks. They are quite useful in helping achieve efficiency and safety. While having these tools is good, investing in quality tools is even more important. For this reason, iCrimp offers a variety of essential electric tools (crimping tools, wire strippers and wire cutters) that are user-friendly, affordable, ergonomically designed and made of quality materials to help achieve durability.
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