Electrical installation tool for work: a mandatory list and special tools

A professional electrician must have a certain list of electrical tools in order to perform high-quality work. There are certain wiring kits that are essential for both experienced and newbies. The necessary inventory includes hand and power tools, as well as overalls.

Standard set of tools

So, to carry out electrical work, you need to purchase:

• Dielectric gloves. Since the effects of electricity on the body can lead to injury or death, there is a need for protective equipment. These include special dielectric gloves. Before starting operation, they must be checked for punctures and cuts. One of the easiest ways is to inflate and pinch the glove. Air leaks can be easily detected if the gloves are damaged. Damaged products must not be used, otherwise there is a chance of serious injury.
• Special screwdrivers. A screwdriver is a very important tool required for various electrical work. It is useful for tightening the terminals, tightening bolts and screws. You will also need screwdrivers to remove old inoperative equipment. Insulated long screwdrivers of several sizes are an excellent option for each type of work performed. Many beginner electricians purchase a set with various attachments. Only a couple of standard nozzles will be constantly used, and the rest will be needed for highly specialized work.
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• A screwdriver is an alternative to screwdrivers. For accelerated work, you can purchase a screwdriver. They can not only get the job done faster, but also drill several holes if necessary. For the novice electrician, a screwdriver can be too expensive, in which case you can purchase a cordless screwdriver. You need to purchase a screwdriver or screwdriver in a complete set, since any attachment will come in handy in the future. The only drawback of the screwdriver is that it is not always convenient for them to work in hard-to-reach places.
• Pliers and pliers. With their help, you can tighten the nuts and bite the wires. When buying a tool, you must carefully inspect the handles: they must be covered with an insulating material without various damage. Round nose pliers or platypuses are a type of working electrical tools. The only difference between the two is that platypuses have a flat face. Sometimes pliers can be safely replaced with platypuses. These tools are required to form complex bends at the ends of the wiring.
• Side cutters. You will need them to bite or cut the wires. The tool is designed and ground to cut wires without the compression of pliers. Professional electricians most often use wire cutters or side cutters for cutting wires.
• Screeds. In order to collect the wires in neat groups, you will need cable ties. The most popular material for their manufacture is nylon. Thanks to screeds, you can make the result of the work more aesthetic. It is necessary to purchase ties of various sizes based on the cross-section of the wire, because it is impossible to secure a small number of thin wires with a thick tie.
• Calipers. In order to accurately determine the cross-section of the wire, a vernier caliper is used. This becomes especially true if there are no special markings on the wires. If there is no vernier caliper, then it can be replaced with an ordinary ruler, but the measurement accuracy deteriorates significantly.
• Cleaning wires from insulation. During electrical work, it is often required to strip the wires from excess insulation. For this, various tools are used: electrical knives or special devices. Such work can be done with a regular knife, but this will require some skill. Professionals do this work with a knife very quickly and efficiently, while a beginner can inexperience to cut a core or damage a whole bundle of wires, calling into question the reliability wiring. You can buy such tools in specialized stores. There is a huge variety on the market to choose from. You should purchase a tool that will be convenient to use and will allow you to remove insulation quickly and efficiently.
• Terminal blocks. To connect the wires, you will also need a special tool - a terminal block. Due to the introduction of special sleeves, which are used to connect or crimp wires, terminal blocks are losing their relevance. You will need crimping pliers to install the sleeves. They are suitable for various sleeve sizes.
• Protecting the ends of the wires. To connect the end of the stranded wire, a tin-lead alloy is used. The joining process is called tinning. Tinning allows you to make the end of the wire one piece, which makes it more convenient to work with. This work is done using a soldering iron. There is a huge selection of soldering irons of various sizes and capacities on the market, but large wires are often found, which are extremely difficult to irradiate even with a powerful soldering iron. In this case, a soldering pot is used. Due to its high cost, the bathtub is used only by professional electricians or large firms.
• Spanners. Occasionally it is necessary to use wrenches during work. A very unwise decision would be to purchase a large set of keys, since all of them, most likely, will not be needed by an electrician. The optimal solution is to buy an adjustable wrench. It is lightweight and can replace a whole set.

Special devices

In addition to the usual tools for electrical work, different indicators and measuring instruments may be needed.

• Indicator screwdriver. It is necessary to check the voltage in the network, and will also be needed to detect the phase wire. An indicator screwdriver is a must for every electrician. It works according to the following principle: when a screwdriver touches the phase wire, a light comes on. If the light does not light up, then this means that there is no voltage on the wire. When working with a screwdriver, you will need to touch the sensor with your finger.
• Low voltage indicators. To determine low voltage (standard mains voltage of 220V), the INN-1 indicator is used. Such an indicator consists of a special lamp and two probes that are connected to the lamp. When the probes touch the wiring, the lamp comes on. Amateur electricians often use a homemade indicator. It consists of a small incandescent lamp and two wires that replace the test leads. Such a tool is very dangerous - the lamp may break and the filament will still be energized. It is not recommended to use such a design; it is better to purchase a special indicator with a sturdy case.
• Multimeters. They are the most common tool for an electrician. The multimeter allows for a wide variety of measurements. Currently, digital multimeters are in great demand. They allow you to measure voltage and current.

It is advisable for novice electricians to purchase inexpensive models so that in the event of a breakdown it would not be a pity to throw the device away. Professionals use expensive models with great functionality.

Required power tool

In addition to all the accessories listed, you may need various power tools..

• Drill. The most important tool for electrical wiring. It is necessary to purchase a drill that is well equipped with various attachments and drills. Sometimes a screwdriver can be used instead, but this is an exception. In addition to a drill, you may need a hammer drill. They can drill stone and hammer grooves, make holes for sockets and switches. Often, electricians with fewer funds use a chisel and hammer. But such work will take a very long time, and the result will be far from ideal.
• Crowns. They will be needed to cut special holes in the walls for sockets, switches or boxes.
• Wall chaser. It is useful for cutting strobes. Due to the high price, it will be difficult for novice electricians to purchase it. An alternative to a wall chaser is a grinder with a special disc. But it is worth remembering that when using it, it is more difficult to control the process and depth of the notch. The grinder also lacks a discharge of escaping dust.

Even with a large selection of tools that can simplify and speed up work, you must adhere to safety rules.

Do not use a tool with damaged insulation for electrical work.

Remember: if there is an opportunity to de-energize the work area, you should definitely use it!