High-quality performance of any work is not complete without the use of professional equipment. Therefore, the electrician must have a set of tools that may be required when performing repairs. The electrical installation equipment that a master should have when performing work is suitable for both professionals and beginners and home professionals.
What is included in the electrician's kit
In stores, you can find a large selection of a wide variety of devices. Most of them are narrowly focused and may not even be required by the DIYer. Such special tools are purchased by professionals in a specific field.
Mandatory devices in an electrical kit include:
- dielectric gloves;
- screwdrivers;
- testers (indicators, multimeters);
- screwdriver, drill;
- pliers, pliers, round nose pliers;
- side cutters;
- screeds;
Stripper for stripping - knife;
- device for stripping insulation;
- terminal blocks;
- keys;
- soldering iron;
- wall chaser;
- electrician's ruler, pencil and other stationery to create marks.
The listed list is required, but some of its components may replace each other. For example, you can strip the ends of the cable from insulation using a knife, and not a special device from the kit.
The set can be sold in a case for an electrician or a diplomat, or assembled by a master separately. The contents of the suitcase can be found in the documentation for it. These sets include "Shield", "NIE", "Arsenal" and others.
Dielectric Gloves
All live work is dangerous. There is a risk of electric shock, so the master must always be protected. One of the tools to help protect yourself is dielectric gloves, which should always be in an electrician's case. They should be free of cuts, punctures, cracks, and made of quality material.
Gloves are checked by the operator before each use. The simplest method is to inflate the glove and pinch it with your hands. The air must not leak, otherwise such a glove is unusable.
Screwdriver
There are different types and sizes. It is recommended that you purchase a set of long insulated electrician screwdrivers with flat and Phillips tips in different sizes. You can also buy a universal screwdriver set for electrical work with a variety of attachments.
Screwdriver
Such a device is used for various purposes. In addition to its direct purpose, it can make holes in the shield or junction box. The screwdriver can be replaced with a cordless screwdriver if its price seems high to the master. But if a specialist buys a professional screwdriver, you should also select all the necessary attachments for him.
Pliers, pliers, wire cutters
Pliers are an important tool not only in electrical work, but also in everyday life. They allow you to tighten nuts, bite wires. The tool must have solid insulated handles without cracks.
In addition to pliers, you may need round nose pliers or pliers. The latter have a flat edge and can serve as a replacement for pliers.Their main purpose is to create complex bends and shape the ends of conductors.
Nippers allow you to evenly bite any wire. Also, the special shape of the sharpening allows them to be used instead of pliers.
Screeds
The connection of wires into bundles is carried out using cable ties. They are different in material, number of applications, methods of fixation, length, width.
Insulation stripper
You can clean the ends of the cable from the insulating layer using various devices - electrical knives or professional equipment. Knives are usually used by professionals, since a beginner can damage the thin core of the cable. If it is not possible to use a special device, you can take a knife with a non-sharp blade.
The range of stripping devices is wide. Models are presented in all price categories, so even a beginner master will pick up a working tool for himself.
Terminal blocks for connecting wires
During repair work, it is often necessary to build up a wire or replace a part of it. In such cases, special connectors are used. The most common and convenient are screw terminals and sleeves. The latter connect the conductors and crimp their ends to protect them from damage. Installation is done using crimping pliers.
Wrench
For different types of electrical work, there are keys of different sizes. Not everyone may be required, so an electrician can limit himself to buying a regular adjustable wrench. It takes up less space and is lightweight, while being able to replace a whole set of tools.
Indicators and testers
Before carrying out work, it is imperative to check the absence of voltage on the wire. For this, indicators are used. They come in the form of screwdrivers that help find the phase wire. When a phase is touched, a lamp lights up on the indicator. Indicators for a hidden type of electrical wiring and three-phase screwdrivers are produced in a similar design. They have four terminals, three of which are phases, and the remaining is zero. When the wires are connected correctly, the indicator disc will rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow. This is considered professional equipment, so the DIYer may not need to buy a three-phase indicator.
Determination of low voltage (it is considered to be 220 V mains) is performed using INN-1. This device has two probes, one of which has a warning light. When touching a live cable, the light should light up. Warning lights are used instead of such an indicator, but this is dangerous. The light bulb can accidentally break and there is a dangerous live filament inside it. For this reason, it is better to use a professional verified indicator.
The most reliable device for measuring electrical circuits is a multimeter. This device is analog (old models) and digital (modern). The principle of operation of both testers is the same. They can measure voltage, current, resistance and other indicators. For home use, an inexpensive multimeter is suitable, professionals use models from a high price category with additional options and a high accuracy class.
Drill with nozzles and drills, hammer drill
The drill has many purposes. In some cases, it can be replaced with a conventional screwdriver. A hammer drill is excellent for drilling walls and crushing strobes. It is used to cut holes for sockets, switches, junction boxes.
Instead of a hammer drill, some craftsmen use a chisel and a hammer. The process in this case will be longer, so it is better to give preference to electrical equipment.
Drill and hammer drill will not work without core bits. They also come in a variety of sizes. It is recommended to buy several standard hole punching crowns.
When creating strobes, professional craftsmen use a chasing cutter. This is an expensive equipment, so novice specialists may not buy it, using a grinder with a special disc.
Buy or assemble by yourself
In the store you can find a ready-made electrician's kit. It will contain all the necessary tools for home repair and installation. Such a set can be purchased by a beginner so as not to search for all the tools separately.
Professionals prefer self-assembly of an electrician's suitcase. They first study the characteristics of the offered goods and select the models with the best characteristics. Usually, the purchased products are manufactured by different companies, so an electrician's kit with products from one company will not work.
