Removing insulation from wires is a routine, but at the same time time-consuming and responsible operation. There are many tools that make this job easier, but you need to know some of the nuances of their use and take into account many years of experience to avoid mistakes that can lead to big problems in future.
Stripping wires of insulation: more difficult than it seems
Sloppy stripping electric wire using a knife or an unsuitable tool will damage metal conductors. The cross-section of the wire in the damaged area decreases, the resistance increases, which can lead to an increase in temperature with the insulation catching fire. At the bend points, the cut wire may simply break. In high-frequency wires carrying alternating current, the problem is exacerbated by the so-called skin effect: the current tends to flow in the near-surface layer of the conductor (the current density pattern looks like a hollow tube). In such wires, even minor damage to the surface of the conductor can disrupt the operation of the equipment.
This is why a knife today is not the main tool for stripping insulation. Of course, you can carefully remove the insulation with a knife. To do this, hold the blade almost parallel to the wire and carefully rotate the wire or knife 360 degrees around the conductor. However, when you need to strip a lot of wires, the knife will inevitably damage some of the conductive wires, because even a talented neurosurgeon cannot make hundreds of identical high-precision cuts in a day.
According to surveys of electricians on professional forums, you should not use a knife or improvised tools, such as pliers or side cutters, when it comes to large volumes of work. In such cases, only strippers are used, that is, specialized tools for removing insulation.
Simple, versatile and high quality
Insulation strippers such as the Stanley ST-0-84-010 have a very simple design. But don't underestimate this tool. Quality cutters are made of high-strength steel and have a fine-threaded screw to adjust the depth of insulation cutting. It is enough to use the adjusting screw to set the cutting depth of the insulation, wrap the cutting edge around the wire, turn the cutters and pull off the cut piece of insulation. Using these cutters you can strip wires of different diameters, up to wires with a cross-section of up to 1 mm. In addition, unlike most other tools, wire cutters are convenient to use in cramped conditions, such as inside shields.
In extreme cases, when the wire becomes live due to an error, such wire cutters are safer because quality tool this kind has handles insulated up to 1000 V and allows one-handed operation.
The simplicity of the tool also has a downside:
- there is no possibility of adjusting the stripping length;
- wire cutters cope worse with wires in a flat sheath, with fabric or, conversely, very hard insulation.
Wire cutters are indispensable in cases where you need to strip many wires of the same diameter. To work with a large number of different wires, universal strippers are used.
Automatic cable stripper: say no to fatigue
Automatic strippers, such as Stanley FMHT0-96230, do not need to be configured; just select the length of the area to be stripped and the tool is ready for quickly stripping wires with a diameter from tenths of a millimeter to several millimeters. It is especially convenient to use it to remove insulation from flat wires, which are widely used in household appliances. An automatic stripper can simultaneously strip two or three strands of a flat wire. If you need to strip a lot of wires in the workplace, then an automatic stripper is best choice, but you need to choose a high-quality tool that requires a minimum of physical effort to remove insulation.
The automatic stripper Stanley FMHT0-96230 can strip wires with a diameter of 0.8 to 2.6 mm
Choosing a tool for long work, please note that automatic strippers weigh approximately 350 grams. The solution to the problem is simpler and lighter universal strippers, like the Paladin Tools PT-1117. The stripper has several holes of different diameters and allows you to strip wires with a cross-section of 0.34-0.6 mm2. Typically, such strippers have a number of additional functions, for example, wire cutters and a crimper (tool for crimping tips) - in some cases, this eliminates the need to carry extra weight.
Universal strippers are the most common stripping devices and are often included in even simple tool kits like.
Universal strippers Paladin Tools PT-1117 and
On professional forums you can often find the opinion of electricians that when using a stripper it is sometimes difficult to get the wire into the hole required diameter. Therefore, experienced electricians first place the wire in a hole of obviously larger diameter, cutting the top of the insulation. If the insulation is soft, it can be easily removed, even if cut in half, and if it is more rigid, the wire is inserted into the next hole of a smaller diameter.
When used properly, universal strippers can last 10 years or more without loss of efficiency. But they are not suitable for removing metal braided insulation, Kevlar braided insulation, or hardened old insulation.
Strippers for rigid insulated cables
For rigid insulation, it is better to purchase a special stripper, for example Jonard JIC-4366, which has two blades at once: for removing outer shell cables with a diameter of 4.5-7.9 mm and for stripping PVC insulation. The blades are replaceable, which is important for tools that work with hard materials.
Stripper Jonard JIC-4366 is suitable for working with rigid insulation
In some cases, specialized strippers are used. For example, thermal strippers are used to remove old hardened insulation or strip very thin wires. For thin wires - precision strippers, like OK ST-500ESD, capable of stripping wires with a diameter of 0.25 - 0.8 mm. Such devices are not universal. In particular, a thermal stripper requires a power source and an exhaust hood to remove toxic insulation combustion products. Precision strippers are more expensive than conventional strippers and are also inconvenient for general work, such as stripping flat or rigid cables.
A must in the toolbox
It can be stated that devices for safe removal insulation should be in the tool kit of an electrician who has to work with wiring. You can often get by with a knife, but this is a waste of time on operations that can be done with a stripper in a matter of seconds. In the United States, training typically involves strippers only: newbies are taught to use the correct tool and to minimize human error, which can lead to wiring and equipment failures and subsequent insurance claims.
As a result, strippers are available in almost all professional sets tools: in, as well as specialized. Some sets, for example, SK-17, have two strippers for stripping wires from 0.4 mm to 25 mm. This is enough to do most jobs.
17-Piece Cableman Set
conclusions
Choosing the right tool for stripping wires has benefits for both the contractor (electrician) and the customer. Thanks to the stripper, the electrician can complete the job much faster and with less effort, and the customer receives high quality work and a guarantee of reliable operation of the cable system in the future.
In production and at home, questions often arise about how to strip a wire. Unfortunately, many craftsmen, when performing this work, allow a number of technical errors, which further worsens the operation of electrical systems.
Stripping wires is needed in a variety of cases:
- if necessary, connect the wires to increase the length of the conductor;
- when performing wiring inside a residential building or any other building;
- when connecting lighting devices;
- when connecting equipment that uses electrical devices(machines, stands, conveyors, tools and other equipment);
- when installing switches and sockets;
- when installing special control and regulatory equipment in distribution boards and etc.
Before you start stripping wires, you need to know the features of their structure and insulation. Then it will become clear what to do in each specific case.
Attention! All work on electricity and networks should only be carried out when the power is turned off. Warning signs are posted at disconnection points prohibiting the power from being turned on independently.
Features of the structure of electrical wires
Electrical wires are manufactured in two versions:
- single-core - have a single core enclosed in insulation;
- stranded are twisted strands enclosed in a common insulation.
For single-core wires, the cross-section is formed by only one core. is a characteristic in square millimeters that is used when choosing depending on the current value. In multi-core wires, the cross-sectional area is determined by the total set of all available cross-sections of the cores. For elasticity, a nylon thread is often added inside - this small addition improves the performance properties of the cable.
Insulation can be single or double. It is made from various insulating materials:
- plastics - polymer materials based on organic compounds; thermoplastics are more often used - softening when heated. They can mix with each other, combining into a single whole. These plastics support combustion, releasing various toxic gases;
- Plastics that harden when heated are called thermosets. They are used to make insulation only for special application when increased demands are placed on it;
- various types of natural or artificial rubber (rubber), hardening when heated, and also supporting combustion;
- insulation on tissue based, some types of fabric can withstand fairly high heat (up to 400 ° C), maintaining their insulating properties;
- shielding braid, which serves to protect wires from electromagnetic influences; it does not insulate, but creates additional mechanical protection from damage;
- “armoring” braid is used to protect cables from damage.
Depending on the type of insulation used, we remove it using different tools.
How to properly strip wires of insulation
Wire stripping requirements:
- the stripped (bare) part must be completely hidden inside the connection;
- Insulation must be removed from all sides from the surface of the core.
Mistakes made by DIYers:
- DIYers often leave exposed wires exposed. If accidentally touched, a person can short-circuit these places and receive an electric shock;
- If fragments of insulation remain on the cores, then compressing it inside may not be sufficient for reliable fastening. When there is vibration, for example, electrical wiring in a car, the connection will loosen, the wire will come out of the terminals of the device, and a short circuit to ground will occur. The vehicle may catch fire.
Cutting insulation from wires with a knife
The knife is the most common tool, so it is used most often. It is necessary to expose not only individual conductors, but also cables that contain several wires. Therefore, at the first stage, the cable is cut along its length, the wires are routed in different directions, and then the outer sheath is cut across. If necessary, this operation is repeated.
To strip a wire of insulation, you need to set the blade almost parallel to the core, and then cut off a thin layer of insulation. Subsequently, slightly turning the conductor, cut off the remaining thin layers. By turning completely 360°, complete cutting of the coating is achieved. These steps are easy to perform if you need to strip fairly thick wires.
When stripping thin wires with a knife, you only need to cut through the insulation layer.
Attention! You cannot leave a mark from the blade on the surface of the conductor, since this is where the critical zone will appear. The conductor is susceptible to breaking if bent.
After circular cutting to a shallow depth, it is easy to strip the wires of insulation; it is removed from the surface in the form of a tube.
Thick cable cores for supply high power cleaned by cutting the plastic across and then along. Then protective shell Easy to remove.
Removing insulation with special devices
Professionals have a fairly extensive range of auxiliary devices for removing insulation. The principle of their operation is as follows:
- A suitable stream is selected on the tool to expose the desired conductor.
- The wire is installed in this stream.
- Squeeze the handles.
- First, the wire is crimped, and then the scraper removes the insulating layer.
The entire procedure takes no more than one second of time. But such devices have quite high price, therefore, they are purchased by professionals who have to perform a large amount of such work during a work shift.
For more information about insulation stripping tools (strippers), see this video:
Some home craftsmen solve the question of how to remove insulation from a wire by making a simple device on their own. To do this, use a strip of metal (preferably a piece of blade from a hacksaw). An angular slot is made on it to suit the size of the wire. The inside surface of this slot is ground to produce sharp edges.
To learn how to make a device for stripping wires, watch this video:
If it is necessary to remove insulation from the wires, each conductor is clamped in the corner slot to the required amount, and then pulled out with force. As a result, the plastic can be easily removed from the metal.
On sale you can sometimes find special pliers that have similar slots. There are usually several of them to strip insulation from wires of different diameters. To perform the operation, the conductor is clamped in the stream, and then simply pulled in the desired direction.
There are special combs for single- and double-sided removal of insulation. They are inexpensive, take up little space, and cut off the insulation quite easily.
Some craftsmen use side cutters. They also crimp the conductor on both sides. By pulling the wire through, you can quickly remove the plastic insulation.
Attention! When using side cutters, do not squeeze the handles too hard. You can easily cut the core itself. You need to get used to the compression force.
Complex insulation removal options
Certain difficulties arise when removing fabric insulation. The thread is wound quite tightly, making it difficult to cut it with a knife. Here they do things differently. By using sandpaper clean the desired area on one side. The rest of the thread can be easily removed.
Radio amateurs often use PELSHO wires. They use thread winding. So they remove it using fine-grain sandpaper. The conductor is placed on a wooden support, and then with several movements, pressing the abrasive against the support, the thread is destroyed on one side. Then it is easy to remove.
If it is necessary to expose the shielded wire, cut through the outer sheath and then remove it. Next, the shielding braid is unraveled, releasing the insulation in the required place. Only then is the insulation removed from the middle conductor.
In some cases, it is possible to remove plastic from metal using heated surfaces. This is what radio amateurs sometimes do to remove the protection with a soldering iron.
Attention! When removing the coating with a soldering iron, harmful gases are released. This operation should be carried out in the presence of ventilation or outside the room.
Sometimes the coating is removed by burning it over a fire. This method is extremely dangerous. It is prohibited to use it. Harmful gases are released, the insulating coating is removed unevenly, and some of it does not perform its functions after overheating.
Anyone can strip the insulation from a wire. House master using a sharp knife. It is not difficult to make the simplest devices for this work. Purchased accessories will allow you to do this work quickly and efficiently.
A good electrician has a wide variety of tools in his arsenal. After all, high-quality wiring installation often depends not only on knowledge and skills, but also on the availability of certain devices, as well as skills in how to handle them.
Even such a seemingly simple question as how to strip a wire of insulation requires a certain set of tools. An experienced electrician will have a tool for high-quality stripping of wires of any type and cross-section.
The importance of proper stripping
For quality and reliability electrical connection It is important not only to perform twisting or soldering correctly. It is equally important to carefully remove the insulation from the core. When in a hurry or misuse using a tool, you can easily damage (cut) the conductor itself. This leads to a reduction in the cross-section of the wire and faster failure of the connection: breakage or burning. As a rule, wires and cables used in everyday life have a single-core or multi-core structure. Depending on this, various tools and methods can be used to remove the insulation from the core. Let's consider the most commonly used of them, which are used by home and professional electricians to remove insulation.
Professional tool
Professional electricians use a special device called a stripper (KSI). Such a tool can be of three types:
- Manual;
- Semi-automatic;
- Auto.
Let's look at their device in more detail.
Manual stripper
The manual device is perhaps the most common version of the stripper. Several positive factors play a role here:
- Light weight;
- Compact size;
- Several additional features make this tool more versatile.
This stripper has several (usually up to seven) fixed gaps, which allow you to quickly strip wires with a cross-section from 0.25 to 2.5 mm. Among the additional features, the most useful are the cable cutters and the lug crimping function.
One of the types of manual stripper allows you to remove insulation from wires with a cross-section from 0.6 mm to 2.6 mm
Semi-automatic CSI
This tool also has a certain number of holes into which the wire must be inserted to strip the insulation from it. After this, just squeeze the handles: the jaws will close and hold the wire, and the knife will cut the insulation. As a result, the stripper will open, removing the insulation.
The advantage of such a tool is its simplicity of design and ease of use. The disadvantages include some cumbersomeness and impracticality: no additional functions are provided. That is why such a device is not widely used even among professionals.
Semi-automatic wire stripping pliers KBT WS-03A
KSI-automatic
Automatic strippers are deservedly popular among electricians who have to make a large number of different connections every day. This tool is extremely easy to use: just insert the wire into the work area and squeeze the handles. The device will carefully remove the braid from the wire, automatically determining the cross-section of the wire.
Without adjustment, such a tool works with wire with a cross-section from 0.2 to 6 mm2. It is worth noting that modern strippers have an adjusting screw that allows you to configure the device to work with wire of a smaller diameter.
KBT WS-03A clamps automatically determine the wire cross-section
In addition, the popular stripper model WS-04 has many additional functions:
- Combs on the inside of the handles allow crimping of cores in round terminals;
- Cable knives are installed next to the combs, allowing you to quickly cut the ends of the wire;
- If necessary, you can set the limiter for removing insulation, for example, 2 cm.
Multifunctional automatic stripper designed for stripping both single and double insulation. But it is worth noting that one layer of braid is removed in one operation. That is, to remove double insulation, it is necessary to perform two manipulations.
Available means
But not everyone needs to strip dozens of wires every day. In addition, a high-quality professional tool costs decent money. Therefore, in everyday life, when it is necessary to clean several ends, it is quite possible to make do with improvised means and tools that any owner has.
Stripping with a knife
The most popular tool for one-time cleaning of insulation is a regular knife. But its use is fraught with damage to the cable core. Therefore, you need to hold the knife not straight, but at an acute angle to the wire and “shape off” the insulating layer. When using a knife, you need to be careful as it can easily cut you. Also often used stationery knife, but they are even more inconvenient to work with, and it breaks easily if the braid is very hard.
A hook-shaped knife is often used to cut cables. This knife has a wider blade and is designed to cut insulation along the cable.
Hook-shaped knife for stripping KNIPPEX KN-1220165SB is used for longitudinal cutting of insulation
The knife is also available in the form of a special clamp. The wire is inserted under the clamping bar where the blade is installed. Pressing the bar with your thumb, the knife is drawn along the braid, cutting it, after which the insulation is easily removed. Such a knife costs about 200 rubles and is a fairly universal tool.
This type of knife is often used to strip insulation from UTP cables. This device also has a device for clamping a UTP cable into sockets and cross-panels
Side cutters
It is very convenient to use wire cutters, which are also called side cutters. In order to quickly strip the wire of insulation, the wire cutters must be held correctly in your hand. It is better to take the wire cutters with the reverse side: so that the cutting edges are directed against the direction. This will allow the blades to easily cut into the braid without damaging the integrity of the core. This method is easy to implement, and every owner has wire cutters. Therefore, this method of stripping wires has found wide application.
Side cutters are an essential tool for any electrician
Reflow method
The insulation reflow method is most suitable for cleaning old wiring. The fact is that over time the winding loses its elasticity, becomes rigid and at the same time fragile. If you use mechanical tool, for example, wire cutters or a stripper, the braid can crack anywhere.
In this case, you can use a soldering iron or a wood burning device. Using a heated soldering iron, the braid is melted in a circle, after which it is easily removed with wire cutters or pliers.
The advantages of this method include the ability to strip insulation from very thin wires without the risk of damaging them. Of the minuses, we note the presence of acrid smoke during melting and, of course, electricity is required.
It is highly not recommended to use teeth to remove insulation. It not only hurts tooth enamel, but can also cause damage from static electricity accumulated during wiring installation. It is not lethal, but very unpleasant.
How to strip some types of wire
Sometimes there is a need to connect not an ordinary soft-braided wire, but a conductive core with a specific coating. Removing such isolation requires innovative approaches. Let's look at some options.
Enameled wire
To strip such insulation, two methods are used:
- Mechanical method. For this method it is best to use fine sandpaper. A piece of paper is folded in half, then the wire is inserted inside the sheet. Lightly squeezing the sandpaper with your fingers, pull the wire past the free end. Such manipulations should be continued until the enamel is completely erased. This method is suitable for enameled wire with a cross-section of more than 0.2 mm2;
- The thermochemical method is often used by radio amateurs to clean enamel from wires with a cross-section of less than 0.2 mm2. Its essence lies in the use of a soldering iron and vinyl chloride material (ordinary insulating tape with such a coating will do). A piece of tape is placed on a flat surface, and a piece of wire is laid on top. Use a heated soldering iron to slowly move it along the wire. The chlorine released in this process perfectly removes the enamel coating from the wire.
PTFE coated wire
Fluoroplastic is a polymer material for protective coating wires are produced in the form of a narrow tape, which is tightly wound around a conductive core. This insulation has high heat resistance (up to 300° C), does not allow moisture to pass through and is suitable for use in various difficult operating conditions.
This braid can only be removed mechanically. To do this, on one side along the wire, the insulation is carefully scraped off with a knife so as not to damage the core. Once the wire is exposed, the insulation is pulled aside and cut to the desired length.
Coaxial cable
This cable is used to connect cable or satellite TV using the F-connector. When removing insulation from this conductor, care must be taken: the wires are very thin and fragile, and are damaged very easily. You can connect the connector in the following sequence:
- Using a knife, cut the first layer of the winding at a distance of 15 mm from the edge;
- Using rotating movements, the cut braid is removed from the cable;
- An aluminum or foil winding is folded onto the wire;
- Then the insulation is removed from the central core at a distance of 10 mm from the edge;
- After this, the connector is screwed onto the cable until it stops;
- The central core should protrude 2 mm from the connector.
Let's sum it up
In conclusion, we note that it is impossible to name the most correct method of stripping the wire. It is important here that the insulation is removed without damaging the conductor. Each method has the right to be used in certain situations.
Separately, it is worth paying attention to the importance of working with stress removed. If it is not possible to de-energize the wiring, all work is carried out in rubber gloves and an isolated instrument.
Wire Stripping Tools
When performing electrical installations of any complexity, there is almost always a need to strip wires. Some try to do this with their teeth, but there is no need to even talk about the absurdity of this method - it is necessary to use at least minimally suitable devices for these purposes - a knife, pliers, wire cutters or professional tools.
Electrician's knife for cutting cables
As electrical engineering has developed, many methods have emerged for removing the insulating coating from conductors. The most obvious is to cut or score the insulating sheath with a knife and then remove it.
Many electricians still use this method if they don’t have a specialized tool at hand. An electrician's knife can be either homemade or industrially produced for electrical installation.
It takes practice and caution when stripping wires, especially multi-strand wires, using these cutting tools. Since this is a rather troublesome process, professional electricians rarely use them for these purposes, but an electrical knife can be almost indispensable when cutting cables, that is, when removing the top layer of insulation.
removing the top layer of insulation
Particularly popular is a knife with a heel on the tip, which slides along the internal insulated conductors of the cable, cutting the outer insulating layer.
This heel is carefully inserted into the end of the cable and pushed away from you or towards you, whichever is more convenient for you, cutting the upper protective coating with a sharp cutting edge.
To make it easier to insert the heel, the cable is compressed using pliers.
For safety reasons, to avoid injury, it is recommended to always hold the cable with pliers during these manipulations.
Wire stripping methods
The insulating covering is removed from cable cores using various methods and tools that are most suitable for a specific type of insulating covering.
Since conductors with PVC insulation are most often used for installing household electrical wiring, we will only talk about tools suitable for this work, but first it is worth mentioning some homemade methods for removing the insulating protective cover. In the absence of better tools, knives are most often used various designs.
Often the PVC insulation layer is melted using a soldering iron, after which the insulation is removed using pliers.
A significant disadvantage is the toxic fumes and corrosion of the soldering iron tip. Similar heat treatment also carried out using a lighter or heated nichrome thread.
Another method is to compress the wire with wire cutters and pull off the insulation, with a adjusted compression force, which is difficult to control - by pressing a little harder you can easily bite through the metal core.
These methods are suitable for one-time stripping of several wires, but in professional activity you need the appropriate stripping tool.
Principles of stripping current-carrying conductors
There are two principles for removing the protective covering from cable cores used in professional tools - cutting and tearing the insulation.
When cutting, the cutting edge, without damaging the current-carrying core, cuts through the protective layer in a circle, after which the resulting cut tube is removed from the conductor with some force. This principle is used in a simple stripping knife.
The wire is inserted into a semicircle of a suitable radius located on the pressure plate, after which the tool is rotated several times around the core and the insulating layer pressed to the blade is cut in a circle. Similar method used in another cutting tool - here the clamping force on the blade and the diameter of the wire to be cleaned are manually adjusted by pressure.
Other modifications:
The disadvantage of these devices is the operation time and the possibility of damage to the metal core.
Rupture and removal of insulation
This principle can be compared to the method of stripping wires with teeth, when a piece of clamped insulation is torn off from the rest of the coating when force is applied along the conductor.
Such professional tools are called strippers; they allow you to remove insulation very quickly, with one click of the handle, which makes them very beneficial for large volumes of electrical installation.
The stripper (striper, a derived word from the verb to strip - to strip) is designed in such a way that it simultaneously performs three functions:
- Fixing the wire to be cleaned;
- Compression (biting) of the insulating layer;
- The breaking and pulling force of the insulation.
The fixing jaws are notched so that they can firmly hold the cable core. The tearing jaws are equipped with grippers that bite the plastic layer, partially damaging it when pressed, due to which the insulation breaks in exactly this place.
This stripper is equipped with a limiter against which the wire rests, so all conductors will be stripped to the same distance, which can be adjusted.
The force that pushes through the insulation is adjusted using the adjustment screw.
A similar principle of cleaning wires was used in the Soviet stripper, only it did not have a limiter, and it was necessary to insert the wire into the corresponding semicircles.
Stripper using scoring blades
The principle of cutting insulation and then removing it is used in the Knipex stripper.
The same functions are used here as in the tool described above, only instead of squeezing the PVC layer, it is cut, but this stripper is structurally made of reinforced carbon fiber.
The insulation removal algorithm is as follows: inserting a wire, fixing it, cutting and removing the cover.
This tool also has an adjustment for the length of the stripped insulation and the cutting depth of the blades.
This tool has the ability to cut cables.
In addition, using this stripper you can cut wires. Regardless of the method, tool or stripper used, when stripping insulation, you should be very careful and set the stripping tool correctly so as not to damage the core, which could then break off.
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Tool for stripping wire and cable insulation
Electrical installation of any complexity is almost always accompanied by stripping the ends of the wire. A variety of devices are used for these purposes. The article will tell you which tool to choose for stripping wire insulation and how to use it.
Wire thickness and current value
When the amount of current passing through the conductor exceeds the calculated nominal values, the balance in the operation of the electrical network is upset, which leads to overheating of the insulation layer, and at critical values - to melting metal elements wires Electric welding machines operate on this principle.
Reducing the thickness of the conductor leads to an increase in its electrical resistance, reduction in performance characteristics. Such a wire will not withstand the required current loads, but at lower values it can work for quite a long time. In addition, mechanical properties are further reduced.
How the cross-section of a conductor affects the amount of current passed through it can be determined using Ohm's law.
Diagram of the influence of the cross-section of the wire on the current value The figure shows: if you apply a lot of force to a knife cutting through a layer of insulation, then the blade, after entering the metal, will disrupt the cross-sectional area and structure of the wire. How the metal is cut is clearly visible in the photo.
Reducing wire cross-section Tip: When removing the insulation layer from a wire, you need to monitor the condition of the metal core and avoid scratches and cuts on it. Even if their depth is insignificant, over time a significant decrease in the cross-sectional area can occur, which will cause failures and malfunctions of the equipment.
The principle of stripping wires from insulation
Professional tools use two principles for removing protective coating from cables:
- Break. This method can be compared to stripping wires with teeth, when a piece of insulation, clamped between the teeth, is torn off from the rest of the coating layer with a force directed along the conductor.
- Cutting. In this case, the cutting edge cuts through the protective layer in a circle, without damaging the current-carrying core. Then, part of the cut tube is removed from the conductor with little effort.
Professional tools for stripping wires are:
- Manual.
- Semi-automatic.
- Automatic.
To work with a small number of wires at home, you can use simple methods for stripping their ends.
Simple ways to strip wires
Stripping cable ends can be done in two ways:
- Thermal influence. This involves heating the core to the melting temperature of the insulation. This is done:
- Melting the PVC insulating layer with a soldering iron, and then removing the coating with pliers. Big drawback- the presence of toxic fumes and corrosion on the soldering iron tip.
- A lighter.
- Heated nichrome thread.
Removing insulation using thermal method Such techniques are best used for thin, low-power conductors, which are used in electronics, communication devices, and audio equipment with stranded soft conductors operating in circuits where the voltage is approximately 5 volts.
Advice: Such methods should only be used for one-time cleaning, not large quantity wires
- Mechanical cutting. The method is based on removing the protective layer with the cutting edges of the tool. At home, for these purposes it is best to use a knife to remove insulation from wires.
Electricians often make their own knives. For this:
- They take a chip from a saw hacksaw blade for metal with a small blade.
- Sharpen it on emery machine to give the tool the shape of a sharp, thin wedge.
- The handle is made by tightly winding the wire, onto which several layers of electrical tape are applied.
This blade perfectly cuts off a layer of polyvinyl chloride, but incorrect handling of the knife can easily damage copper or aluminum metal located close to the insulation.
Tip: When using such a homemade product, the sharpening plane of the blade should be very carefully directed at an acute angle to the insulation layer being cut, which will allow it to slide along it rather than cut into it when the tool touches the metal core.
How to quickly remove insulation from copper wire at home, the video will tell you.
Tools for professionals
Professional tools Professional tool for removing insulation from wires is:
- Forceps.
- Pliers.
- Ticks.
- Knives.
The table introduces some of them:
| Tool name | Peculiarities |
|
| The design does not allow for a large volume of work, but they are indispensable for urgent repairs. The tool, using a screw, can be adjusted to the thickness of the wire, the diameter of which is up to 5 mm. Pliers are suitable for stripping a large number of wires of the same diameter in one place. |
|
| This multifunctional device for stripping wires allows you to cut the cable and accurately remove the insulation with a shaped knife. |
|
| So multifunctional tool You can strip insulation from round and coaxial cables, especially large diameters. Do-it-yourself removal of insulation on the cable is carried out in the following sequence:
|
|
| There are knives of various shapes that can be used to make longitudinal and transverse cuts of insulation. The most popular are tools with a hook-shaped blade, as in the photo. |
|
| The presence of a screw allows you to adjust the pliers for stripping wires to different diameters. To do this, the wire is lightly bitten and twisted, and then the cut sheath is pulled off. They are more convenient to work in hard-to-reach places. |
| For a professional, this is the fastest tool that prevents damage to the core, where high precision stripping and high speed of operations are required. | |
| Self-adjusting stripper | A mechanical stripper adjusts itself to any cable diameter, and then removes the insulation from it without damaging the core. The price of the product is quite high, but both professionals and beginners can use the tool. In this case, there is no need to adjust to the required wire diameter; the stripper carefully removes insulation from any wire with diameters up to 6 mm. |
How to use the stripper
Stripper for removing insulation from wires The operating principle of the device is as follows:
- The jaws initially cut into the insulation.
- Capture the wires from both sides. The jaws have special deep notches located at a certain angle.
- After crimping the insulation, the jaws work like a plow, making a forward movement, which leads to a deepening of the cut and keeping the notches in the insulation.
- With a sharp jerk, the lips disperse to the sides. As a result, the insulation breaks, which can be easily removed.
Tip: To break the insulation, it is necessary to make a jerk, and not a uniform spreading of the stripper jaws.
Removing insulation with a stripper - The rear metal plate on the instrument, covered with plastic covers, is responsible for such a sharp jerk. There is a hole on it where a small conical metal pin fits.
- When pressing on the handles of the tool with some force, a slight bend occurs at the base of the metal plate. As a result of this, it loses engagement with the pin, which leads to a sharp divergence of the jaws.
- The jerk force is adjusted using a micro-adjustment screw and by changing the length of the pin.
This device for stripping wires is equipped with two pairs of jaws. During operation, the ends of the cable to be stripped are placed in the working area of the tool, the insulation is cut by closing the handles of the blade, and the insulation is removed from the core with sponges.
As an example, here are instructions for stripping insulation with an automatic stripper from a wire with a cross-section of 2.5 mm²:
- The wire is laid all the way between the jaws.
- The handles are slightly compressed, which leads to the clamping of the wire with the jaws.
- When you press the handles all the way, the insulation is removed.
Stripper for removing insulation from wires of different diameters This device for removing insulation from wires is additionally equipped with cutters and protrusions for crimping tips. This is very convenient when you urgently need to crimp the tip, but there is no normal crimper nearby.
However, it is not very convenient to use. There is also an insulation length limiter that needs to be stripped.
To avoid problems when stripping wires, you should follow several rules:
- To remove the sheath of a coaxial cable, the process must be divided into two stages:
- Remove the outer shell with a soldering iron, while moving the tip in the longitudinal direction.
- Remove the top braid to expose the polyethylene insulation located on the center core. This insulation can be easily removed with a knife or other tool.
The top braid is removed - Strip the insulating layer of the enameled wire better with a knife, with a core cross-section of more than 0.2 mm², or with a soldering iron for a smaller cross-section. The enamel can be carefully removed with sandpaper using progressive movements.
- It is better to remove the rubber coating with a special tool for removing insulation from the wire.
- To clean the sheath in the middle of a long cable, it is better to use an electrician's knife.
- The paper insulation on the cable is easier to remove with a knife.
Removing insulation from wires is a crucial moment. It depends on the quality of the tool used and the qualifications of its owner. reliable system electrical circuit.
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Tools. Strippers - tools for removing insulation from wires - DRIVE2
The most important thing when removing insulation from wires is not to damage the conductor itself and not to damage the insulation where it should remain. And it is also important that it is fast, convenient and safe.
I have several strippers and I decided to do a short review:
Various strippers
The most ancient and proven option, which has been used by all electricians since ancient times, is these pliers for stripping insulation:
Stripping pliers, screw-adjustable, handles are insulated up to 1000V
The principle of operation is very simple - using a screw, the pliers are adjusted to the required diameter of the conductor (with a small margin, so as not to scratch the conductor itself when removing the insulation), then the wire is grasped, you can turn the pliers around the wire (to cut the insulation in a circle):
Then you simply pull the pliers towards yourself - the insulation is easily removed:
Insulation is easy to remove
These pliers come with non-insulated handles (they are cheaper), and they come with insulated handles (red or red and yellow handles, with inscriptions indicating that they have insulation up to 1000V).
I have a model with insulated handles, and this is at the same time my simplest and at the same time the most expensive stripper - it cost either 1200 rubles or 1400 rubles (despite the fact that the same ones can be found for 600 or even 300 rubles).
The fact is that this one is made in Germany, each one is tested in a voltage bath. The Chinese can lie about the insulation, and if it turns out to be of poor quality and you work under current, it could kill you. And of course, the hardness of the steel and sharpening are also very good - you can strip the finest wires without any problems.
Cons - if you work with different wire diameters, you always need to either reconfigure the screw, or have several of these pliers and get confused with them. In addition, the stripping length cannot be adjusted.
Pros - reliability, indestructibility, the ability to remove insulation in hard-to-reach places where other strippers cannot get into, and this is the only stripper that I know that can work under voltage.
He once helped me out a lot, when at the dacha at the entrance to the house a crappy contact burned out (the twist of copper and aluminum had oxidized), and our electrician had just quit. I climbed up the ladder myself, and using these insulated pliers, as well as insulated pliers, wire cutters and a screwdriver, I was able to bite, clean and restore contact, and be with the light until the real electrician arrived.)
And one more advantage was discovered: It turns out that this stripper is capable of stripping incredibly thin leads, which the rest of the strippers in this review simply tear (the diameter of the wire with insulation is less than a millimeter)!
Let me remind you that this stripper is the most expensive of those in this review, and it was made in Germany - perhaps it is very carefully made, and its cheap analogues are not capable of this, but nevertheless.
Here is another stripper, it is designed specifically for removing the OUTER sheath from round cables:
A very good and convenient tool, and it is simply indispensable for NYM type cable!
The only thing is that there are two types of them - with an additional knife (covered by a white translucent cap in the photo) and without it. So, this additional knife is absolutely not needed, in my opinion, gone are the days when wires were cut with knives, so it only gets in the way, it’s better to choose a model without it.
How this stripper works - it has a built-in thin and very sharp blade, the release of which is regulated by a screw:
The screw is adjusted so that the blade cuts through the insulation but does not touch the wires in the cable. The device is put on the cable, clamped, rotated around, and pulled to the end, cutting the insulation.
Here is a video of a similar stripper in action:
I got a small piece of excellent cable with a bunch of first-class copper wires:
With this stripper I easily freed them by removing the insulation:
You can see how the released blade cut the entire insulation
Now I am provided with wires for radio installation for a long time!)
My darling! So much joy for 1000 rubles!)
These strippers are produced under different brands, I have seen them under the brands LUX, Weicon Super No. 5, KVT and some others. They cost about 1000 rubles, 1800 rubles is the golden mean. There are cheap ones that look similar, black with black blades - complete crap, money down the drain. There are expensive professional ones of the same design, costing 3-5 thousand rubles, with a huge resource for those who do nothing but remove insulation from wires all day - this is of no use at home.
This stripper works very simply - you set the length of the insulation to be removed (on many terminals, sockets, switches, etc. they write at what length to remove the insulation for them:
It is written on the terminal that for it you need to set the length of the insulation to be removed to 10 mm - set it to 10 mm)
After this, we insert the wire inside to the limiter and remove the insulation in one motion. You don't need to adjust anything other than the removal length at all.
Here's a video of him working:
The only negative is that sometimes the remnants of the removed insulation get stuck in this stripper and you have to remove them. This happens if you slowly squeeze and unclench the handles, but if you strip them with a quick movement, the insulation immediately flies off and does not get stuck.
Probably strippers costing 4-7 thousand rubles do not have this drawback, but this is important only for professional installers who remove insulation from wires day and night.)
But it can remove insulation from the thinnest and most delicate wires, even remove first the outer sheath from them, and then the insulation from the wires inside.
There are built-in cutters for wires up to 2 mm.
This is my favorite stripper, especially good for multi-core wires.
The handles are very easy to squeeze - much easier than the next type of stripper that I will consider.
The next type is this stripper:
Stripper KVT - the workhorse of the Soviet electrician)
A very common and far from new stripper design.
Here's a video of him working:
Why is he so good that millions choose him?
Firstly, its versatility - it can strip wires of different diameters, automatically adjusting.
Secondly, this is the most convenient stripper for working with our popular flat wire:
Flat wire
This is probably the only stripper that can carefully remove the outer insulation from such a wire, as well as strip the insulation from two or three of its wires AT THE SAME TIME!)
Unfortunately, I didn’t have a VVG type wire on hand for the demonstration, so I had to take what I had.
Usually the insulation of a flat wire is removed with a knife or something like this:
Usually a flat cable is cut with a knife or even such a thing
Which is inconvenient, because in the end it turns out like this:
The remaining insulation must be cut off with pliers
Remains of insulation stick out, so that they do not interfere, you need to cut them off with wire cutters.
But! If you use the right stripper, this is not required!)
The right tool makes the job easy, quick and neat)
The result is fast, accurate, safe:
Carefully and quickly, without unnecessary movements, the outer insulation was removed from the flat wire
This stripper can also remove insulation from two or three wires at the same time.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have a suitable three-wire wire on hand, but I think the principle is clear:
Simultaneous stripping of insulation from 2 wires. NOBODY can do this anymore!))
A very convenient stripper for three-core cable.)
I really liked it too - although at first it seemed a little rough to me, but it’s for thin wires, and it cleans 220 volt electrics, especially flat VVGs and the like, just brilliantly!)
As a bonus, it has built-in cutters and some kind of crimper (crimping tool) for insulated and non-insulated tips. It’s inconvenient to use, but if you don’t have a normal crimper at hand and you need to crimp the tip, this is a lifesaver.
There is also a limiter on the length of the insulation being stripped, which is usually removed immediately.)
Like this. There will be an opportunity to supplement the article, I will also write about a stripper for coaxial cable, about a stripper-crimper for telephone and Internet cables, as well as about crimpers (tools for crimping cable lugs and sleeves).
I will only say that after stripping the insulation, stranded wires cannot be immediately clamped under a screw without preparation, since it easily destroys individual wires.
It is necessary to crimp stranded wires with insulated or non-insulated lugs:
tip insulated and non-insulated
You can see the already crimped tip above, in the photo with the first pliers, I just have already reached the photo limit.)
NSHVI (insulated pin sleeve terminal) this thing is called, it’s sold everywhere, if you need to clamp 2 wires into one such tip, you need to buy lugs with a wider plastic part - NSHVI2.
UPDATE: I made a video of some strippers working + showed crimping pliers for sleeves:
To connect wires to each other, connect to contact groups, or terminate (use terminals, sleeves, etc.), they must be stripped.
The tip of the cable, freed from insulation, becomes the weakest link in the entire multi-meter wiring. If the metal core loses its cross-section or strength, the characteristics laid down by the manufacturer will be nullified. How to remove insulation from a wire without damaging its properties?
When applying a protective coating, you have to solve opposite problems. The shell should be strong but flexible. Provide protection from moisture penetration, while at the same time being easy to remove from the core.
What damage can be caused to the current-carrying conductor by careless stripping?
- Reducing the diameter (and therefore cross-section) of the conductor.
- The appearance of fractures, and therefore a decrease in strength.
- The appearance of hidden damage due to bending and stretching.
- Reducing the number of wires in multi-core cables.
- Left fragments of insulation on the surface of a current-carrying conductor.
Most experienced electricians have their own secrets for cleaning wires from insulation: some remove the sheath with their teeth, many have a special (or rather favorite) tool. All methods are good if the conductor does not suffer and there is no damage to health. We will tell you about the correct technique.
How to strip a wire while maintaining its properties
Let's start with simple methods.
Knife
Used universal tool: regular pen or stationery.
Improving the use of knives, many electricians make homemade devices for stripping insulation. For example, you can use a safety razor blade by simply screwing it to a clothespin.
Using holes of different diameters (on a clothespin), you get a universal tool for removing both the outer sheath and the coating directly on the conductors.
The simplest factory-made insulation stripping pliers work on this principle. The outer sheath is removed using calibrated holes, and the conductors are not stripped using a blade with a molded hole. large diameter.
Thermal method
If the question arises: how to quickly remove insulation from a wire, all means are good. Many craftsmen simply burn the ends of the conductors with a lighter or match. The method is not the best: Firstly, the cable may catch fire. Secondly, the remaining part of the shell loses its properties at a distance of 1–2 cm from the cleaned area. And finally, the conductor itself (copper or aluminum) is destroyed by such thermal effects.
Important! If applicable thermal method processing of conductors, it is necessary to ensure ventilation of the room. Any coating emits toxic smoke when heated.
If you need to quickly strip the wire, but there are no cutting tools, you can use a soldering iron. The tip of the conductor is burned with a hot tip, after which the insulation is easily removed.
Exist thermal tools industrial execution.
Stripping the wires of insulation is carried out as follows: the heating elements are pressed to the cut point, the sheath is melted with a short pulse, the conductor remains untouched. Such devices can be stand-alone or part of soldering stations.
Advantage of wire thermocouples:
- Heating occurs pointwise; the copper or aluminum core does not change its properties.
- A thin melt line does not lead to waste of material.
- A sealed ring is formed around the shell, preventing the penetration of moisture.
The only limitation is the insulation material. Thermal stripping is used only in cables with polyvinyl chloride insulation. The fluoroplastic or rubber shell can only be removed mechanically.
Mechanical devices for stripping industrial wires
The most popular electrician's tool is the "Insulation Stripping Complex", known by the abbreviation KSI.
The operating principle is as follows:
During the initial compression of the pliers, the conductor is clamped between the grooved jaws (as in pliers), the other end is captured by the knife mechanism. The cutting attachment is spring-loaded and does not cut through the shell to the metal. This way the current-carrying core is guaranteed to be preserved. Next, the working levers are moved apart, and the notched sheath is removed from the wire.
The length of the area to be stripped is set using a limiter, against which the front wire rests when inserted into the tool.
There are certain restrictions: the tip cannot be too long. If you need to clean a long area, the process is repeated several times. In this case, the wire does not rest against the limiter, and the shifted section of the sheath is removed manually.
The complex copes well with both mono conductors and multi-core cores. There are restrictions on the diameter of the wire: a cable with a cross-section of more than 4.0 is almost impossible to process.
The next tool is simpler. End pliers for stripping insulation.
Designed for a diameter of up to 6.0 squares; it is difficult to expose a thicker wire manually. Between the cutting tips there is a screw stop, with which the diameter of the conductor is set. The distance between the grips is chosen to be slightly larger than the diameter of the current-carrying conductor. This is done to reduce the risk of damaging the metal. After squeezing the handles, the sheath is removed with a sharp movement along the wire. Working with such a device is not as convenient as with a CSI, but this is justified by its low cost.
Nippers, or the cutting sector of pliers, work in a similar way. Only stripping the wire with their help requires some skill.
The following device is designed to work with large diameter cables. This is a complex knife with a grip.
It can be used to strip wires of any length. First, a transverse incision is made, then a longitudinal one.
After which the sheath is easily removed without damaging the central conductor.
Stripping varnish-coated conductors
Such a conductor is used in transformer windings. Instead of a dielectric sheath, a thin varnish coating is applied to the copper core. The conductor is cleaned with a knife or sandpaper.
Security measures
A conductor stripped of insulation is potentially a source of danger. After processing the wire, especially in places where it is pressed and scored, the insulation resistance should be measured. This is done when putting the electrical installation into operation, then the frequency of measuring the electrical wiring insulation is carried out according to the approved schedule.
If there is damage that reduces the protective ability of the shell, it is necessary to cut off the damaged area or put a dielectric casing on it.
That's all we wanted to say about it. To fully understand the issue, we recommend watching the video.
Video on the topic
There is a protective layer on all wires and cables. Called insulation, it separates conductors from the surfaces they come into contact with, as well as from each other.
If you need to connect or install equipment, you need to strip the wires of insulation in separate areas to ensure good contact in the contact groups.
How to perform stripping so as not to damage the current-carrying conductors, we will consider in this article.
When choosing a method for removing the insulating coating, it is necessary to take into account its features. Insulation can be single plastic or multilayer. Resins, fabrics, and non-flammable dielectrics are used as the latter.
The procedure involves the use of sharp instruments. They can damage the wire, damage the insulation where it is not needed, and narrow the cross-section. If you use a tool ineptly, you cannot avoid injury.
The weakest point of the wiring is the end of the cable that has been stripped of insulation. If the core becomes less strong or its cross-section decreases, its original characteristics will deteriorate.
To reduce all risks to a minimum, we have developed special tools, methods of working with them.
Difference between wire and cable
When describing electrical wiring, the term “wire” or “cable” is often used as a conductor of current. To a person uninitiated in the intricacies of electrics, it may seem that this is one product. In fact, they are different.
A wire in the traditional sense is a cord with a small cross-section. Such a conductor can be single or multi-core. It may not have insulation at all, or if it does, it is light in the form of a tube. Removing it is not difficult at all.
The cable consists of a certain number of current carriers. They are connected into one unit, but do not touch each other and are enclosed in a shell made of a special material.
For a single-core wire, the cross-sectional area is determined by one core; for a multi-core wire, the cross-sectional area is determined by the sum of the cross-sections of all cores. To improve the performance properties of the cable, a nylon thread is introduced into the middle.
Any conductor should be handled with care, especially aluminum conductors. Compared to copper, they are more fragile. Bending loads reduce the already small margin of safety of aluminum cores.
Some characteristics for comparison:
- density of aluminum - 2.7, copper - 8.9 t/mᶾ;
- multi-wire design is excluded for aluminum, but possible for copper;
- resistivity of aluminum is 0.0294, copper - 0.0175 Ohm x mm²/m.
Damage during stripping of aluminum cores further reduces their performance.
You can read more about the types of cables and wires in.
Types of insulating materials
There are single and double insulation.
For its production, various insulating materials are used:
- Plastics based on organic compounds. These are mainly thermal plastics that soften when heated. When burned, these plastic masses are ejected into environment various toxins.
- Thermosetting plastics. They become harder when heated. Insulation from them is used only in special cases when the requirements for it are increased.
- Natural or artificial rubber of different types. It hardens when heated and supports combustion.
- Fabric based insulation. Withstands a fairly high degree of heating (maximum 400⁰) while maintaining insulating properties.
- Shielding braid. This is not insulation in the literal sense, since the braid does not act as insulation, but it provides protection against mechanical damage.
- Armor braid. Also serves as protection against damage
The choice of tools for removing insulation depends on the material from which it is made.
How to strip wires correctly?
There are some nuances in this process, without knowing which you can make mistakes with irreversible consequences.
The stripped area should not protrude beyond the joint. If a bare wire is left exposed, a person may accidentally touch it and suffer an electrical shock.
The insulation from the core must be removed from all sides. Compressing the remaining insulation will reduce the reliability of the fastening.
When an error is made in the wiring of the vehicle, then under the influence of vibration, as a result of loosening of the fastening, the wire will fall out of the connection
Improper stripping will result in short circuits and even fire.
Popular methods of removing insulation
Practical skills play a big role in the process of stripping wire insulation. The main difficulties arise when working with thin wires, when every movement matters. Optimal pressure can only be achieved through practice.
The most commonly used methods for removing insulation are:
- using a knife;
- through side cutters;
- under the influence of high temperature;
- using a stripper.
Each option is preferable in specific circumstances.
Option No. 1 - using a knife to cut insulation
At home, a knife is most often used. When using this simple tool, it is important to choose the correct angle of the blade. The biggest mistake is cutting in a circle while holding the cutting part in a perpendicular position. In this case, it is difficult to avoid notching the core or breaking the secondary insulation.
The correct position of the knife is when the tool and the wire axis are in the same plane. First, cut the braid along the conductor. Next, separate the insulation, take it to the side and finally cut it off at the base.
Best used for removing hard insulation from wires special knife electrician with a straight or curved blade. The main thing is that there are no jagged or burrs on it. If the knife is folding, it must be equipped with a lock so that it does not fold spontaneously.
A good blade has a double-sided sharpening at a slight angle and an internal rounding of the cutting edge. Some versions of mechanic's knives have a special blade design - it is short and rounded inward, and there is a “heel” at the end. It limits the depth of cut, which is important if it is necessary to remove the top layer of insulation without damaging the sheath of individual cores.
Option No. 2 - side cutters for stripping insulation
Side cutters are a convenient and safe tool, but only if used correctly. What you need to pay attention to is the direction cutting edges and the effort applied.
The tool is used in two ways:
- The sheath is cut from different sides, and then removed from the conductor. This method is suitable for working with wires with a large cross-section.
- The braid is fixed and cut through with the cutting edges of a side cutter, and then pulled to the side, making axial movements.
In any case, you need to act extremely carefully, otherwise the conductor will be either damaged or bitten off.
When working with a side cutter, you need to take into account that the sharpened side of the tool jaws must be oriented in the direction opposite to the vector of tightening of the braid
They also produce side cutters with notches for conductors of a certain diameter. This simplifies the use of the tool at home.
Option No. 3 - thermochemical method of removal
With very thin conductors, with a cross-section of less than 0.2 mm, removing the insulation from an enamel wire or a wire with PVC insulation mechanically is a big risk. The thermochemical method is more suitable here.
In the first case, the technology is as follows:
- The wire is conveniently laid on a flat surface. Vinyl chloride insulation is placed under it.
- Heat up the soldering iron tip and carefully move it along the shell. When heated, it will disappear under the influence of the released chlorine.
There is another option for removing the enamel insulation from the cable. An aspirin tablet is placed on the wire, heated with a soldering iron and distributed along the entire length. Not only will the insulation be removed, but the wire will also be tinned.
Removing the braid by reflowing ensures the integrity of the conductor. The method works well on old wiring, since the winding here is hard and brittle.
Stripping the insulation of a thin enameled conductor can be done using fine sandpaper. Before removing the insulation layer from the wire, the sheet is bent in half so that the sandpaper is inside. Place the wire in the middle, lightly press it with your fingers and pull. Repeat the action until the enamel is completely cleansed.
Option No. 4 – stripping with a stripper
If the insulation stripping methods under consideration are manual, then some types of strippers allow this work to be partially mechanized. The tool most often consists of special pliers that work with a certain size of wires and cables.
Conventionally, strippers are divided into categories:
- miniature handheld;
- large rack;
- lever
The first ones look like clothespins. It has holes in the spring-loaded jaws - one or more. There are small multifunctional strippers in a case-like form. The drop-down body has holes with knives under different sections lived
In addition, the device has a knife that cuts the braid longitudinally, a knife that works in the transverse direction or cuts circularly. They are also equipped with a retractable knife for stripping wires.
The next design is a stripper with levers. Visually, the tool is similar to scissors and includes:
- Knives with a wedge-shaped cut;
- Adjusting screw, with its help you set the desired cross-section.
The cable is secured with clamps, then the levers are pulled together and the insulation is removed instantly. The removal length is set manually. The main disadvantage is the need for adjustment when removing insulation from wires of different sections.
If you mistakenly insert a thick wire when setting the jaws to a smaller cross-section, the conductor will be damaged.
In addition to the main functions, most of these hand tools are used for crimping the ends of stranded wires, cutting wires, and cutting bolts. Sometimes they are used like simple pliers.
A tool with sockets in the blades, like the previous one, is universal. When working with it, you must not relax your attention so as not to place the current conductor in a hole that does not correspond to its cross-section.
These disadvantages are not typical for automatic lever strippers. The wire size is set automatically here. The spring-loaded working element begins to operate when the handles are compressed. You can remove not only the insulation from the core, but also the outer braiding from a round or flat wire.
Many models are equipped with a length limiter that allows you to remove the braid to a set length. The required limit is set once, and further withdrawals occur based on the set limit.
Automatic models, like manual ones, may have additional functionality - crimping tips, cutting, etc.
When choosing a stripper model, you need to proceed from where you plan to use it. For general household work suitable conditions simple hand tool.
There is a special stripper designed to remove insulation from TV cable. Its peculiarity is the presence of two cutting edges located at a certain distance. This ensures convenient installation of the F-connector later
When working with a lot of wires and cables, it is better to arm yourself with a semi-automatic or automatic device. This tool is essential for professional electrical installers.
There is an article on our website where we talked in detail about strippers for stripping insulation from wires. Click here to view the material.
New tools for removing insulation
More recently, four new products have been added to the range:
- plow knife for removing hard insulation;
- stripper for cutting insulation 2.9 – 6.6 mm² in the longitudinal direction;
- tool for working with wire insulation 0.05 – 2.5 mm²;
- tool for cutting wire insulation 0.25 – 6 mm².
All of them are produced by the US company Jonard Tools.
The new case-type stripper is equipped with five grooves with a diameter of 2.9 - 6.8 mm. There are blades on both the top and bottom. Cuts lengthwise wires, optical modules, protective tubes.
A plow knife is used when it is necessary to remove the cable sheath made of rubber, PVC, PE. A knife with a double-sided blade makes longitudinal and transverse cuts up to 5 mm deep
The stripper for removing the PVC insulating layer from cables with a diameter of 0.05 - 2.5 mm² is automatically adjusted to the required cross-section. When pressure is applied to the handle, the conductor is grabbed, the blades enter the insulation and tighten it.
The latest model is similar to the previous one, but works with wires of other sections.
There are non-standard situations, from which it is difficult even for a specialist to escape. In this case, you have to make creative decisions and use the tools at hand. Let's look at a couple of examples.
Example No. 1 - damage to the wires leading to the plug
The method is applied if, upon visual inspection, it is found that charger The thin wires leading to the plug are faulty. The main difficulty of the situation is not only the small cross-section, but also the multi-core cable. Another problematic point is that the wires are enclosed in a continuous braid, so the insulation serves not just as protection, but as a two or three-chamber collector.
To quickly remove the insulation in this case, experts use a thin blade taken from a razor cassette. The cable is fixed using a clamp from table lamp or a vice. The cable is divided into cores, and a blade is used to carefully make an incision in the right place, not too deep. Next, part of the layer is pryed off with a fingernail and carefully removed.
The protective layer can be in the form of rigid outer insulation, an internal filler layer, fabric insulation impregnated with resins, or individual insulation for each core
First, using a tool, the outer sheath is removed by cutting it along the cable. Then, using pliers, the cores are removed one by one. The remaining insulating layer is simply cut off.
Work related to electric shock, not easy. Therefore, even if you have certain knowledge, you must not forget that the damaged core will eventually fail.
For safety reasons, when removing insulation that is slightly longer than required, the excess must be cut off. Exposed veins are too dangerous.
It is not advisable for a home handyman to purchase expensive tools in order to use them several times while removing insulation. In most cases, simple means at hand are quite suitable.
It is not always advisable to remove the insulation if the cable consists of thin wires. It is possible, without removing the insulating layer, to separate the wires and use a special clamp with teeth to create contact
Contact when installing a piercing clamp will ensure the insulation is pierced. Sometimes that's enough.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Review of stripping tools - from cheapest to most expensive:
Whatever method you use to strip the insulation, you must remember that this work is dangerous. A careful and competent attitude to the tool used will help you avoid problems. Each product must be used in accordance with its intended purpose, with the utmost care.
What method do you use to strip insulation from wires? Please share your own experience with people who are faced with this task for the first time. Leave your comments, share your experience, ask questions in the block below the article.