Tool for removing outer insulation from wires. Choosing a tool for removing insulation from wires, how not to make a mistake. Video. Professional cutting of cables and wires
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Comfortable home living and sustainable manufacturing process They are similar in one thing: they require a stable power supply. For this reason there is various systems for delivery of electrical energy to the consumer. For successful operation, each connection requires reliable contact, which is achieved through high-quality stripping and drawing of cores. For large volumes of work, a tool is used to remove insulation from wires.
Methods for removing dielectric
In electrical installation, working with radio equipment and electronics, such a process as exposure of the cable core cannot be avoided. It is produced mechanically, without focusing on the technique, in the following ways:
- Heating the stripping area to the melting temperature of the vinyl shell. This is done with the tip of a heated soldering iron, a lighter, or a specially made device with a thread made of a refractory metal, for example, nichrome. Not the most pleasant method due to the pungent odor. There’s also a residue left on the palm of your hand that reminds you of this process for weeks. It is better to use this method not on wires of small thickness and quantity.
- The mechanical method relies on the contact of sharpened planes and an insulating coating. The simplest option is to use a knife. Use a regular one, or purchase a special cutter.
Because of cable production Available with two types of cores, Each has its own type of wire stripping tool:
- A mounting knife with a round blade is used for cutting round wires. The sharpened round piece cuts into the shell and cuts through it with a slight glide without damaging the metal.
- The flat cable cutter has a hook-shaped notch at the tip. It pries up the insulation layer, and due to sharp sharpening, resting the blunt end on the core, rips open the tube without touching the current-carrying part.
The use of these devices only requires skill when working with piercing and cutting objects and should be performed on a rigid base, but not on the knee. If the tip breaks accidentally, it can leave a deep cut.
Many people make their own knives from hacksaw blade. The correct angle of the sharpened part and a reliable handle are important here.
Professional cleaning methods
Such tools are characterized by two methods of removing insulation. In a breaking action, the force is directed horizontally between two fixed points.
The cutting technique involves cutting the sheath in a circle and pulling it off the core. Both of these methods are combined in professional cable stripping tools.
They are divided into three groups:
- manual;
- automatic;
- semi-automatic.
In addition to this division, there is a classification by type of tool:
Stripper capabilities
This is the most common tool for stripping cable insulation, which comes in various modifications.
With its help, the following can be cleaned without extra effort:
- A separate vein.
- Twisted pair network cable.
- Coaxial cords.
- Fiber optic wire.
Hand tool
To use such a device, a number of manipulations are performed. Hence the second name - mechanical stripper for stripping insulation from wires. It has an external resemblance to pliers: the same two handles with a dielectric and jaws. Only these planes have special pointed recesses, calibrated for standard cable cross-sections of different sizes.
The pressing power is limited by the strength of the user's hands, so the maximum core area is limited, as a rule, to six square millimeters. The tool is quite versatile. Many varieties are a whole harvester. This includes crimping tips, cutting wire, as well as small fasteners, and making ring contacts.
The algorithm for using a stripper for stripping wires is simple:
- Insert the core in accordance with the cross-section and the desired length of the exposed part.
- Press the handles to bite.
- Turn in a circle.
- Remove the tool along with the vinyl tube.
The main requirement is right choice holes. Otherwise, the core will be damaged or the dielectric layer will not cut through.
The device is semi-automatic
For large volumes of work, it is more convenient to use this device. By appearance such a stripper resembles a mechanical modification, only a little more complicated. To strip the insulation, nothing is required other than placing the core in the desired socket and pressing the handles.
The peculiarity of semi-automatic equipment is to fix the length of the stripped section. This is convenient for a large number of connections of the same type, for example, in control or relay protection cabinets.
Automatic device
Like the entire family of similar equipment, this stripper has the same shape as other modifications. But here the user is freed from the need to select the right socket for the wire. The tool itself determines the force on the insulation. This device is capable of removing not only the protection from the cable core, but also the primary sheath of both round and flat sections.
Like most such devices, the automatic stripper performs many actions related to the manipulation of cable products.
To ensure that no additional problems arise when performing this type of electrical installation operations, there are some useful tips:
- When working with a coaxial cable, you must first remove the top protection using a soldering iron. Then remove the copper screen until the second dielectric layer appears. This step is best done with a knife.
- Small gauge wire (0.2 square millimeter and less) it is more effective to clean with a soldering iron or knife. You need to do the same with a paper dielectric.
- The enamel coating is removed with sandpaper.
- If the cable is not stripped from the edge, then the use of strippers is impossible. All that remains is to resort again to the help of a knife.
Which equipment to choose
To surprise someone these days technical novelty difficult. At every step, equipment of all kinds, prices and quality is sold. Same with electrical tools. The assortment is huge. If you need a stripper for several operations, there is no point in looking at expensive models. A simple tool for 200-400 rubles will do. For a higher quality and equipped device you will have to pay from a thousand to one and a half thousand rubles.
It is unlikely that you can buy a professional model with knives made of good steel, excellent sharpening and proven insulation for less than 2,500 rubles. In this case, there is no need to rush. You need to weigh the pros and cons and consult with specialists. Only in this case can you buy such a rather expensive instrument without compromising quality and wallet.
Method one. With a knife: step back from the edge of the wire the length required to expose it, cut the insulation with a circular motion of the knife, then pull it off the wire.
In this case, the wire itself is usually damaged. If it is multi-stranded, then some of the veins are cut with a knife. This may not be so scary, although the cross-section of the wire will thereby be reduced, which means the quality of the contact will become worse. If the wire is single-core, then you may not even notice its damage with a knife. A circular groove that is barely visible and perceptible to the touch will remain. It will not be visible, since its position coincides with the edge of the cut insulation. And this is even worse - just bend such a wire a couple of times and it will break off exactly along this groove. This is especially true for aluminum wires. But copper ones, which have high viscosity, also break at this point, although perhaps not immediately.
Method two. With a planing motion of the knife, remove the strip of insulation from the point where the exposure begins to the end of the wire. Then tear off or cut off the striped tail of the insulation.
In this case, the wire conductor can also be damaged. Moreover, in the place where the knife first cuts into the insulation. A force is applied that can damage the conductor - put a groove on it (single-core wire) or cut off several wires (multi-core). The results are the same as in the first method.
Method three. Use sharp pliers or side cutters to pierce the insulation at the point where the wire begins to be removed, and then use pliers to scrape it off the wire.
The disadvantages are the same, plus the risk of even cutting the wire by slightly overpowering the wire cutters. If you haven’t had a bite, the metal of the wire is easily damaged, which worsens the contact or ultimately breaks off the wire exactly at the place where the removal of insulation began.
Method four. Consists of thermal damage - with a soldering iron, match, lighter - to the integrity of the insulation, after which it is removed or cut off.
Disadvantages - the insulation now produced is fireproof, but fusible and in the event of a fire (difficult, yes) it is pretty smelly. Poisonous black smoke is released, which is not comme il faut to inhale. And a layer of this same insulation may stick to the conductor that you wanted to “clean,” which still needs to be scraped off later. There is still the risk of damaging the metal wire. Drops of insulator will also be applied to the soldering iron tip, which will then be scraped and burned and scraped again.
Job in professional ways and tools consists of techniques similar to those listed, but, if possible, overcoming the mentioned shortcomings.
Professional cutting of cables and wires
The easiest way was to slightly improve the stripping knife so that it would not damage the metal conductors when stripping the wires.
Chopping knives for electricians
Unlike the incorrect methods, when the insulation is cut from the place where the exposed part of the wire ends, now the knife is asked to cut in the opposite direction. Removing the insulation from the wires is done from the end of the wire - simply run a knife along the wire as long as necessary. This knife is made with a special blade shape and special sharpening to reduce the likelihood of damage to the cable conductor.
Another idea is that there is a special heel on the tip of the knife, which, in order to cut the insulation longitudinally, must be placed directly on the core before removing the insulation from the wire, and it will slide along it, cutting the insulation, but without damaging the metal. However, how long will this heel last?
When cutting, such knives must be guided exactly along the wire. There are designs with a special “holder” for the cable. The insulation is cut in them by a special small blade produced to a short length.
There is such a tool for cutting - a knife with many additional holes different diameters, which are definitely suitable for stripping wires this way or that way.
However, there are tools that can be used to remove insulation precisely, and even to a given length of wire.
Stripper - pliers for removing insulation
IN English language the word strip means something like “to sand”, “to remove upper layer", "peel off", "peel off". The British came up with a separate tool with this name: stripper, “stripper”.
This is a completely professional tool that guarantees industrial quality work and is available in the arsenal of tools of any cable technician.
Cutting a cable with a stripper is done in much the same way as we would do it with wire cutters or side cutters. Only in these pliers all the cutting parameters are precisely set: the diameter of the hole, the thickness of the insulation or the diameter of the metal core of the wire. The tool has a blade for cutting the insulation, it can be equipped with devices for grasping the wire teeth on one side (from the side of the wire coil) and for grasping the insulation from the end; there may be a measured interval for which the wire is exposed. There may be a spring-lever mechanism for sharply tearing off the insulation measured and cut on the wire.
There are very simple ones, and there are also multi-purpose complex ones.
The simplest stripper for removing insulation from wires (pliers or pliers for cleaning cables) has one screw, with which you can set the thickness of the wire, then squeeze and tear off the insulation.
The screw rests on the lower jaw and allows the jaws to converge strictly at a certain distance. First, the wire is lightly clamped using a screw in the rhombic hole at the ends of the two jaws, then you can slightly increase the pressure, this will tear the insulation. Then a sharp jerk - and the insulation is removed from the wire.
These tools, as you can see, have good insulated handles. Manufacturers claim safe work with them in networks up to 1000 V. Does this mean that you can work with wires without turning off the current? However, such devices with high-voltage live wires clearly look risky. You pull the wire, the insulation breaks, and then what? The wire must be held somehow; such pliers do not provide any means for this.
But there are pliers that fix the wire - the place where the insulation is removed - entirely.
You need to tuck the wire into a hole of a given size and rest it against a plate, the position of which is adjustable. After squeezing the handles of the pliers, the insulation will be cut through and removed. Moreover, the wire is held in a fixed position.
There are a lot of strippers. And manufacturers are continuously adding more and more new, more functional and completely automatic tools to electricians’ tools. With which you can evenly cut off a wire, remove any insulation, even the kind that you remove with a knife - you will suffer. Everything is configured automatically. The insulation is removed in a second, after which you can put a contact tip on the wire and in the next second securely crimp it completely in accordance with all electrical standards.
The insulation is removed with micro-adjustment. That is, you can insert a multi-wire cable in which there are several insulated wires - pliers will remove the top sheath. After this, straighten all the cable wires and give them to the stripper. The stripper will remove the isolation from everyone at once. Very accurate and without damaging the conductor wires.
Directly below the axis of the pliers we see a cutter that cuts very evenly and flatly.
Then there are crimps for the sleeves. Sleeves are crimped different forms, with insulating cap, ferrule for automotive wiring and others.
Special purpose insulation stripping devices and pliers
In a related area for electrical engineering - communications - special pliers are used for stripping cables, supplemented by a device for standard termination of cable ends.
Everything is determined by the type of cable and its size.
To cut off the shell of a coaxial or twisted pair cable, use this simple stripper.
Pliers for stripping and terminating the end of a twisted pair cable have sufficient devices for this purpose. To use them, you don’t need to adjust anything; everything is already determined by the standard dimensions of the cable and connector. There is no need to strip the insulation, you just need to cut off the shell. There is no doubt about how to use these tongs - the device speaks for itself.
After removing the insulation from the cable, the pairs are disassembled, laid out and cut evenly with one of the cleaning knives. After this, the RJ-45 TP (twisted pare wire) wires are carefully tucked into the connector according to the wiring diagram.
There is only one operation left to complete: the connector is tucked into the socket - if narrower, then for a telephone, wider - for a cable local networks. The handles are squeezed, the device applies powerful pressure, the connector contact blades punch holes in the wire insulation, the cable is fixed in the connector with a special strip and... done. So many actions in one movement.
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. From 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 did not receive wide application even among professionals.
Semi-automatic wire stripping pliers KBT WS-03A
KSI-automatic
Deservedly popular among electricians who have to perform a large number of tasks every day various connections, use automatic strippers. 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
Besides, popular model stripper WS-04 has many additional functions:
- Combs on inside 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 insulation cleaning is 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. A stationery knife is also often used, but it is 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. Also on this device there is 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. Better take some wire cutters reverse side: so that the cutting edges are directed against the stroke. 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 melting 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 a mechanical tool, such as 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. This not only damages tooth enamel, but can also cause tooth decay. static electricity, accumulated during the wiring installation process. 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 insulation tape with such a coating). A piece of tape is placed on flat surface, 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 conditions operation.
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 to name the most The right way Stripping the wire is impossible. 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 relieved tension. If it is not possible to de-energize the wiring, all work must be done with rubber gloves and an insulated tool.
Wire Stripping Tools
When performing electrical installations of any complexity, there is almost always a need to strip wires. Some try to do it with their teeth, but it's absurd this method there is no need to even say - you need 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 there is no specialized tool at hand. An electrician's knife can be either homemade or industrially produced for electrical installation.
Practice and caution are required when stripping insulation from wires, especially multi-core 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 cover is removed from the cable cores various methods and tools most suitable for a specific type of insulating coating.
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 artisanal methods removing the insulating protective cover. For lack of the best tools knives are most often used various designs.
Often the PVC insulating layer is melted using a soldering iron, after which the insulation is removed using pliers.
Significant disadvantage is toxic fumes and corrosion of the soldering iron tip. Similar heat treatment is 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 work you need an appropriate tool for stripping the insulation.
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 in a circle protective layer, after which the resulting cut off 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 suitable radius located on 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. A similar method is 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 locking 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 adjustment for the length of the stripped insulation and the cutting depth of the blades.
IN this tool There is a possibility of cutting 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 Electrical devices operate on this principle. welders.
Reducing the thickness of the conductor leads to an increase in its electrical resistance and a decrease 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, they further reduce mechanical properties.
How the cross-section of a conductor affects the amount of current passed through it can be determined using Ohm's law.
Influence scheme cross section wires for 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:
- Gap. 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. The big drawback is the presence of toxic fumes and corrosion on the soldering iron tip.
- A lighter.
- Heated nichrome thread.
Removing insulation thermally 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.
Tip: These methods should only be used for one-time stripping of a small number of 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:
- Take a piece of a metal hacksaw blade with a small blade.
- They sharpen it on an 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.
The video will show you how to quickly remove insulation from a copper wire at home.
Tools for professionals
Professional tools A professional tool for stripping 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. |
|
| This multifunctional tool 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 it is needed. high accuracy stripping and high speed of operations. | |
| 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 for 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 move 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 conical metal pin enters small size.
- 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 work area tool, the insulation is cut by closing the handles of the blade, and 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 by forward movements.
- It is better to remove the rubber coating with a special tool for removing insulation from the wire.
- To clean the shell in the middle 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. A reliable system depends on the quality of the tool used and the qualifications of its owner. 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:
Very good and handy tool, and it is simply irreplaceable 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 scrap excellent cable with a bunch of first-class copper wiring:
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 released under different brands, I saw these under the brand 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 for 4-7 thousand rubles do not have this drawback, but this is only important professional installers who removes insulation from wires day and night.)
But he can remove insulation from the thinnest and most delicate wires, even remove the outer sheath from them first, 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 in the following form stripper that I will review.
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 add to the article, I will 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'll just say that stranded wires After removing the insulation, you cannot immediately clamp it under a screw without preparation, as it easily destroys individual veins.
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:
The wire stripping tool is a professional equipment and if you are not a professional electrician, you are unlikely to need it. If you need to connect one socket or switch, it will be enough sharp knife and straight hands.
Why only a special tool?
Modern apartment in 100 square meters– this is 100 sockets and 20-30 switches. In total, this is about 300 contacts, not counting junction boxes, shields, additional connections and lighting fixtures. In total, the number of contacts from which it is necessary to remove insulation will reach 1.5-2 thousand. Carrying out such work without a tool for removing insulation is simply a waste of time and effort.
Even if you always do everything carefully, cutting the insulation on the wire with a knife for the thousandth time will still touch the core and damage its integrity. Subsequently, this may affect the quality of the contact connection; the core will break off or begin to heat up excessively in the damaged area.
Many elements, e.g. Legrand socket or other devices with automatic terminals, require that the contacts be stripped to a certain length. Should you measure 5-6 mm each time before cutting with a knife? Please note that there will be hundreds of such outlets for one apartment!
If you come to a customer to install electrical equipment and you don’t have professional tool to remove isolation - no one will take you seriously!
What's on the market
The undisputed leader in this regard is German company Knipex. Range special devices for stripping is quite wide, we will focus on the best:
This tool is the best combination of price/quality. Or rather, it's simply the best quality hand tools for removing insulation, which is. The cost of analogues from China or made in Russia is significantly, ten or even twenty times lower. For example, the Russian insulation stripping tool KVT WS 04B will cost you 22$ and similar crafts from China can be ordered at 10$ per kilogram.
KVT WS 04B is a Russian instrument. Works great. Not for long.
This whole tool will do an excellent job of removing insulation as well as Knipex. but only 2-3 months, after which the knives become dull, the mechanism becomes loose, you have to apply more and more force, the accuracy of the work becomes worse and worse. Eventually you start using the wire stripper again.
A professional tool is worth the money, because... allows you to earn faster, easier and more
Video review of strippers from different manufacturers
Comments:
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Types of Mastech multimeters and scope of application Sometimes in the course of everyday activities it is necessary to strip a cable or wire, but not everyone knows how to do this. Many people, due to a misconception about this matter, damage the internal rod or cut it completely. There are those who do not know the essence of the difference between wires and cables, but there is one!
The wire is considered a special conductor; in some cases it is offered in a “bare” form without the need to remove the insulation. And the cable is offered in the form of multiple current carriers, connected together without contact, and coated with a special material.
Next, we’ll figure out how to properly strip the wires, since sometimes they have multiple sheaths - on the top and for each element inside. In this case, agree to recklessly rely only on the help of a knife.
A set of tools to do this job
Sometimes it is necessary to use a special tool for stripping wires, since due to objective reasons only this type is suitable. Most often used:
- Side cutters, since almost every owner has them, are unpretentious in their work;
- Installation, stationery or construction types knife – a sharp household version is allowed;
- One of the versions of the electric burner;
- The use of pliers is allowed;
- Specialized versions of cutters designed to work with thick wires or scissors for cutting metal;
- For convenience, a vice or any type of fixing device is suitable.
These devices make it easy to clean almost any wire. Now check out the photo of wire stripping so you can understand what the different tools look like and the nuances of the technique for working with them. But there are special cases that require the use of rare tools. Let's look at some of them:
A stripper can help difficult situation, because it was created for one purpose - to help clean wires efficiently. Simplified options are almost no different in functionality from side cutters.
The blades have recesses with different radii for working with conductors of a suitable cross-section. And the semi-automatic version has a set of two jaws and blades.
To operate, you will need to place the end of the cable on the working compartment, fix the position and remove the insulation. The top layer of insulation is cut with blades, and the rest of it is removed with sponges. In Russia, this version is called KSI (pincers that help remove insulation).
But there are products that help perform several operations:
- They cut off the insulation area;
- Clean off any remaining insulation;
- Helps to twist the wires efficiently.
Important: When wire or cable operations are completed, be sure to check them Current state. All new connections must receive new protection using insulating tape.
The German manufacturer “Knipex” produces many quality tools to carry out stripping of various current carriers. Professionals often use them as they are tested by various tests based on a voltage of 10,000 volts or when exposed to temperatures ranging from +70 to -25 Celsius. Because of this, reliability is guaranteed.
This company offers:
- Set of combination pliers;
- Knitting types of pliers;
- Clamping types of pliers;
- Various options of nippers;
- An impressive list of multifunctional tweezers;
- Nippers for almost any purpose;
- Knives for working with cables.
What is the process of clearing the current carrier from insulation?
An explanation is necessary so that you understand how to strip a wire of insulation and what the nuances of this process are. Typically, a simple side cutter is used for this, since this is the device most often found at hand by the owners.
But such an undertaking does not always lead to a positive result, since not everyone knows how to use this tool and damages the internal part.
The cable or wire may then become dangerous or may not be able to handle the voltage. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to correctly position the side cutter knives for high-quality entry into the insulation due to minimal pressure from the fingers.
It is difficult to say which device is better for stripping, since they all have different positive and negative sides. And there is not always at least some type of tool available.
In this case, you have to use a knife - press the blade a little on the insulation and make a circular motion. When you manage to reach the core, you can pull off the insulation with pliers or your hands; some craftsmen do this with their teeth, which we cannot recommend, since the risk of becoming infected with something or swallowing the wire covering is too great.
If there is no knife, then you need to find another cutting element. Usually, light stripping of wires is possible with a blade, but this must be done very carefully to avoid cutting yourself. You can wear thick gloves, but wearing them may make the process of removing the insulation noticeably more complicated.
Let us explain the stages of using the blade:
- An unnecessary razor blade will do;
- After breaking into two halves, use the most convenient and sharpest cutting element;
- We recommend securing the wire using a clamp or vice. Sometimes a clamp for large table lamps is suitable;
- The insulation is cut along the conductor body;
- Careful cross-sectional cuts are required without touching the core;
- Now it's time to bend the cable and let the edges in the area of the cuts come apart comfortably;
- We use a fingernail to remove the insulation - usually this is enough.
Removing insulation from thin or winding types of wires
If the conductor is 0.2 mm thick, we recommend using the mechanical version of stripping. To do this, you can use different approaches:
Using sandpaper you can create excellent conditions for stripping insulation. To do this, it is bent with the abrasive side towards the inside to form vicious circle. A wire is placed in it - by lightly pressing, the necessary part of the insulation coating is gradually removed.
Using a knife you can carry out a similar procedure. The wire must be placed on a solid base. Bring the blade to the insulation and twist the wire little by little until the coating is completely removed.
If the thickness of the conductor turns out to be less than 0.2 mm, the mechanical version will not work and will most likely severely damage the core. But you can use the thermochemical option for getting rid of insulation.
To work with vinyl chloride insulation, a soldering iron is used:
- We lay the wire based on vinyl chloride insulation on a convenient covering;
- We heat up the soldering iron and carefully move it over the insulation coating;
- When heated, chlorine will begin to separate from the coating and it will disappear;
- To complete the work you need to use an aspirin tablet. It is placed on the wire and heated with a soldering iron - we gradually distribute it over the entire wire.
The last method is complicated, but stripping wires with your own hands is also possible based on it. Should be considered minimum size cross-section and the presence of many cores twisted into one whole inside the cable. But taking into account the careful implementation of any of the proposed options for removing insulation, the operation is accessible to any owner.
Photo of the wire stripping process
