How to strip insulation from wires: quick methods, tips and tricks. Methods for cleaning a cable for scrapping How to pull a wire out of a plug

Replacing electrics in an apartment should begin with dismantling the old electrical network. At first glance, it seems that removing sockets, switches and the cable itself from the wall is quite simple, but even in such an undertaking, difficulties may arise. For example, not everyone knows how to find a wire running in a wall, but it is also advisable to remove it before laying a new line. In this article we will tell you how to dismantle old wiring with your own hands, so that readers know about all the intricacies of the work.

Step 1 – Prepare the tools

First you need to collect tools that may be useful during dismantling works. At a minimum, you should have on hand:

1. Screwdriver Set
2. Pliers
3. Insulating tape
4. An indicator screwdriver, or even better, a multimeter
5. Grinder and hammer drill
6. Flashlight
7. Rubberized gloves
8. Hidden wiring detector

Regarding the latter, it would hardly be advisable to purchase a detector for a single case. You can solve the problem by doing .

Step 2 – Dismantling work

When all the tools are collected, you can proceed to dismantling the old wiring yourself. First of all, turn off the power in your house or apartment. To do this, we turn off the input circuit breaker in the panel, as well as group circuit breakers, if any (just in case).

Next, you need to make sure that there is no voltage in the room, otherwise when you remove the socket or switch, an electric shock cannot be avoided. We talked about that. Use the indicator to touch each connector and make sure that the light is not on. The multimeter should show no voltage in the network.

When the power is turned off, we proceed directly to dismantling. We begin removing old wiring from disassembly switchboard– disconnect the wires after the introductory machine and remove all group circuit breakers and RCD (for sockets, lighting, individual electrical appliances). When the shield is disassembled, we move on to dismantling sockets and switches.

There is no need to explain for a long time how to remove old switches and sockets. Simply unscrew the screws, remove the housing and disconnect the wires from the clamps. The video below clearly shows how to dismantle these wiring elements:

Changing the socket

Removing the light switch

Don't forget about chandeliers and wall sconces; they should also be removed when dismantling the wiring. We talked about this in a separate article.

As for the electric meter, if you want to dismantle it (move it to another place or replace it altogether), then first of all you need to obtain the appropriate permission from management company, because To dismantle the electricity meter, you will have to remove the seals. We talked about this in more detail in a separate article.

Lastly, dismantling is carried out electric cable. It's good if the wiring is done open method. In this case, the cable is simply removed from the box, and a new one is pulled in its place. You can simplify the process even further by attaching the end of the new cable to the old one. During pulling, the new wiring will replace the old one.

Things get more complicated when you need to dismantle hidden wiring in the wall. In this case, first of all, find where the old line electrical networks. The easiest way is to visually inspect the walls. Where prominent plaster seams are visible, a cable line most likely runs through. If there are no visual differences, you will have to use a detector that will show where the old electrical wiring runs that needs to be dismantled.

Searching for wiring with a detector

We draw your attention to the fact that if you change the wiring diagram, it is not at all necessary to remove the electrics located in the wall, especially if they are located in voids panel house. It will be enough to simply insulate the ends and wall up the line, and draw a new one in another place. This will simplify the dismantling process.

If you nevertheless decide to dismantle the old electrical wiring with your own hands, then after finding the route for laying the cable, use a grinder and a hammer drill to cut through the plaster and take out the laid cable line.

How much do the services cost?

Also for general information We bring to your attention prices for dismantling wiring in an apartment. We took this price list from one of the companies, the average cost in Moscow for 2019.

Used colored cable scrap is a popular and expensive recyclable material. You can extract it yourself from old power, fiber optic, telephone, installation, and other wiring. What tools and equipment will be needed to remove the winding? How to quickly clean a cable for scrapping, spending a minimum of time and effort?

Popular methods for stripping insulation

When handing over a cable, the metal core of the conductors is of value. Before going to the receiving point, you need to strip the cable from the insulating winding. There are several ways to do this yourself:

• manual stripping with a knife or hammer is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process, suitable if the batch of scrap is small;
• roasting and melting - a fast process, but harmful to the environment, not recommended for thin-stranded scrap, the metal burns out along with the winding;
• the use of special equipment is the fastest and safe method, in the course of work they use a tool.

Cleaning with a knife or hammer

Construction material is suitable for stripping wires. stationery knife or pullers with hooks, adjusting screws, etc. When working, carefully cut the winding along the core, then take it to the side and cut it.

When working with a hammer, they hit the cable with force until the insulation separates from the metal.

Firing and reflow

You can burn raw materials over a fire, but the method is justified for large volumes of raw materials. Perform work on outdoors, observing safety precautions.

Melting a cable with a soldering iron is one of the ways to remove insulation from thin and thick wires and cables. Before work, the wire is laid on a flat horizontal surface. Then heat up the soldering iron and apply it vertically to the winding. As the insulation melts, the cable is rotated around its axis. After firing, the plastic can be easily removed with pliers, tweezers, or pliers.

Important! Work in a well-ventilated area. When the insulation melts, toxins are released and there is a strong plastic smell.

Using a side cutter and stipper

How to quickly clean the cable for scrap delivery and mechanize the process? Special tools will help:

• side cutter;
• stripper.

Side cutters are called wire cutters or tweezers for cutting wires. When using it, the free end of the wire is clamped between the blades, then carefully turned and pulled. The insulation is easily removed.

Note! The cutting edges are directed in the direction of movement of the tool so that the blades cut into the winding without much effort. If you handle the side cutter incorrectly, the cable will break off along with the insulation.

A stripper will help automate the cable cleaning process. There are different subtypes of the instrument. Models differ in the number of additional functions.

Stipper and working with it

The operating principle of all strippers is the same:

• the end of the cable is inserted into the hole of the tool;
• they clamp the handles of the stripper with their hands to cut through the windings;
• then the conductor is pulled outward, freeing it from insulation.

Important! The good thing about this tool is that it is simple and easy to use and is inexpensive. It rarely damages the cable, reduces winding removal time, and is suitable for working with single-core stranded conductors.

Special equipment

If there is a lot of scrap, special equipment for removing insulation will help simplify the preparation of raw materials. It can be rented directly from a centralized collection point.

Recycling collection points

Scrap acceptors purchase the following waste cable and wire products:

a) manufacturing defects, warehouse surplus;

b) used cable lines, production residues;

c) old uncleaned cable;

d) dismantled communications;

e) installation waste.

Acceptance is carried out according to several criteria, which determine the price per kg of scrap. Take into account the length of the conductor pieces, percentage scrap to insulation, foreign impurities.

By the way! To determine the weight of the metal without winding, the acceptance specialist cuts off prototype conductor, cleans and weighs.

Average price per kg of copper scrap for 2018-2019

The extension cord with chargers constantly gets in the way on the table or under your feet, collects a lot of dust, and also looks unaesthetic. Dealing with this problem is very simple: take a nice box, make a few holes in it and hide all the wires and cables there.

There are also ready-made solutions, such as Plug Hub from Quirky. This is a box made of hard plastic with a rubberized bottom. There are three holes on top for cables, and inside there are three fasteners that can be used to wrap cords that are too long. The Plug Hub can be placed on the floor or mounted on the wall.

2. Secure the wires under the tabletop

To secure the wires and extension cord under the table, you will need binders and screws (their length should be at least a quarter less than the thickness of the table top, otherwise they will go right through and the table will be damaged). First of all, attach an extension cord under the tabletop, preferably in the middle of the table or closer to the wall. Then in in the right places secure the binders with screws. Connect everything you need to the extension cord and collect the wires with clamps. Visually the table has become much cleaner and neater.

There is a simpler option if you don’t need to hide a large number of wires. This will require construction stapler. To prevent the long wire from the lamp from dangling under your feet, carefully secure it with paper clips at the table leg. A small extension can also be secured with paper clips. For thicker wires, it is better to use special clamps (for example, these).

Stapler clips aren't your thing? Regular zip ties will do. Secure the wire to the table leg with zip ties. Wires that run along the floor can be covered with plastic or a board that matches the color of the floor. The extension can be secured under the tabletop using wide Velcro: secure it to the back side countertops, and then attach the extension. To prevent wires from dangling under the table, pass them through cable channels- they can be purchased at any hardware store. You can fix the channels themselves with electrical tape or a regular plaster.

3. Organize your cable storage

They will help you get rid of tangled wires. proper organization. First, collect cords from phones, players, etc. throughout the house. game console, tablets. Then take boxes (preferably prettier ones), place cardboard dividers inside them, label the location for each cable (so you don’t get confused later) and lay everything out neatly. To prevent the wires themselves from getting tangled, use regular cable ties.

If you don't want to deal with boxes, buy a basket and save up more toilet paper rolls.

If the wires don't bother you, you can simply attach a label to each one to make it easier to distinguish between them. For example, like this:

4. Keep all necessary wires at hand

We can’t hide all the cables in a box: we need some of them almost constantly. The solution is simple: secure them to the edge of your desktop so that if necessary, you can reach out and connect the device to the desired wire. Sugru will help us with this - plasticine-rubber and one of the most irreplaceable things in the household. Don't believe me? Then take a look.

Roll Sugru into small balls and secure them to a table support. Then use a utility knife to remove some of the plasticine (be careful, try not to deform the balls too much). Life hack: to prevent plasticine from sticking to the blade, rinse it first soapy water. Then adjust the shape a little with a sushi stick or toothpick to create neat hollows (they should be slightly wider than your wires). Everything is ready, you can fix the cables.

There is an option for those who know how to work with wood. A small block with holes will help organize all the wires on your desktop.

The simplest solution is to pass the wires through binders attached to the tabletop.

5. Don't hide wires

Seriously, if you get creative, cables can become interesting element decor.

Hi all!

The parcel was sent with a track tracked throughout China, all information on it is available for viewing via the link.

The extractors arrived in a regular plastic bag.


There are several variations on sale: you can buy 3 pieces, you can buy 8 pieces, or you can buy 11. I chose last option, since you never know which wire will have to be pulled out of the plastic clip.

All extractors were connected to each other by twisting, a ring was also included. Why you didn’t put them on him is a mystery.


The kit includes three different types of extractors: four for pins with one lock, four for pins with two locks and three for round pins. In general, options for all occasions. They look like this:


There are no particular complaints about the quality of production. The metal is quite hard and does not bend during operation. But if you set a goal, then thin “needles” can be bent by hand without any problems. But since there is no special load on them during intended use, there should be no problems with this. The rings are covered with something black, either plastic or rubber. The coating is moderately soft and does not slip in your hands. I put all the extractors on one complete ring and realized that this cannot be done. The ring turned out to be a bristly hedgehog that you couldn’t really pick up.

Now about the sizes:
1. extractors for pins with one lock (needle width): 0.8 mm, 1 mm, 1.2 mm. and 1.4 mm;
2. extractors for pins with two clamps (distance between “needles”): 2 mm, 3 mm, 4.5 mm. and 6 mm.;
3. round extractors (diameter): 2 mm, 2.6 mm. and 3.2 mm.

In general, no block can stand :)

Nothing else interesting about them appearance and the device does not exist, which means you can move on to practical tests. Since it was winter and cold outside (and even now it’s no better), connectors found in the pantry were used for the test. I tried to take as many different ones as possible, but it didn’t work out very well. In general, the test will be carried out on them:


The essence of how extractors work comes down to the following: insert it from the connector connection side, the “needles” (or “needle”) of the extractor compress the retaining antennae, pull the wire in the opposite direction and remove it from the block. This picture makes it more clear:


But theory is theory, and how it will be in practice needs to be seen for yourself. I started with the largest connector with 5 wires:


We insert - pull - we get the result:


After 15 seconds:


The process is just dragging out :)

Let's move on to the next connector, this time more compact. Also, no problems, and it took about 5 seconds to remove the wire, no more.


Last test subject:


Wire from it:


A closer look at the female contact shows that there is absolutely no damage to it. The only thing that indicates its removal is a small scratch on the retaining antenna, which means it can be installed back without any problems:


It turns out that extractors really work :) And very well. Previously, you had to suffer using needles or paper clips, and in the most critical cases, cut the wire or break the connector. This is over now. It takes a couple of seconds to remove the pin from the connector if there is direct access to it, and a little longer if the connector is in an inconvenient or hard-to-reach place.

The extractors have already been tested in real conditions. It was necessary to “pull out” the wire responsible for automatic operation headlight washer There were no problems:


In conclusion, I want to say that this purchase can definitely be considered successful. Perhaps, for those who have never tried to pull out wiring from a plastic box, this is not relevant, but for those who periodically face a similar task, you should pay attention to this set. Well, its main advantage is not even that it can reduce time, but that it will save nerves :) After all, poking around in the connector and trying to pull out the last intractable wire is still torture, capable of causing a lot of emotions (not the most positive) . So I was pleased. And for greater ease of use, I divided the extractors into two sets, hanging them on 2 different rings.

That's probably all. Thank you for your attention and your time.