List of tools Claw hammer Club hammer Large hacksaw Small hacksaw Knife Wood saw large flat head screwdriver large posi-drive screwdriver terminal screwdriver flat file reamer long nose pliers Bolster Cold chisel Wood chisel Foot print grips Water pump pliers (five holes) Draw tape Stocks and dies Hilmor vice and bender Draw tape Insulating tape Masonry, steel and wood bits Battery drill Hole cutters (starret) Pliers Side cutters Crimping tool Bending spring Specialist tools MIMS rotary stripper compression tool bush key potting tool spirado insulation/continuity tester earth fault loop/pscc meter rcd tester clamp meter GS38 approved voltage indicator spirit level steps (insulated) insulation stripper Allen keys tape measure
Claw hammer Used for removing cable clips, nails etc. Useful for lifting floor boards, cable clipping and general fixing tasks For safe use ensure that grip is tight, head is not damaged and kept away from any electrical supplies including battery terminals, goggles must be worn when used on bricks or masonry work. Club hammer Used mainly for chasing masonry walls, googles must be worn Used with a cold chisel or bolster for heavy work.
Large hack saw Used for cutting steel conduit, usually 32 teeth per inch, general cutting tool used for metal work, fully adjustable to enable quick blade removal/replacement, for safe use ensure that hands are kept clear when cutting, grease/ oil is removed from handle and frame, before use make sure locking screw is tightened and cutting teeth are positioned correctly, cutting should be at a 30 degree angle to assist with straightness. Junior hack saw Mainly used when installing plastic conduit, fine cutting work, very flexible blade, can be used as a guide when preparing steel wire armoured cable.
Knife Used for cutting cable sheath, many electricians, when second fixing twin and earth cables, pull the CPC to strip this type of cable, this can cause the CPC to become extruded and decrease in size. It is recommended that this cable should be stripped using a knife. A good quality knife is a must when preparing steel wire armoured cable as the outer sheathing is thick and robust. For safety, always cut away from you as you hold the cable. Wood saw Generally used to cut noggins and floorboards, a saw should be kept in good condition, most will last a lifetime if used and maintained correctly.
Bolster A utility tool used for chasing walls and lifting floors. Goggles should be worn when chasing, for general maintenance, ensure that the cutting blade is sharp and that burrs are removed from the grip end as hands can easily become damaged. Pad saw A tool used to cut plaster board for the installation of fast fix boxes, Can also be used to cut out low voltage lighting holes in plasterboard ceilings
Cold chisel Used to cut masonry walls, cut bricks or to fine tune chases. Should be maintained the same as a bolster Wood chisel Used to chop sections of wood from whole joists, to conform with building regulations, only a small amount should be cut to maintain strength.
Footprint grips Must be used to make a good connection of steel conduit, this gives electrical continuity. If used correctly, will not leave grip marks along the length of conduit, a must if installed on the surface of a building, excellent grip strength, fully adjustable via screw and locking thread. Water pump pliers (five holes) Mainly used as a tool to grip nuts which connect trunking sections. As these are adjustable in five positions, these are also used to gain a good grip on SWA glands.
Draw tape Used to install single core cables through conduit sections. Cable ends should be staggered to allow for ease of installation, insulating tape should be used to cover join between cables and draw tape, eye end is pushed through conduit, good practice is to double twist stripped cable ends allowing for push or pull through awkward sections. Insulation tape Available in many colours, used to cover live connections, can be used to mark cables as identified line, neutral etc, brown tape can be used to identify switch line in three plate lighting.
Drill bits These tools have been designed for drilling holes into building structure The type of drill bit should only be used for drilling into the material it was designed for; goggles must be worn when drilling. For correct depth, use insulating tape to mark drill for correct depth for rawplug. Masonry bit Steel bit wood bit hole cutter
Stocks and dies A tool used for threading steel conduit, threads are cut by turning the stocks by hand, care must be taken to remove swarf during the cut, turning the stock backwards will prevent build up. Tallow or cutting grease must be applied once the initial cutting of the thread has begun, a rag is used to remove excess lubricant. There are generally two types of thread, half socket, and runner. In general a half socket is three threads after the end of the die, while the runner thread is a coupler plus a lock ring, a reamer is used after the threads have been made, this cleans the inside of the conduit.
Vice and bender This tool is used to cut, bend and thread steel conduit on site. Conduit should be cut using the vice, take care when using the hacksaw, the cutting angle of the vice enables the electrician to achieve an accurate cut, this leaves a good angle for the stocks and dies to be pushed and turned onto the conduit which is threaded. The formers on the machine are used to bend the conduit into thirty degree and forty five degree sets, ninety degree right angle bends are easily formed, short length threading is also carried out by using the locking pins on the frame, joining and tightening of couplers and conduit boxes must be carried out by using the vice.
Battery drill A general purpose tool, used for drilling without the need for a supply, especially useful when installing new consumer units if the supply has been isolated, where both fixing and the use of a screwdriver bit are needed. Excellent for multi fixing of cable clips when using FP200 and similar cable types, usually comes with a charger unit and double battery. Modern types of drill allow for hammer drilling along with torque adjustment for removal or installation of stubborn screws. Twist drill insertion enables quick change from drill to screwdriver bit Reverse button is used to remove screws and speed is controlled via collar mechanism, right angle chuck pieces allow for close drilling into trunking etc.
Hole cutters Every electrician should have a set of hole cutters, these are used so often that a good quality set of regular sizes- 20mm and 25mm Are worth the investment, time saving and good quality workmanship are essential part of the trade, goggles must be worn when cutting into steel, never drill above without using some form of covering to the arms and face, hot steel falling onto the skin will lead to accidents. Used mainly when installing both steel and plastic conduit, ensure that removed material is taken out of the cutter, the cutting blade should not have broken teeth and the drill bit holder known as a mandrill has a screw which should be tightened before use, when cutting into thick material the use of cutting lubricant is essential.
Pliers A tool with many uses, is used for gripping objects which are being cut or removed from structures, can be used to cut cables, good at removal of plastic pattress cable entries. Will aid any gripping action, especially when pulling cables into conduit using a draw tape. Used for removal and installation of trunking nuts and bolts. Side cutters A tool used for cutting and marking cables during installation. Most electricians will rely upon this tool to second fix, excellent for removal of insulation from cable cores, cables can be marked by crimping cores to indicate switch lines etc.
Crimping tool A tool used to terminate crimp lugs onto cable ends, Adjustable crimp holes are used to terminate different sizes of lug, usually 1.5mm, 2.5mm and 4mm lug sizes on standard tools. For larger sizes, hydraulic crimping tools are used to ensure a good,solid terminal end that can be bolted onto busbars etc. Bending spring Available in different sizes for standard plastic conduit diameters. Springs are usually adapted for removal by twisting a length of single core cable to eye end. Springs must be used carefully, make sure that bends are in centre of conduit and that support is provided during this procedure, use the top of the knee to gain initial bend, then pull slowly until right angle bend is gained, rubbing the conduit will aid this process.
Screwdrivers The essential fixing tool, various shapes and sizes, always use the correct type and size to fit the required screw. The most unusual types are used for difficult acces or for security.
Terminal screwdriver A second fixing tool for gaining access to small screws in switches, ceiling roses and other installed accessories. These tools should never be used for working on live circuits, the use of the terminal neon type screwdriver can be especially dangerous as it can become live when touching the end plate if the resistor is defective. Flat file This tool is generally used after cutting uni-strut or other large metal fixings. Trunking and tray work will require sharp edges to be filed after cutting and joining, this is carried out so that cable insulation is not damaged by rough metal surfaces.
Reamer When cutting and threading steel conduit, small waste gathers along the cutting edge, often getting into the inside of the conduit. This will decrease the space available inside the conduit for cable installation, there will also be a sharp edge to the conduit after cutting and threading has taken place, using a reamer removes debris and sharp edges. Long nose pliers This tool is used to grip and push or hold cables in place so that a good termination can be made, used mainly to guide or for accuracy.
Bush key This enables male bushes to be tightened where couplers are used to join conduit into boxes or trunking. Good fixing of conduit is essebtial to maimtain earth continuity, remember conduit is a good conductor and must have earth continuity for safety. Rotary MIMS stripping tool A specialist cable tool, adjustable to fit all sizes, cutting blade can be changed using screw grip, turn for desired length then hold pliers behind for square cut.
Compression tool This tool is used to seal MIMS pot by compressing brass pot to plastic seal which has been filled with insulating compound, the tool has three small teeth which compress the brass pot to the seal. Must be cleaned after use. Potting tool A tool designed to attach the MIMS pot to the cable, it is screwed onto the gland thread, steady, regular push and turn will screw the pot onto the cable, do not overturn the thread down the cable, stop when cable reaches pot inner length.
Spirado A pump action draw tape, flexible steel design, strong enough to pass conduit bends easily and provides enough power to push debris out while pulling in cables. Multi-meter A meter used for measuring ohms, volts and amperes. Also used for diodes, farads and continuity using audio signal.
Continuity/insulation meter Designed to meet 17 th edition wiring regulations and GS38, used to test MIMS cable before installation, will test continuity of circuits and give values of insulation resistance at 500V, CARE MUST BE TAKEN WHEN CARRYING OUT INSULATION RESISTANCE TESTS, AS THIS VOLTAGE CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO EQUIPMENT. Earth fault loop tester/ RCD tester/ Clampmeter These three testers perform live tests and must be GS38 approved An earth fault loop tester gains values of Ze, and Zs by connecting line to earth for the period of the test, the RCD tester sends current through the circuit and provides a tripping time in milli- seconds, the clampmeter is able to measure the current of a circuit by measuring the magnetic field produced by this current, it converts this into a digital current reading. Always check leads and body of instrument before use, check that the calibration has been carried out and that the batteries are able to perform the required tests, failure to do so could nullify the test readings Causing loss of time and money, use warning signs and isolate before testing, you must comply with EAWR 1979 before testing, safety is your first priority.
GS38 approved voltage indicator This is an essential part of every electrician s toolkit. For isolation testing, this instrument should be used as it will provide safety, leads are to 1000V A.C, can be tested before use with proving unit, has finger guards, only 4mm retractable tip to probes, contains in line fused leads. Spirit level This tool comes in various sizes, each designed for a specific task. Electricians commonly use a boat level as the need to ensure correct installation of boxes, switches and sockets, this includes installing items level and to a required height.
Insulated steps When installing items in areas that have been energised, electricians should use insulated steps manufactured from fibre glass or other insulated material, aluminium steps should never be used in these areas as there is a risk of electric shock. These steps are durable, light weight and should be checked before use that damage to rungs, steps and screws, nuts and bolts are present, remove grease and dirt from steps, never go above knee height of last step and refrain form leaning to far, always keep three parts holding onto the steps and never gain height by placing steps onto another surface.
Insulation stripper This device comes in several types, a spring loaded manual stripper and automatic stripper. Used when second fixing and terminating conductors, all cable sizes can be stripped by using the device as these can be adjusted to suit. Allen keys Usually comes in a set enclosed in a sheath rather like a pen knife. Essential when installing new bonding conductors to main earth terminal or when using Henly blocks.
Tape measure An essential device used to determine length, height and width of objects. Essential when measuring to scale from drawings, comes in standard lengths and usually self retracting, never bend or crease as this will cause the tape to wear or rip. When using to scale scale multiplied by length on drawing Quantity in base unit Example drawing shows a socket at 6.5 cm at a acale of 1:50 50 x 6.5 = 3.25 M on site 100
Chalk line A retractable cord which is pulled tight between two pencil marks. This cord is then plucked to produce straight lines across surfaces, essential when installing conduit and trunking to building fabric. Coloured chalk is used; this enables correct spacing of fixings and allows visual alignment of installed equipment.
Electrical Tools This learning aid has been designed to assist with your learning, if you require further development, please consult your lecturing staff.