Electrical Tools Buying Guide

Working on electrical wiring is a serious business. Most professional electricians spend years learning their trade through classes and apprenticeships before taking a rigorous exam to earn the title of Master Electrician.

Why do they go through all that training? Because strict safety codes must be followed when installing or repairing electrical wires and fixtures. If the codes aren't followed, the electrical circuits might overload or short out, causing injury or starting fires.

That's not to say that homeowners can't do their own wiring or repair. Lots of them can and do. But it's important to be aware of the principles behind electrical systems and safety standards. It's important to follow basic rules, such as shutting off any circuit you intend to work on before starting. And it's very important to have the proper tools on hand.

There are two main tasks that an Electrician needs to do. The first is to install the electrical wiring. The second is to test that wiring and make sure that it corresponds to safety codes.

Installing wiring requires all the normal tools used in construction. You'll need hammers, saws, screwdrivers, and pliers. Some of the regular tools in the electrician's toolkit, however, are adapted specifically for electrical tasks. For example, lineman's pliers will do the normal work of bending and twisting metal, but they will also include cutting blades so that you can slice through wires without having to put down the pliers and pick up a knife.

One of the most important considerations in adapting electrical hand tools is making sure they are properly insulated. It's not enough to have cushioned grips on the pliers. The insulation is needed to reduce the power of electrical shocks from live wires. So, you do want to get an insulated screwdriver, rather than use the unprotected one already in your toolbox.

Before and after installation, electricians use testers and detectors to find circuits and to determine the compatibility and safety of the different parts of the electrical system. It is the electrician's responsibility to make sure that the wires and circuits can handle the electrical load they carry. Meters, testers, and detectors are the main tools used for this task.

Multimeter A multimeter combines the features of other meters, including ammeters, ohmmeters, and voltmeters in one unit. They are extremely handy for troubleshooting. Multimeters come in either analog or digital versions. The digital multimeters tend to be a bit more expensive. Digital mulitmeters have more features, but analog meters may be better at indicating fluctuations in current.

Ammeter Ammeters are used to measure the flow of electric current within a circuit. Clamp-on ammeters are the most convenient type of ammeter, because they can be used without disconnecting any wiring. They are most often used by electricians to measure voltage or resistance in an electrical circuit.

Voltage Tester A voltage tester is used to determine whether or not a specific circuit is "live" or "hot" (meaning that electrical current is running through the circuit). This can make the difference between working safely on a circuit or risking serious electrical shock, so this tool needs to be in any basic electrician's toolbox.

Receptacle Tester Receptacle testers are used to check for various conditions within an electrical circuit. They are very important tools for ensuring that the wiring is correctly grounded.

Continuity Tester A continuity tester is attached to two points to determine whether or not they can create a complete electrical circuit. This can help if you are trying to find which wire in a bundle is connected to a particular wire end.

Circuit Breaker Detector This tool can help in determining which circuit breaker or fuse leads to which outlets. This can save time and effort when working on an existing system.

Wire Detector If you are trying to locate wiring or pipes behind a finished wall, this tool is invaluable. It can detect both pipes and live wires, showing you exactly where to go if you need to make repairs or upgrades.

Appliance Load Tester A specialized meter for household appliances, this unit measures the Amps or Watts used by a specific appliance or light.

Battery Tester This tool is great for checking all types of batteries to see if they are fully charged or nearing the end of their battery life.

Alligator Clips Alligator clips are mainly used to attach meter wires to a contact point. The clips make it easy to quickly attach or remove the connection.

Pliers

Pliers are a basic tool for anyone working on construction, maintenance, or repair. But they are especially useful for electricians, since those who work with electrical systems are constantly bending, twisting, pulling, and cutting wires. Because of the dangers of shocks from live wires, electricians need pliers with insulated handles. This reduces (but does not eliminate) the danger of getting shocked.

Linemen's Pliers Linemen's pliers are designed to grip, twist, and cut wires. At a pinch, they can be used to hammer small nails or wire staples into place. A good pair of pliers will have a rivet near the central joint, which allows the jaws to open wider and to give more leverage for a cut.

Diagonal Cutting Pliers Diagonal cutting pliers have a pair of blades that are set at an angle. They offer a bit more leverage than side-cutting pliers. They can cut through copper, iron, brass, or aluminum wires. Some diagonal cutting pliers can cut through steel, but not all, so check the specifications if you intend to do so. Otherwise, you can easily ruin the blade. In general, though, these are tough, durable cutters and should last years with proper use.

Side Cutting Pliers A pair of side cutting pliers will have a single cutting blade. Like diagonal cutting pliers, they are designed to cut through small wires. They come in a variety of nose shapes, including long nose, round nose, or curved.

Roundnose Pliers Roundnose pliers have short gripping jaws. This makes them a poor choice for reaching to small areas, but perfect for gripping short wires or for creating specific bends and twists.

Long Nose Pliers The advantage of long nose pliers (sometimes called needle-nosed pliers) is their ability to reach into very small areas. Like other pliers in the electrician's toolkit, they include snipping blades near the central joint, allowing you to cut through wires without changing your tool.

Pump Pliers Alone of the electrician's pliers, pump pliers do not usually include cutting blades. They are mainly used to grip around larger surfaces, such as nuts and bolts.

Scissors Used for general cutting, electrician's scissors also have grooves that make them handy for wire stripping.

Cable Cutter Cable cutters are designed with the extra leverage needed to cut through thick cable wiring.

Wire Strippers Wire strippers, sometimes called cable strippers, look like pliers with small round grooves cut into the jaws. These grooves are used to cut through the insulation around wire and cables, leaving the inner core undamaged. Once the insulation is cut, the wire is pulled through the groove, stripping the insulation neatly off the wire.

Crimping Tool A crimping tool is used to secure the connection from a cable or wire to its contact. Crimping tools make sure the wire is properly secured, with no air pockets or wobbling.

Modular Plug Tool This is an all-in-one tool that cuts, strips, and crimps. It is more expensive than the individual cutters, strippers, and crimpers, but may make up in convenience for the added cost.

Conduit Bender Conduits are the stiff metal pipes that run from the wiring panel to the metal switch boxes. Usually, the conduit pipe will need to be bent at one or more points. A conduit bender gives you a hard grooved foot to bend the pipe against. Markings on the tool show common angles. With practice, a basic conduit bender is all you need to make quick, accurate bends.

Screwdriver Screwdrivers, both flat and Philips head, are an essential part of the Electrician's toolkit. They can be purchased singly, or in sets that cover the range of screw sizes.

An insulated screwdriver will provide extra protection from shocks when working with electrical wiring and circuits.

Fish Tape Fish tape is used to "fish" through walls and around insulation. Once the fish tape has gotten to the point you need to reach, it can be attached to an electrical cable. Then the tape and the cable can be pulled through the wall.

Electrical Tape Electrical tape is used to cover and insulate wires. Friction tape is an older kind of electrical tape made from a woven fabric and resin. It needs to be moistened to stick. More modern electrical tape is made from plastic vinyl. It can come in black or colors. The colored tape is very helpful for color coding the wires.

The bad news is that electricians need to carry a wide range of tools specifically designed for electrical work. You may need to repurchase tools you already own, if they are not insulated. The good news is that most of those tools can be purchased for very reasonable prices.

Screwdrivers sell for about $5 apiece. They can be purchased in sets, which may run up to $50. Cutting and stripping tools can be bought for about $10-$40 each. A good conduit bender can be found for less than $20.

Testing equipment can be a bit more expensive, depending on how many features you want. Still, multimeters can be found for as little as $10 and voltage and receptacle testers start at around $5.

Fish tape sells for about $20-$80 per reel, but is meant to be reused. Electrical tape, which is not, can be purchased for around $5 a roll.

Companion
Craftsman
Gardner Bender
Klein
Knipex