Care needs to be exercised while choosing electrical tools as they must be designed to protect you against unexpected electric shocks while working. Click here to learn more about insulated power tools like screwdrivers, side cutters, slip joint pliers, and spanner sets that offer total protection. You can work with them on any electrical projects.
Here’s a buying guide that gives you an idea of commonly used insulated power tools for your electrical projects:
Insulated Screwdrivers and Nut Drivers with Rubber-grip Handles
Insulated screwdrivers are part of any electrician’s tool kit. The ones with plastic handles are not recommended as they are brittle and crack easily, and can pose a shock hazard. Check for electrical insulation rating while buying insulated screwdrivers, which should protect against shock from power sources with voltage up to 1000 volts.
Other standard insulated tools include:
- Wire testers tell you if a wire is live or if the power is off and needs to be part of the tool kit for any electrical project.
- Voltage testers can read the power through the wire by penetrating the cable insulation to check if the wires are live before you can start working on them. Voltage testers are designed to detect power without coming in contact with the power source or a live wire.
- Continuity testers are used to check fuses, sockets, or switches at the source of the power when it is off.
- Digital Multi-testers are two-in-ones that double as voltage detectors and continuity testers and often come as a single unit.
- Wire cutters or power cutters are probably the most used tools that frequently contact live wires and need to be well-insulated to protect against electric shocks.
- Wire stripping pliers are somewhat similar to wire cutters, except that they feature a notch in the centre. A pair of insulated pliers is an essential tool for electricians and should feature a comfortable grip, insulated handles that close smoothly. They come in several sizes suitable for side cutting, and diagonal cutting which are used to cut specific lengths of wire. Needle-nose or long-nose pliers used to access narrow spaces also need to be adequately insulated.
- Adjustable wrenches are tools designed with an adjustable head that fit different sizes of nuts and bolts. These wrenches need to be insulated as they often come in contact with live nuts and bolts.
- Cable cutters need to be adequately insulated as they are used to cut different gauges of cable and wire, which are live.
- Insulated pliers are an essential tool making a part of an electrician’s belt as they are used to grip wires and other live objects while working on electrical projects around the home or office.
- Multimeters measure various electrical properties like the current, voltage, resistance, and DC voltage. Whether they are analogue or digital tools, they need to be correctly insulated.
- Multi-tools are a standard accompaniment of any electrician and feature a heavy aluminium body (good conductor of electricity) with several functions (as much as 18 functions). They feature rust-resistant stainless steel blades, and the handle has to be heavily insulated as this tool has many built-in attachments that are all prone to come in contact with a live wire or power source points.
Summing it Up
Electricians work in an atmosphere where they are prone to contact live wires or power sources very often. It is advisable to carry standard, insulated tools that are certified for safety.
Image Credits: Michal Jarmoluk
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