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 Mobile View ELECTRICAL INSPECTION, DIAGNOSIS, REPAIR AFCIs ARC FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTERS ALUMINUM SECs & WIRING ALUMINUM WIRING HAZARDS AMPS & VOLTS DETERMINATION AMPACITY - the LIMITING FACTOR APPLIANCE EFFICIENCY RATINGS BOOKSTORE - ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT BREAKER FAILURE Classified CIRCUIT BREAKER WARNING DEFINITIONS of ELECTRICAL TERMS DIRECTORY OF ELECTRICIANS ELECTRIC METERS & METER BASES ELECTRIC PANEL AMPACITY ELECTRIC PANEL INSPECTION ELECTRICAL BASICS Electricity Basics - how it works Electrical Circuit ID, Map & Label Electrical Circuits, shorts Electrical Code Basics Electrical Conduit Tips Electrical Definitions Electrical Grounding Basics Electrical Outlet-how to add Electrical Splices, how to make Electrical Tools & Basic Tests Electrical Wire Stripping Tips Electrical Wiring Books & Guides Electrical Wiring in Old Houses ENERGY SAVINGS in BUILDINGS FEDERAL PACIFIC FPE HAZARDS GROUND SYSTEM INSPECTION KNOB & TUBE WIRING LIGHTNING PROTECTION LOW VOLTAGE BUILDING WIRING MAIN DISCONNECT AMPACITY MULTI-WIRE CIRCUITS PUSHMATIC - BULLDOG PANELS RUST in ELECTRICAL PANELS SAFETY FOR ELECTRICAL INSPECTORS SE CABLE SIZES vs AMPS SQUARE-D RECALLS UNDERGROUND SERVICE LATERALS VOLTAGE MEASUREMENT EQUIPMENT ZINSCO / SYLVANIA HAZARDS More Information |
This article answers basic questions electrical repair tools and a simple voltage presence or absence test for homeowners looking at an electrical outlet. Readers of this article should first see SAFETY FOR ELECTRICAL INSPECTORS. This website provides information about a variety of electrical hazards in buildings, with articles focused on the inspection, detection, and reporting of electrical hazards and on proper electrical repair methods for unsafe electrical conditions. Critique and content suggestions are invited. Credit is given to content editors and contributors. © Copyright 2010 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website. Sketch at page top courtesy of Carson Dunlop.
Basic Electrical Tools & Instruments for Working With ElectricityElizabeth Sluder and Daniel Friedman With a few exceptions, you probably have the tools you need for most electrical repairs. All you need are common hand tools, some power tools, electrical supplies, and a few special items. Three Simple Electrical Test Tools that Every Homeowner Should Have & Use
As a bonus in our photograph above, our plastic, non-conductive pen is pointing out a dangerous condition: the plastic front of the lower half of this electrical receptacle has broken away - someone could be badly shocked or burned. The outlet needs to be replaced immediately.
Here are the Basic Hand Tools Needed for Simple Electrical Repairs
Here are Simple Supplies for Basic Electrical Repairs
Here are Additional Supplies for Needed Basic Electrical Appliance Repairs (such as a clock radio)
If your repair work involves wire splicing in an appliance like a clock radio, it is desirable to solder the splice to assure good electrical contact. A high heat electric iron, or gun, or a pencil flame propane torch, will heat the joint faster and assure a good flow of solder.
Here are Descriptions of some Special Electrical Tools & Test Instruments
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A digital multimeter such as the tiny one shown in our photo combines several electrical test functions and can be used to check for the presence of live electrical power, to check the voltage level, and in another switch position, it can serve as a continuity tester. See VOLTAGE MEASUREMENT EQUIPMENT for details about using this and related electrical tools. |
Many types of tools are available for stripping insulation from wire. All consist of a pliers-like tool with cutouts on the jaws corresponding to various wire sizes. The cutouts allow the stripper to cut through the insulation without cutting or nicking the conductor Some strippers also have provision for cutting wires and small bolts.
A "fish tape" is is a flexible wire used to pull electrical cables through building walls and ceilings, also referred to as "fishing wires". We need a fish tape (or a substitute) when we need to pull a wire through existing walls, floors, or ceilings where finished surfaces have been installed.
Fish tapes for pulling electrical wires are available in various lengths. The fish tape has a hook at the end to which the wire can be attached after the tape is worked through the opening. The tape is then withdrawn pulling the wire through.
If there are cartridge fuses on your service panel, you will need a fuse puller for safe removal of fuses. Check the sizes of the fuses you will have to remove before you purchase a fuse puller. Make certain the puller you buy is the right size for your use.
Two simple and inexpensive testers are absolutely essential to electrical work. If you own a handitester or similar volt-ohm meter, that will do the same job.
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Safety Warning: Do not attempt to work on your electrical wiring, switches, or outlets unless you are properly trained and equipped to do so. Electrical components in a building can easily cause an electrical shock, burn, or even death. Even when a hot line switch is off, one terminal on the switch is still connected to the power source. Before doing any work on the switch, the power source must be turned off by setting a circuit breaker to OFF or removing a fuse. See SAFETY FOR ELECTRICAL INSPECTORS and Electrical Wiring Books & Guides |
Touch one voltage tester probe inside the ground slot and the other probe to each of the prong slots in turn. The bulb should light in one of them. The slot in which the bulb lights will tell you which is the "hot" connection; the other slot in the receptacle will be the neutral connection.
You can also determine whether or not the receptacle has been properly wired by this method (the larger slot should be the neutral wire) but a simpler plug-in electrical receptacle tester does the job more easily and more safely.
See VOLTAGE MEASUREMENT EQUIPMENT for details about using this and related electrical tools.
Touch one probe to the screw on the outside of the cover plate and the other probe in each slot in turn. The bulb should light in one of them - maybe.
If the receptacle cover plate screw is metal it is touching a metal strap that holds the plastic body parts of the electrical receptacle together. That same metal strap ends in "ears" that include holes through which the electrical receptacle is mounted to the electrical junction box in the building wall. If the electrical junction box is metal and if the electrical junction box is itself connected to the building grounding system, that strap, by touching the metal junction box, provides an unreliable ground path which will let you per from the test above.
The proper method of making the ground connection for an electrical receptacle is through a ground wire connecting the ground screw on the electrical receptacle body to the ground wire entering the electrical junction box - if there is a ground wire.
If the 2-slot electrical receptacle is installed on an electrical circuit which does not include a ground path (such as knob and tube electrical wiring) or if the 2-slot receptacle has not been properly mounted and grounded, this test may not show you anything, but the receptacle may still be "live" - a condition that shows up the two voltage tester probes are inserted one-each into the two receptacle slots.
If you find that the receptacle is live but that connecting the receptacle cover plate through the voltage tester to each receptacle slot in turn does not cause the tester to show power, then that electrical circuit may not be safely grounded, and further investigation by a professional is warranted.
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Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.
ELECTRICAL BASICS
Electricity Basics - how it works
Electrical Circuit ID, Map & Label
Electrical Circuits, shorts
Electrical Code Basics
Electrical Conduit Tips
Electrical Definitions
Electrical Grounding Basics
Electrical Outlet-how to add
Electrical Splices, how to make
Electrical Tools & Basic Tests
Electrical Wire Stripping Tips
Electrical Wiring Books & Guides
Electrical Wiring in Old Houses
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11/26/2009 - 09/03/2008 - InspectAPedia.com/electric/Electrical_Tools.htm - © 2010 - 2008 Copyright Daniel Friedman All Rights Reserved - InspectAPedia® is a Registered U.S. Trademark
