InspectAPedia ^®

Mobile View

ELECTRICAL INSPECTION, DIAGNOSIS, REPAIR
AFCIs ARC FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTERS
ALUMINUM SECs & WIRING
ALUMINUM WIRING HAZARDS
AMPS & VOLTS DETERMINATION
AMPACITY - the LIMITING FACTOR
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 & 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

InspectAPedia ^® Home & Site Map
InspectAPedia Blog - News Updates
Air Conditioning & Heat Pumps
Bookstore
Electrical
Environment
Exteriors
Heating
Home Inspection
Insulate Ventilate
Interiors
Mold Inspect/Test
Plumbing Water Septic
Roofing
Structure
Accuracy & Privacy Policies
Contact Us

• How to strip the ends of electrical wires
• Types of electrical circuit wires used in homes: what are NM, NMC, UF, BX, Romex, armored cable wire types
• Tools & tips for stripping electrical wires
• Guide to Electrical Hazards in Buildings: inspection, detection, & repair advice

This article provides basic tips on how to strip the ends of electrical wires used in homes. Readers of this article should also see ELECTRICAL DEFINITIONS and also 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 2009 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.

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

Electrical Wire End Stripping Tips

Elizabeth Sluder

Different kinds of cables and electrical wire are commonly used by the homeowner or electrician when performing routine wiring tasks.  These tasks are fairly easy to do but practice with the techniques involved always helps.  Before actually working with a type of wire or cable that is new to you, cut off a short piece and try stripping, joining, etc.  Experiment a bit to find out which of the tools you have available are easiest for you to use and which do the best job.  A little time spent in trial and error will make the job go faster. 

How to Strip the Wire Ends for Plastic-Sheathed Electrical Cable

Permanent indoor installations are made by running lengths of wire between outlets and switches along or inside walls, floors, and ceilings. An electrical circuit always needs a hot and a neutral conductor plus a ground for safety.

How to Remove the Plastic Sheathing from Plastic-Sheathed Electrical Wire

• Make certain that the electrical power has been turned off and that you've used a test tool such as a VOM or neon tester to confirm that the wires you're working on are not electrically live. Failure to take this step risks a fatal electrical shock.
• Place cable on a solid flat surface.
• Determine the length of insulation to be removed. The cut through the plastic wire jacket should be six to eight inches long. Some electricians spread their hand wide and use the distance between the tip of their pinkie and the tip of their thumb to choose the length of wire to be stripped.
• Cut the wire cable covering in its center. Use enough pressure to penetrate the sheathing but not so much that you cut the insulation on the inner wires.  
  • Use a utility knife to cut the sheathing along the flat side. Try to make the cut straight and as nearly as possible in the center of the sheathing.
  • Alternatively, use the inexpensive NMC wire stripping tool available at any electrical supply store or building supply store. This tool is a simple metal device that slips over the end of the plastic-covered electrical cable; when the two sides of the tool are pressed together a small metal tooth cuts into the center of the cable; holding the cable body in your left hand, grasp the stripping tool in your right hand, squeeze it on the wire and simply pull it towards the end of the wire and off. You'll see that this little tool makes a nice cut down the very center of the wire and that it will not damage any of the conductors.

  Why do we start our wire stripping procedure in the center of the wire? When you cut the end of a NMC electrical wire you'll see how the electrical wires are arranged: you'll see an insulated black wire (the hot wire) on one side of the cable, an insulated white wire (the neutral wire) on the opposite side of the cable, and running in the center you will see a bare (or paper-wrapped) copper ground wire. By cutting in the center of the wire to begin your wire stripping procedure, your knife tip will run alongside the bare ground wire and you'll minimize the chance of nicking or damaging the black or white insulation on the individual hot or neutral wires.          

• Peel back the plastic sheathing to the beginning of the cut.
• Trim oft the plastic with wire cutters or large shears.
• Remove and cut off the paper that is wrapped around the inner ground conductor.
• If you see that you have nicked the insulation covering the hot or neutral conductors or that you have nicked the bare ground wire, simply trim off the section and try again. Here is a photo of stripped wire ends (obsolete solid conductor aluminum wire)

How to Remove the Metal Sheathing from Armored Cable ("BX") Electrical Wires

Armored cable or metallic-sheathed electrical cable has been in use since 1896 (in the U.K.) and in its most basic form contains two electrical conductors (black-hot and white-neutral) each individually insulated and both usually wrapped with a spiral of paper which is in turn enclosed in a flexible metallic sheathing such as shown in our abandoned-wire photograph below.

Hacksaw method for stripping armored BX cable:

Cutting-tool method for stripping BX armored cable:

Make certain that the electrical power has been turned off and that you've used a test tool such as a VOM or neon tester to confirm that the wires you're working on are not electrically live. Failure to take this step risks a fatal electrical shock.

• Bend the BX armored cable sharply until the armor buckles.
• Twist the armored cable in the direction that will unwind the armor spiral. This causes a section of the armor to spring out at the point of the bend.
• Slip the cutting tool through the armor where it has buckled. Trim away sharp edges. Slide off the end of the armor.
• Use the shaping grip in the jaws to reform the buckled cable-end after stripping the paper from the inner conductors and trimming it off.
• Trim away or bend the sharp edges of the armor at the point of the cut. Make sure no edges are in position to cut into the insulation in the inner conductors. This is important.

After Stripping the BX jacket from electrical wire

Protect the conductor wires (hot & neutral) from future damage from the sharp edges of the cut armored cable jacket. To eliminate the possibility of sharp edges of the armor cutting into the conductor insulation, a fiber bushing should be inserted under the armor, at the point where the conductors emerge.

Share this Article      

...

Technical Reviewers & References

Search InspectAPedia

• Daniel Friedman - principal author/editor of the InspectAPedia^® Website
• Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
• Elizabeth Sluder, Montross, VA, the original author of this article, is a public school teacher who writes basic educational articles about a variety of building, construction, and other topics. Her husband, a licensed electrician, consults for her writing on electrical topics. Her articles appearing at the InspectAPedia ^TM Website have been edited, illustrated, and on occasion content has been added by the website author. These articles are © 2009 InspectAPedia copyright-protected, all rights reserved.
• Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education, publications, report writing materials, and home inspection services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
• NFPA - the National Fire Protection Association can be found online at www.nfpa.org
• The 2008 NEC National Electrical Code (ISBN 978-0877657903) Online Access LINK (you'll need to sign in as a professional or as a visitor)
• The 2008 Residential Wiring Code, a subset of the 2008 NEC, can be understood through Mastering the NEC at http://www.2008nec.com/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=18
• Reference: Wikipedia.org on electrical wiring, September, 2008

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.

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

Links to our list of additional documents on electrical inspection, repair, and products

InspectAPedia® Home & Site Map - Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, & Problem Prevention Advice: In-depth research & advice on diagnosing, testing, correcting, & preventing building defects & indoor environmental hazards. Unbiased information, no conflicts of interest.

The Mold Information Center: What to Do About Mold in Buildings, When and How to Inspect for Mold, Clean Up Mold, or Avoid Mold Problems

Use this simple, economical mold test kit by following our instructions on how to collect and mail mold samples to our lab

Environmental Inspection, Testing, & Diagnosis On-Site IAQ, Gas, Air Testing, Mold Investigation, Sick Building Diagnosis, Lab Services, & Remediation Plan Preparation - indoor air quality testing, problem source determination, supporting lab work, written remediation plan addressing removal of environmental and other hazards and prevention of their recurrence.

Building Inspection, Problem Diagnosis, Forensic Investigation & Testing, Repair Consulting

Contact Daniel Friedman for website content suggestions or for fee-paid consulting