There’s a mystique around some of the things that we do around the home repair and renovation world that makes people think that doing some things for yourself is a lot harder and more complicated than it really is. If you’re serious about learning to do even some electrical things yourself, there are a few tools that you should buy and learn to use.
One of the first of these is a multipurpose tool that’s commonly sold in most hardware or home renovation places. This is a tool that you’ll want to use to strip insulation, cut wire and crimp wire connectors. Some of the other things that you’ll need to do the simplest of things are an area voltage tester and assorted twist connectors, electrician’s tape, and a utility knife.
One of the things that you’ll need to do to start off even the easiest electrical job is run wire through closed spaces like the walls or ceiling. To do that, you’ll need a flexible steel fish tape that allows you to push the wire through these spaces without your being able to see it. Feed the tape into an opening and into the space behind. When it reaches the spot where you want it to be, attach the cable and pull both back to the starting point.
One of the other jobs that you’ll find yourself doing is cutting various wires to length and to do that, you’ll need to use your multipurpose tool or a pair of electrician’s pliers. Before you fasten any wire, you need to remove the insulation from the end. All of the multipurpose type tools have the gauges of the most common wire types marked so that you know exactly which one fits the wire that you are using simply by checking where it fits on the gauge. If you’re unsure as to the gauge of the wire that you are using, start with the one that has the largest notch and work backwards until you get to the one that fits.
To fasten a wire to a screw terminal, you’ll need to expose about 1/4 in and then bend the end into a hook. Slip it around the screw with the opening to the right. Tightening the screw will wrap the wire clockwise and this motion should close the hook. Remember that the end should not protrude from under the screw head. You should also learn to use twist connectors to fasten fixture leads and cable wires together. Here you should strip about 1/2 in off each of the wires and then twist them together before applying the connector.
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