11 Best Handy Tools Used By Technicians For Electrical Work

Every trade requires its own set of tools. Electrical technicians also use a variety of equipment. While some of them are used for specific occasions, there are a few which are absolutely essential for certain basic tasks. If you want to do a quality job, you should use the following tools:

1. Measuring tape-

Though it is not electrical in nature, a measuring tape helps electricians in judging how much wire do they need while cabling. Most of the time, your cabling would either be within your walls or under the ground, so in order to find out the length of the wire, you would need a measuring tape.

2. Clipper- 

Also called a cutter, a clipper is used to clip away the rubber/ plastic cover of the wires.  A clipper is essentially a 2-arm device with sharp teeth. To clip your wire, simply place its one end between the teeth and then press them by exerting pressure on the arms. Clippers are useful accessories in any electrician’s kit as he has to install and fix wires in houses and offices all the time. 

3. Tester- 

This is an extremely simple device and is used to detect electrical current in a wire or any part of a circuit. If you are an aspiring technician, you must have a tester in your kit bag. Testers are used to detect small values of current in electrical machinery. Essentially, they look like a screwdriver but this where the similarity ends. There is a very small bulb inside the handle that lights up when you make contact with your tester with a piece of equipment. The bulb will light up only when there is some current in the circuit and after you touch its other end with your thumb.

Additional Resource: What Are Current Clamps Used For?

4. Multimeter-

This device checks and measures voltage, current, resistance and other variables in an electrical circuit. Multimeters are available as analog as well as digital devices. These days, multimeters come with Bluetooth and thermal imaging devices. There is a host of various kinds of testers available and some firms like Mektronics offer its advanced versions. 

5. Voltage Testers- 

It is dangerous to work on live wires and voltage testers protect us here. While you have simple testers that check minor volumes of current, voltage testers check higher levels of electricity.

6. Circuit finder- 

In many cases, there is trouble locating the circuit in your home. Your circuit directory will rarely match what has been installed at your home. Well, you can solve this problem by having a circuit finder. Just plug into your power outlet and it tells you where the circuit it.

7. Gloves-

These protect the technician from Yale Electric Supply Co shocks. You must have a robust pair of gloves in your kit.

8. Pliers- 

These are handy to grasp your wires and other objects. Generally, there are 3 kinds of pliers- Side cutting and diagonal cutting pliers, long nose or needle nose, and tongue and groove pliers. You must have all these with you at all times.

9. Torch- 

If you have to often work in dark, then a torch is handy.

10. Safety shoes-

Protect yourself from naked, live wires lying on the ground and posing danger to you or your colleagues.

11. Screwdrivers and nut drivers-

Though these are not often considered during electric work, screwdrivers and nut drivers are sometimes used while fixing plates, covers of meter boxes, etc. 

To sum up, you must have at least 11 different types of tools in your kit bag while attending electricity-related tasks.