Stripping Wire Insulation Burlington VT

Source: PRO AV Magazine
Publication date: December 1, 2007

By ProAV Staff

The purpose of a wire stripping tool is to remove the insulation from around the copper core of a cable without damaging the cable or yourself. Never use a knife or other type of sharp instrument to cut away insulation from a cable — as it is very easy for these instruments to slip, and you can injure yourself. Using side cutters or pliers can also be dangerous and less effective because they often cut away some of the strands of wire as well; this is known as ringing the wire, which effectively reduces the wire's current-carrying capacity.

Select the hole in the wire stripper that is closest to the diameter of the core in the cable to be stripped.

Place the cable in the hole, and close the jaws firmly around it to cut the insulation. If you have selected the right gauge, this will cut through the insulation but not through the copper core. Only remove as much insulation as is necessary to do the job. Too little bare wire may not achieve a good connection and too much may expose the wire to a potential short circuit. Removing more than half an inch (1.2 centimeters) of insulation at a time can also stretch and damage the core.

Some wire strippers automatically cut and remove the insulation; others just make the cut and hold the cable tightly, so you need to pull firmly on the wire to remove the insulation and strip out the copper core. To keep the strands together, give them a light twist.

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