I am getting ready to run copper wire to my subpanel in my garage. I know that when it comes to stripping the typical heavy gauge copper wire for this type of feeder wire that it will not be as simple as it is when installing a simple outlet or switch to strip the wire. Are there any tricks for stripping the big gauge stuff that is going into a subpanel? Thanks for any help.
stripping the insulation How To?
- Thread starter va944
- Start date
SGKent
Banned
use a box cutter. Go around lightly then down the length and peel it off. We are only talking ends right?
buzz4041
Well-known member
Just remember to push the knife away from you with your hands behind it. I seen to many apprentices not listen and rip into their other hand while the were holding it and pulling the knife towards them. I prefer to set my length cut first by circular then go from there to the end. It is just a matter of what you are comfortable with.
MrMark
Well-known member
I use a utility knife. I first pare away at the insulation the strip distance to the end of the wire. I do this until I just get a bit of copper showing at the end. I hold the knife at a low angle to do this initial work. Then I ring the insulation exactly where I started paring in the first step. Finally, I score the insulation a little as necessary longitudinally and peel it away.
Gary S
Well-known member
Professionals have wire stripping tools. Amateurs have a Leatherman in their pocket.
Aceman
Well-known member
I use a sharp utility knife. Ring it, cut from the ring to the end AWAY from yourself. Insert the blade into the cut and twist the knife blade to spread the cut apart. Grab the insulation piece with your fingers, pull it off and you're done.
green.bubbly
Well-known member
I use my teeth and gnaw off the insulation.
I have my eyes on one of these. Anyone use one like this?
Lil Ripper Stripper. Looks like a great tool except when it comes to cutting off the stripped sheathing.
I have my eyes on one of these. Anyone use one like this?
Lil Ripper Stripper. Looks like a great tool except when it comes to cutting off the stripped sheathing.
ishiboo
Well-known member
I go around the circumference with a utility knife, not cutting all the way to the wire. Then make a line straight up from that line to the cut end of the wire. Grab the "end" where your cut is with a linesman pliers and you can pull/unravel it, and it will stop where your line is. Practice a couple times before you do the real deal in a box
cderalow
Well-known member
pipe cutter on very low pressure.
rockchucker
Well-known member
One thing I was taught is that you do not want to nick the wire while cutting around the Insulation. It creates a hot spot in the Wire itself. So just be careful to only score the Insulation with a sharp Blade all the way around it then cut lengthways and rip it off with Linesman Pliers.
Never heard of using a small Tubing Cutter! I bet it works pretty well! Thanks for the tip.
Never heard of using a small Tubing Cutter! I bet it works pretty well! Thanks for the tip.
Okay I appreciate all of the feedback, was hoping for a magic bullet but I guess it is just proceed with caution. I am still not clear on the best way to cut the outer jacket off to expose the individually insulated conductors that need to be separated as they enter the sub and main panel. That looks like more of a pain then stripping the insulation off of the individual conductors
ishiboo
Well-known member
Just a utility knife, that's the easy part. I have the Bostich double-blade knife, so I use a hook blade to do that.
Aceman
Well-known member
I use my teeth and gnaw off the insulation.
I have my eyes on one of these. Anyone use one like this?
Lil Ripper Stripper. Looks like a great tool except when it comes to cutting off the stripped sheathing.
We always score Romex insulation with a slightly dull utility knife BEFORE we insert it into the box. It's much easier than trying to strip it after. We'll leave one cable 12" or so longer than the other(s) coming into the box so we can twist the grounds together and crimp it. This also leaves you some extra wire to make pigtails if you're doing it that way.
cderalow
Well-known member
seemed to work pretty well for the guys I was watching pull 350-500MCM.
MrMark
Well-known member
I use my teeth and gnaw off the insulation.
I have my eyes on one of these. Anyone use one like this?
Lil Ripper Stripper. Looks like a great tool except when it comes to cutting off the stripped sheathing.
I've used that quite a bit and it is a good tool. I liked it but I was always careful with it as I never completely trusted that the hooked end couldn't nick the wire.
I pretty much went back to the old standby Klein's that work on 14/2 and 12/2 jackets and make a very clean job of it. The problem with them is that you can't squeeze all the way down or they will cut the insulation too. I always score the jacket with the Klein's before putting it in the box 12 inches from the end or so. After the cable is in the box - I insert it 1/2 inch or so past the scoring - I rip the cable off. It's very hard to strip cable neatly once in a box. I can do it like the guys doing it for a living by zip, zip, scoring with the utility knife but I have seen too many mistakes to do this that way. Again, if I were doing it for a living I would just zip/zip both sides of the jacket with the knife and pull it off.
In fact, I have never been able to squeeze all the way with any strippers as they all seem to nick the wire just a hair. I have to go almost all the way and pop it off where the last little cut is literally torn. If you have to go fast I probably would just squeeze all the way and forget about the tiny nick.
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MrMark
Well-known member
If you are talking heavy cable like 2/3 nm or something like that I know what you mean. It is a pain. What I have done - and this is the safest way - is to do it exactly like I do 12/3 which is to split the jacket into two pieces from the end and rip them apart with great hand force. A little scoring down the length makes it easier if you care very careful.
MrMark
Well-known member
Does anyone know of any strippers that 100 percent won't nick the wire when used as intended? I mean fully squeezed down on the wire. I haven't used that many but every one I have tried nicks the wire just a bit. Unacceptable to me so I have to resort to lighter pressure, ringing and poping. I maintain that you can "hear" a good strip as the insulation pops off.
ishiboo
Well-known member
I have the Klein's and the GB stripper, both do a good job of stripping. I've never knicked the insulation with either, maybe I don't squeeze hard enough? The Klein pops the insulation right off.
The GB is fine, but the Klein's serrated cutter seems to cut better than the GB's flat one. Better than either for cutting is the compound cutter on the Crescent compound linesmen.
MrMark
Well-known member
I mean nick the wire with the stripper. I guess it has to nick it a little to cut all the way through cleanly. Copper is so soft compared to steel that the slightest little pressure on the copper nicks it some.
You say you can completely close the Klein's around the insulated wire in the act of stripping without nicking the wire? What model is this?
You say you can completely close the Klein's around the insulated wire in the act of stripping without nicking the wire? What model is this?
MrMark
Well-known member
This is the one I use
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H6VT7U/?tag=atomicindus08-20
it will nick the wire every time if you use it as intended by fully closing around a wire.
It will also nick the wires' insulation if fully closing around the cable to strip the jacket. I can only squeeze a little - not all the way - and pull to snap the jacket off. I never cut it clean any more after seeing the nicks it made. I was unable to use it as intended without nicks.
Two different things going on here but it doesn't seem to work perfectly on either one: stripping wires or stripping jackets. Maybe I am just not doing it right?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H6VT7U/?tag=atomicindus08-20
it will nick the wire every time if you use it as intended by fully closing around a wire.
It will also nick the wires' insulation if fully closing around the cable to strip the jacket. I can only squeeze a little - not all the way - and pull to snap the jacket off. I never cut it clean any more after seeing the nicks it made. I was unable to use it as intended without nicks.
Two different things going on here but it doesn't seem to work perfectly on either one: stripping wires or stripping jackets. Maybe I am just not doing it right?
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MrMark
Well-known member
this is the other one I have and it nicks too! But just a teeny bit and less than the Klein:
For the #14 or #12 AWG copper, either use the wire-stripper type like MrMark posted above carefully, or just go 'up' one size with the stripper holes. ie: use the #12 'cutter' size for #14 wire, squeeze, 'ring' around the wire a bit, and pull.
As to the OP, for stripping 'big' wires, sharp knife and 'ring' around the insulation and then remove the insulation as desired.
Larger diameter, heavy jacketed, fine-stranded wires are a pain to do. I always seem to knick or pull off at least some strands.
A 'hot knife' type insulation stripper would be the way to go though. Not so practical for field use though. Good for bench work.
As to the OP, for stripping 'big' wires, sharp knife and 'ring' around the insulation and then remove the insulation as desired.
Larger diameter, heavy jacketed, fine-stranded wires are a pain to do. I always seem to knick or pull off at least some strands.
A 'hot knife' type insulation stripper would be the way to go though. Not so practical for field use though. Good for bench work.
Falcon67
Well-known member
I use my teeth and gnaw off the insulation.
I have my eyes on one of these. Anyone use one like this?
Lil Ripper Stripper. Looks like a great tool except when it comes to cutting off the stripped sheathing.
I used to gnaw, then I had to pay the dentist $150 to put my false front tooth back in and he refused to sharpen it while it was out. So I had to buy a tool.
I just bought one of those yaller things yesterday - works OK for splitting the sheath on romex, not sure about stripping. I like my hand held better.
buzz4041
Well-known member
With a pair of #9 kleins you grab the jacket on the flat side and give it a yank the outer will split and then you just pull it by hand and your done. No fancy tools needed to strip a romex.
matt151617
Well-known member
I use my teeth and gnaw off the insulation.
I have my eyes on one of these. Anyone use one like this?
Lil Ripper Stripper. Looks like a great tool except when it comes to cutting off the stripped sheathing.
I picked one of those up from Lowes for about $5, works great. Much easier than trying to use a utility knife to cut the sheathing. It also works great for twisting down wire nuts. I don't like the way it strips wire though, it never does a nice clean edge. I prefer to use an actual wire stripper/crimper.
When doing any electrical work, these are the tools I consider essential:
- Multimeter: to verify the circuit is dead
- No contact tester: to verify the circuit is dead again or when you want to cut into an existing line and have no way of checking it with a multimeter.
- Pliers: one pair of linesman, one pair of needlenose
- Romex stripper
- Light-up outlet tester
- Bag of yellow and bag of red wire nuts
- Utility knife
- Electrical tape
- LED headlamp
- Wirestripper
- Level
- Square bit driver, phillips, flathead screwdriver
Lowes sells a small electricians tool belt for $10, I threw everything in that and clip it to my belt while doing work.
nkachur
Well-known member
I use a couple tools that I like.
for round cable I have one of these. The cutting depth is adjustable and it does both a lengthwise and circumfrence cut. Works on single and multipe conductor round cable.
Photo courtesy of the snap-on web store site.
for regular conductors (ie 14, 16, 18 guage...) I have a set of these. do not buy cheap knock offs as they will nick your wires. These are Klein tools and again are one of my favorite tools.
photo courtesy of klein tools
for round cable I have one of these. The cutting depth is adjustable and it does both a lengthwise and circumfrence cut. Works on single and multipe conductor round cable.
Photo courtesy of the snap-on web store site.
for regular conductors (ie 14, 16, 18 guage...) I have a set of these. do not buy cheap knock offs as they will nick your wires. These are Klein tools and again are one of my favorite tools.
photo courtesy of klein tools
rabidsquirrel
Well-known member
I picked up a pair of the klein yellow handle romex strippers, and they are fantastic. You can't squeeze them hard enough to touch the insulation on the individual conductors. Highly recommended, especially if you're doing a whole house.
Dustball
Well-known member
I build and wire custom automation machines at work and the wire stripper we use 99% of the time for individual conductors is the Stripax Pro stripper.
rburke65
Well-known member
For years, I used a Klein knife with a "hook" shaped blade, BUT it was not razor sharp so that it would cut or scrape into the copper. It will cut the romex jacket it ot nick the wire.
knobby
Well-known member
seatek strip-all excellent product at a good price
http://www.seatekco.com/products.htm
FWIW most hand strippers (t-strippers) are color coded red handle is for stranded wire and the yellow handle ones are for solid conductors if you use the incorrect one you will nick the wire
shoturtle
Well-known member
I would not use a utility knife, a kline or wiha knife is what I would used. Utility knifes can flex to much and break and shoot off. The electric knives will not, as it is much thicker.
snorky18
Well-known member
Based on my extensive experience of 1 subpanel install:
Run a ring all the way around the insulation with a utility knife, cutting most of the way through. You do not want to nick the conductor itself. At that point I could flex the wire just slightly at the ring and the insulation would break through the rest of the way.
After that it was easy to pull off.
Run a ring all the way around the insulation with a utility knife, cutting most of the way through. You do not want to nick the conductor itself. At that point I could flex the wire just slightly at the ring and the insulation would break through the rest of the way.
After that it was easy to pull off.