How to remove insulation from wires. How to clean cable insulation without burning. Preparation of conductor ends for connection to electrical appliances

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All wires and cables (with the exception of those laid through the air) have a protective layer called insulation, which prevents the conductors from shorting to each other or to the contact surface. Work on the installation of electrical wiring, connecting equipment or drawing up electrical circuits is accompanied by the removal of this layer in certain areas to ensure reliable contact at the switching points. To make this process as convenient and safe as possible, there are a number of techniques that allow you to quickly and efficiently strip, eliminating damage to the current-carrying core. In the article we will tell you how to remove the insulation from the cable and wires correctly, we will consider understandable methods.

The subtleties of stripping insulation and the difficulties arising from this

The insulating coating can be single or multi-layered, which can affect the choice of method for its removal and the devices used for this, from a simple clerical knife to a multifunctional stripper.

The right choice of tool greatly affects the quality of the work performed.

The operation of removing the protective layer from a wire or cable may seem simple and straightforward, accessible to everyone. However, it must be remembered that these measures are accompanied by the use of cutting tools that can damage the conductor itself, reducing its cross section or breaking the insulation in an unnecessary place, as well as getting a cut as a result of improper use.

To avoid such situations, safe working methods and special tools have been developed that make it much easier to cut the ends of the wire, minimizing the resulting risks. The purpose of this publication is to acquaint the user with these developments. Read also the article: → "".

The difference between copper and aluminum conductors

Care is required when working with any conductor, but it should be remembered that aluminum conductors are more fragile than copper counterparts and have a lower margin of safety under bending loads. This is due to the technical characteristics of the material used in the product:

It can be concluded that aluminum products are inferior in strength and have lower electrical conductivity. Therefore, it is important to avoid damaging them during stripping in order to prevent additional performance degradation.

The most common stripping methods

During the stripping of current-carrying conductors, the presence of certain skills that are acquired only in practice plays an important role. This is especially true when handling thin conductors, where every wrong movement can lead to refraction.

Practical experience allows you to choose the necessary force to press the tool, the angle of its application and the direction of movement in order to affect only the sheath of the wire, and not its core.

Among the popular ways to remove insulation, the following should be noted:

using a knife
use of side cutters:
exposure to high temperature;
with a stripper.

Each of these methods may be applicable in different circumstances, and deserves a detailed description.

Removing the braid with a knife

The use of a knife is the most widely used option, and is common among "do-it-yourselfers" who only occasionally need to cut wires. In this case, it is important to choose the right angle of the blade. It is unacceptable to make a circular incision of the sheath, substituting the cutting edge perpendicular to the conductor. This will inevitably lead to damage to the secondary insulation or a notch on the current-carrying core, which can subsequently cause its fragility. Read also the article: → "".

The knife should be brought to the conductor at the most acute angle, practically sliding along the insulation and act only in the “away from you” direction, which will make the process safe for both the product and the user.

Rule of thumb: An excellent tool for removing the top layer of insulation is a knife with a heel, which is called the "electrician's knife". Its design allows you to quickly remove the insulating layer of the cable, avoiding damage to the cores.

Using side cutters to strip wire

Such a tool should only be used by experienced electricians, because any excess force will either cut off the wire or damage it. There are two options for using side cutters:

When working with a conductor of large cross section, the insulation is "bitten" from different sides, after which it is simply removed from the core
The shell is clamped and cut by the cutting edges of the tool, after which it is pulled together by an axial movement to the side.

The second option requires special attention and accuracy.

It is important to know: the side of sharpening the jaws of the side cutters should be directed in the direction opposite to the direction of tightening the removed insulation. This will allow you to succeed without applying too much pressure, and will reduce the risk of wire clipping.

Some brands make products with pre-cut notches for safely stripping wires of a certain size, which makes it easier for domestic use.

Removal of insulation by exposure to high temperature

This method is suitable for cable and wire products that have an insulating coating of PVC conductors. High temperatures can be created with a soldering iron or a lighter. Under its influence, PVC loses its density and is easily pulled together by fingers. Unfortunately, this method is only suitable for wires with a small cross section.

Another disadvantage of this method is the fact that it is applicable only if it is possible to provide access to fresh air for ventilation, because the released combustion products can be unpleasant and even harmful.

The use of a special tool - a stripper

Devices such as a stripper make the process of stripping wires a simple and safe operation. The tool provides the ability to work with cable and wire products of a certain size. For example, WS-04B capable of stripping conductors with a cross-section range from 0.2 to 6.0 mm². Read also the article: → "".

There are the following types of strippers:

simple manual - its principle of operation is similar to the work of side cutters with notches for a certain section of conductors;
semi-automatic - has an adjustment of the length of the exposed ends and removes insulation from the cores when the handles are closed;
automatic - performs several operations at once: cutting, stripping, twisting and crimping the cores.

The use of a stripper eliminates damage to current-carrying conductors and insulation failure in unintended places, which makes its use the most versatile of the stripping methods considered.

Cable stripping step by step

Quite often, when cutting cables before switching them, several tools are used. For clarity, you can consider the sequence of actions when preparing a VVG or PUNP cable, which has a double PVC coating for installing a plug socket:

Before starting work, you need to make sure that there is no electricity
With the help of side cutters, the length of the wire is convenient for termination (when mounting the outlet, it is no more than 120-150 mm)
Using a knife with a heel, a longitudinal incision is made in the upper shell, after which it is removed
Phase, neutral and RE conductors are alternately placed in the stripper and stripped from the insulating layer to a predetermined length.

Most Common Mistakes

The bulk of the mistakes made when removing insulation from wires and cables is made as a result of using inappropriate tools or violating the rules for using them.

Among these shortcomings are the following:

During the removal of the upper insulating layer, when cutting it off, the knife is used with excessive force at a right angle. The error lies in the fact that in these there is a threat of damage to the insulation of current-carrying conductors, which can lead to a short circuit of the wire to the body of the electrical appliance or to a short circuit of the conductors to each other.
The use of side cutters is carried out on the wrong side of the tool (meaning the sharpening side). The error lies in the possible slippage of the wire between the cutting edges and the need to squeeze them more tightly, which can lead to biting of the core.
Using a knife with a heel at the wrong angle. An error can cause a violation of the easy sliding of the heel along the cores of the wire, its "burrowing" and damage to the secondary insulation in an unnecessary place.

Correct and careful attitude to the use of the tool will help to avoid such problems when working with the cable.

In conclusion, I would like to note that each tool must correspond to its intended purpose. To remove insulation from wires and cables, such tools are a knife with a heel and a stripper. Other devices must be used with the utmost care and attention. The tips and tricks in this publication will help you avoid mistakes when stripping wire.

When carrying out work on the electrification of a room, installation of electrical wiring or just in everyday life, it often becomes necessary to strip the wires from insulation. This, in principle, a simple process can cause some difficulties for non-professional electricians. It is important to add that this work has a number of features and can be done in several different ways. It is about how to strip the wire and will be discussed below.

Use of a knife

One of the most common tools used to strip wires is a knife. Moreover, it does not really matter whether to use the so-called special installer's knife or an ordinary penknife. It is important to understand what a particular wire is. To do this, it is useful to look at the end of the cut. There you will see how many layers of insulation, strands and rows of braid are present in the wire. For convenience and simplicity, the stripping of a simple solid wire will be considered.

The edge of the wire to be stripped must be placed on a flat surface, such as a tabletop or workbench. The knife blade must be laid vertically with respect to the wire. Then, with one hand, you need to lightly press the knife, and slowly turn the wire with the other. As a result, the insulation will be cut and it can be easily removed using the same pliers or pliers. If the first time did not work and the insulation is not removed, then the procedure must be repeated. It is important to remember that all actions must be carried out as carefully as possible so as not to damage the wire itself along with the insulation.

How to strip wire with side cutters

Another tool suitable for stripping wire is side cutters. With the help of them, the work can be carried out quickly and conveniently. The desired end of the wire must be clamped in the tool, after which, turning it a little, pull it, thereby removing the insulation layer. If the wire is of sufficient length, then for the convenience of work, it can be wrapped around the hand. If the wire is short, then you can use pliers. As in the previous case, you need to be careful. It is necessary to carefully control the pressure on the handles of the side cutters so as not to damage or completely bite the wire. But at the same time, if the force is insufficient and the insulation is not cut through enough, then it will not be possible to remove it and it will stretch, which is very undesirable. This method of work is quite simple to learn and apply in most cases, and therefore it can be safely recommended.

How to use a soldering iron

Speaking about how and with what to remove the insulation from the wire, one cannot ignore the use of a soldering iron. This seemingly unsuitable tool for these purposes copes with the task quite well. With it, both a thin wire and rather thick wires, as well as entire loops, can be stripped. In order to clean the wire from insulation, it must be laid on a flat horizontal surface. After that, a soldering iron heated to the operating temperature is applied vertically to it. Then, with a hand free from holding the tool, the wire must be slowly turned. Thus, the insulation is fired in a circle, after which it can be easily removed with tweezers, pliers or pliers. It would not be superfluous to add that the use of this method practically does not threaten to damage the wire, allows you to work with wires of various diameters, as well as strip wire loops. However, there is some drawback - you need to work in a ventilated room, since when the insulation melts, not only an unpleasant odor will be released, but also harmful substances. And, of course, electricity is required for operation.

Special tool

Professional employees of electronics repair service centers use a special tool to remove the insulation from the wires, which they also call the “burner”. On the one hand, it is equipped with two terminals with an incandescent arc attached to them, and on the other, an electric wire comes out to power the device. During operation, this thread is heated to a very high temperature, which makes it easy to burn through the insulation of any thickness and material of manufacture. This is especially important when stripping PTFE coated wires. As in the previous case, during operation, smoke, unpleasant odors and harmful substances are emitted, so the room must be ventilated or equipped with a ventilation hood. And also, among other things, for the operation of the tool you need a power source.

Another example of a special tool used to strip wires from insulation is the so-called stripper. There are several varieties of this tool, differing from each other mainly in the number of additional functions.

The stripped wire is inserted into a special hole in the tool, its handles are clamped by hand, and the insulation is evenly bitten. After that, the wire is simply pulled out, thereby freeing itself from insulation. Also, with this tool, you can have a snack, as well as remove insulation from stranded wires. The tool is extremely easy to use and also affordable. When using it, the possibility of damage to the wires is minimized, and the overall time of work is also significantly reduced.

Teeth

Well, it should be added that the description of the methods for stripping wires from insulation would be incomplete without mentioning the simplest method. The wire is clamped with teeth and pulled out. The insulation is then damaged and removed. The method is rather dubious, as it is fraught with damage to tooth enamel, but it is used much more often than you might think. In most cases, thin wires can be stripped this way.

In conclusion, we can add that it is impossible to unequivocally name one way how to strip the wires correctly, the main thing is that the insulation be removed and the wire remain intact. Each of the above methods is suitable in certain cases and can be used.

Remember to follow the safety rules. In the event that it is not possible to turn off the electricity, you need to work with insulated tools and rubber gloves.

Video

This video shows examples of how to strip a wire:

There are various wires and cables, some are laid according to the standard scheme, the second - through the air. It is the first ones that have a special protective layer, which eliminates the closure. Such a surface is dismantled in the process of performing the simplest tasks. For example, this is a connection of two cables so that the contact point becomes as tight as possible and works efficiently.

The question arises: "How to remove the insulation from the wires?". To facilitate this process, there are many different techniques and techniques. Because it is not always necessary to completely disassemble the cable, sometimes you just need to strip the contacts and not damage the main core.

In order not to be mistaken and to understand exactly how to remove the insulation from the wire, it is worth arming yourself with the instructions and taking the correct recommendations as a basis. But without the proper tool, the work will not be done. In addition, wires and cables can have a different basis, the methods differ accordingly.

Features of stripping insulation and problems in the performance of work

Before removing the insulation from the wires, it is worth considering some of the nuances of the process. After all, the coating can be in one layer and several. The work is done quickly, but this will require the use of a stripper.

If you do not delve into the details, many do not see the difficulties in the procedure for cleaning a cable or wire from protection. But without sharp, cutting objects, the work will not go smoothly. As a result, there is a possibility of violating the integrity of the wire itself. The following may happen:

The formation of holes in an unnecessary place.
There is a possibility of injury.
Damage to the conductor itself.

All this is easy to exclude if a simple and accurate instruction for implementation is taken into service. In addition, special tools are required. Do not rush, even if you have experience in completing the task. It is worth at least theoretically understanding how to remove insulation from wires with a tool.

What kind of wires are there?

There are two main cores used in the process - copper and aluminum. If you remove the insulation, then with each view you will have to be careful and take your time. In terms of strength, copper retains its integrity longer than aluminum. Below we consider the properties and characteristics of each.

Aluminum:

Density is expressed in t/m 3 . More than 2.6.
There is no resistance to frequent bending.
It will not work to create a multi-wire core.
The specific resistance is insignificant.

Density is expressed in t/m 3 . More than 8.8.
Resistance to frequent bending is present.
It will be possible to create a multi-wire core.
Resistivity is good.

From these data, we can conclude that the copper wire is better and its current conductivity is higher. But aluminum does not have a high level of reliability, so it is used less frequently. Great care must be taken during the cleaning process. Therefore, before removing the insulation from the copper wire, it is worth making a small notch and preparing the appropriate tool. There are not so many options for working with cables and wires, it is important to choose not just a suitable method, but an effective one.

What methods are effective?

Most of the skill in removing the protective layer from a cable or wire comes with time and practice. Especially when you need to do cleaning on the thinnest possible wire.

The main thing is to correctly choose the degree of application of effort and pressure on the tool. In addition, the speed of work and the final result depend on the direction of movement. You have to understand how deep the main vein is. It will depend on whether it is damaged or not. Before you remove the insulation from or copper, you will have to figure out what kind of material is inside.

The simplest options for doing the job:

The use of a clerical or ordinary knife. If you chose the first option, then you should not take too large, they are inconvenient to work with. Pressing should not be maximum, since their blade is quite sharp. A simple knife should have a narrow blade and high-quality sharpening.
Use of side cutters. This is a convenient design, it is similar to scissors, but stronger and sharper. They are sold in any hardware store, although many always have them on hand.
Burning. This is another good option and less traumatic. To do this, you need to apply a high temperature so that the winding is melted. If it is required to make a small release, then this method is ineffective, since a rather large area is burned.
Using a stripper. This tool is chosen by professionals.

Knife application

How to quickly remove insulation from wires? This is the most common and effective method, but it is very traumatic. When you need to process a small amount of wires at home, then this option is quite suitable. The main thing that is tedious to know is at what angle to lead the tool. You can not make circular movements, because it is completely inefficient. Because with this option there is a high probability of incision of the main working core. After that, the wires will become unusable.

The angle of inclination is as sharp as possible so that there is no deep penetration of the blade into the body of the wire. Only slight slip is allowed. You should choose the “away from you” position - such conditions are safe for the worker and for the cable itself.

electrician's knife

An electrician's knife is the most convenient tool. It has a heel, so it is quite easy to hold it. At the same time, the core is protected as much as possible, the hands are safe, and the insulation is removed efficiently. This is the answer to the question: "How to quickly remove the insulation from a copper wire or aluminum?"

Side cutter - effective help

It is a metal tool with comfortable handles. But most often the work is done by the masters. In this process, you need to know what force to apply, otherwise damage to the main core may occur. Electricians know how to carry out the stripping process. Side cutter is used in several cases:

When the cable is too thick, biting is done in several places along the entire length, and then the insulation is removed by hand. This option is quite suitable for inexperienced people. But the cuts must be made carefully so as not to violate the integrity of the main cable.
It is necessary to draw a strip along the entire length, and then remove the main winding downwards.
Through a distance of 3 centimeters, cuts are made with a side cutter. Then you need to remove the winding in small pieces.

These are the easiest options for people with no experience and not only. Masters easily work with this tool. This option will help to easily remove the insulation from the wire for scrapping. In order not to damage the main core, it is worth holding the sharpened jaws in the opposite direction of tightening and removing the insulation. This allows you not to break anything and get the job done quickly.

Today, there are wires on sale on which the manufacturer makes special notches during the creation process so that the insulation is quickly removed. Therefore, before removing the insulation from the copper wire, it is worth considering it: you may not even need tools.

Burning

This is the easiest way when you need to remove the insulation for the delivery of wires. It is also the most effective method if there are PVC cores inside. When you want to process a small area, then use a lighter or soldering iron. Under thermal influence, the winding softens, and it simply comes off the wire. With a small thickness of the winding, this option is the most effective.

There is one drawback - it is the presence of a smell. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out work in a room with access to fresh air. Toxic secretions during the roasting process adversely affect the state of the body.

What is a stripper?

It is these tools that help to do the procedure quickly and efficiently. But not every cable is suitable for such work. The cross section must be at least 0.2 mm. On sale or from the masters you can find various types of devices:

Manual stripper without add-ons. Its use is similar to working with a side cutter: notches are made, after which the winding is removed. But this option is not suitable for every section.
Semi-automatic At the base there is an adjustment lever that regulates the degree of pressing, after which, when the handles are closed, the main process of stripping begins.
Machine. This is the best option because it is based on several functions - notching, stripping, crimping cores.

As a result, this method brings many positive aspects. The main thing is that cuts of the main core are completely excluded. As a result, this method can be called the best. It is the stripper that allows you to properly remove the insulation from the wires without damaging the core.

Cable check

When work is underway to get rid of the winding, you need to carry out actions in a clear sequence. Each cable has its own characteristics. Work on the copper cable must be carried out in the following order, since it has two layers of PVC insulation:

The power supply is turned off.
During the installation of the outlet, you need to clean only a strictly defined area. 15 cm is enough. A person without experience should not reduce this distance. For this procedure, a side cutter is used.
The upper part is cut and carefully removed.
The required length is set on the stripper, after which the phase and neutral conductors are placed in the tool. A complete cleanup is done.

This is the whole scale of work, after which it is required to fix the outlet. It is not difficult to make such a procedure, although mistakes are often made. The wire breaks, and you have to strip further.

How not to crimp?

Experts believe that it is not so easy to remove insulation from cables and wires. As a result, many mistakes are made that lead to a bite of the main core. The main reason is the use of the wrong tool. Therefore, there is a special list of those violations that are worth knowing not only for beginners, but also for masters:

When the top layer is removed and needs to be trimmed, often the master chooses the wrong angle, which leads to notches on the main core. Even a slight, imperceptible notch in the insulation of a conductive cable leads to a short circuit, and sometimes to a complete failure of the entire device.
Incorrect use of side cutters. They have a sharp side and a blunt side, often choosing the wrong side. As a result, a sharp slip occurs along the wire, which leads to excessive tension and compression, and this is already a violation of the integrity of the main core.
A knife with a heel is convenient, but it must be clearly directed, namely, to choose the angle of inclination. The mistake made leads to the fact that the main cable is cut. And the violation of secondary insulation brings more serious problems.

Everything happens because of the illiterate choice of the tool. But there are other problems: a frivolous attitude to the procedure for cleaning the winding of the main cable or wire. Before you remove the insulation from a thin wire, you should know what actions you have to perform, and do everything carefully and in a clear sequence. There are situations when the distance for work is minimal and it is unacceptable to take risks.

We repair headphones

A common problem when using headphones is a violation of the integrity of the wire. To restore it, you need to choose a simple clerical knife for work. The procedure takes place in several stages:

You need to find a breakdown.
Remove the top winding by making a neat longitudinal cut.
Connect the components and insulate them.

How to remove wire insulation from headphones?

You can use a sheet of sandpaper. Its granularity does not matter (the main thing is to perform work on the front side of the element). We set the edge of the wire on sandpaper and press on top with a soldering iron. He will melt our winding. Further, its remains can be removed by hand. As a result, we get a wire without insulation. After that, you can make a connection using the same soldering iron. This is not a long procedure, but everyone can come to a positive result. No need to experiment, each tool does its job. When working with wires and cables, a sharp knife and a stripper are used; in other situations, it is worth choosing the appropriate devices.

Conclusion

So, we looked at how to properly remove the insulation from the wires. As you can see, there are different tools and methods. You just need to choose the most suitable one and follow the instructions.

When you are laying electrical wiring, one of the most basic and critical steps is to remove the insulation from the wires. And it will not matter at all what kind of material you will process - copper, with plastic or enameled, because. in each of these cases, compliance with the stripping technology is required. If you ignore advice and recommendations on how to strip the insulation from the wire, then in the end the technical characteristics of the entire electrical system will not be high. In this article, we will look at several ways to remove materials of various types, as well as a device for this work.

Wire Structure

All wiring can be divided into two types:

1. Single core;

2. Stranded.

Single-core - this means that in it its cross section is formed by one core or wiring. Stranded ones are those in which the cross section is formed by the presence of several thin ones that are intertwined with each other. For elasticity and elasticity, they have a thread resembling a nylon thread. If this feature is taken into account, then the removal technology for each hotel case may vary.

How to remove insulation with a knife

Let's see how to quickly remove the insulation with a knife. If you decide to use this method, then in no case should you trim in a circle in a perpendicular position, because. with this you can cause a notch in the copper strands. As a result, even with a slight bend, the strands can quickly and easily break exactly at the place of the incision. This is especially undesirable when working with a cross section of 0.6-0.8 mm. So, having bent several times, it will break completely. When you remove it with a knife, the blade must be kept almost in the same plane with the plane and axis. First of all, you need to cut along the veins, and after that it, already cut along, is taken away from the veins and cut off.

However, please note that if you decide to remove the insulation in this way, then be careful, because. You can easily cut your hands.

The use of side cutters

Most novice electricians, when they decide to work with side cutters, do not use them correctly. So, most often, this tool for stripping wires is picked up as you have to and does not pay attention to the position of the cutting edges. But, by the way, if you took the side cutters incorrectly, then you will have to apply more effort. In addition, there is a high risk of breaking or snacking.

The technology of working with side cutters is as follows: direct the cutting edges in the opposite direction to the movement of the tool. This is because with this arrangement, the blade will cut even with minimal effort. As a result, you get a shell removed by a tube and an undamaged wire.

Remove insulation by melting

If you need to remove the insulating material and you have a soldering iron handy, then you can use the thermal method. To do this, simply heat the soldering iron and run the tip over the plastic insulation. Naturally, after heating, you can easily remove the melted sheath from a copper wire or any other. Using this method will not violate its integrity in any way. But if you need to strip a large number of conductors with a similar winding, then you can use a special tool. For example, a wood burner, formerly known as "Pattern", is perfect.

The use of this method is relevant for old material. When it is used for too long, the winding becomes brittle and hard. Moreover, most often, the wires protrude from the junction box by only a couple of centimeters, so that they cannot be cleaned with a knife or wire cutters. But if you just use a lighter or a soldering iron, then you can easily remove what you have in mind.

Removal from the enameled version

If you need to remove the insulation from a wire that has a thickness of 0.2 mm, then machining with a knife or sandpaper would be the best option.

To process a cable with a thin coating, you can use sandpaper with a fine section. It must be bent in half with the working surface inward. After that, wrap the conductor in this bent sheet and, pressing a little, stretch it. This should be done until the enamel is completely removed.
If you work with a knife, then the stripped part of the cable must be laid on a solid base. Then start scraping off the enamel, while turning the conductor, until everything is cleared.

However, with a diameter of less than 0.2 mm, this mechanical method cannot be used, because. you won’t fully remove the enamel, but you can break the wire itself in no time. In such situations, you can use a thermochemical stripping method using vinyl chloride insulation and a soldering iron. The sequence will be as follows: heat the soldering iron, put the vinyl chloride sheath on the table, and the stripped conductor on it, and lead the soldering iron along it. As a result, under the influence of temperature, chlorine is released, which will clean the enamel.

Basically, these options are used in radio communication devices and are wound on inductive coils. It's called a licensor. Outwardly, it looks like this: a large number of thin wires twisted into a single whole covered with enamel.

Pay attention to another interesting way to remove the enamel coating. For him, you need to purchase aspirin tablets. Then lay the material on the tablet and run the soldering iron over it in the same way. As a result, you will get a bare result, and besides, tinned.

Stripping PTFE insulation

Fluoroplastic insulation is a polymer produced by a chemical process. Has a number of positive properties. For example, it does not get wet in water and has a high resistance to various organic substances. Its parameters allow it to be resistant to temperatures up to 300 °C. It is an ideal option for an electrical dielectric. However, there is one major drawback - the cost. It is because of its high price that it is used only in exceptional cases. In domestic conditions, he fell in love with radio amateurs, because. after soldering it, it has an aesthetic appearance, does not melt, and takes up little space.

The fluoroplastic itself looks like a narrow thin tape, which is tightly wound around a stranded core. You can remove the fluoroplastic version only with a knife. It scrapes off to the length you need. After it is exposed, the shell is set aside, and the remains are cut off.

Pay attention! Fabric or rubber insulation is removed by any of the above methods. The main task is to prevent cuts in the main core.

Using an automatic stripper

All methods described above are manual. They take a lot of time and your attention, not to mention the experience of such work. If you have to remove the insulation quite often, then it is better to automate the whole process a little. For this, a special tool for stripping wires, called a stripper, has long been developed. For example, let's analyze the WS-04 stripper model. In its appearance, it resembles pincers with cams at their ends. The upper ones are movable, and the lower ones are stationary. In order to clamp the cable, the left pair is used, and the right pair is used to cut and remove it. During the first reduction of the handles, the left side clamps, and the right side cuts with sharp edges into the shell. When reducing the handles, the cutting part gradually cleans. All stripping work by a stripper takes only a couple of seconds.

With the help of a stripper, you can strip the insulation from the wires with one touch of your hand. For example, consider how to remove insulation from a wire with a stripper.

The wire must be brought between the cutting knives located on the inside of the handle. After that, they need to be brought together. The result is a cut without any deformation. To make you understand the difference, when cutting with wire cutters, the end is always slightly pointed and flattened.
The next step is to insert one end between the fixed and movable sponge. By pressing the handles, the coating will be removed. During such a sweep, there will be no serifs.
You can use the blue stop to adjust the exact removal length.
Two-core wires are stripped with a stripper in two passes: the first - the vinyl chloride tube is removed; the second is simultaneous removal from 2 elements.

In addition, the stripper can be used for stripping telephone cables before pressing them in and shielded options. True, when working with them, this will be a difficult task, especially if the conductor is of small diameter. However, despite this, we will tell the technology of work. First, you need to remove the sheath from the shielding braid. To expose the central core, you need to unwind the braid with an awl or needle. After that, perform the already known movement with the stripper and it is naked. Remember that cleaning it with a knife is a laborious job, and besides, you can easily damage it.

Coaxial Cable Processing

It is quite possible to remove the insulation from the wires on the coaxial version on your own. Although all the equipment for this procedure is not too expensive, we will show you how to do it with a knife and wire cutters. Typically, these models are used to connect television antennas.

Below is a sequence of actions in order to clean the coaxial model:

The wire must be taken vertically;
With a utility knife, press firmly at a right angle on the cable at a distance of 2.5 cm from the end. Do not press with the end of the blade, otherwise there is a risk of breakage and rebound in the eyes.
Next, you need to cut through the outer shell, braid, foil and dielectric foam (white). It is these layers that this option has. As you press down on the blade of the knife, you will feel a certain amount of resistance. After the blade has entered half of the cable, the pressure must be slightly reduced to avoid damaging the central core.
Then walk, cutting, around the cable. In this case, it is advisable to do everything carefully so as not to leave notches on the central core.
After cutting the edge, twist and pull. This way you will remove the cut end.
If there are wires under the shell, then simply cut them off with wire cutters so that they do not protrude beyond the border of the shell. Check for combs on the center core. If they exist, everything will have to be repeated.
Dielectric foam may remain on the central core. She's just removed with a fingernail
To connect the cable to the F connector, you must first remove a small part of the outer sheath.
Measure 8 mm from the previous cut point. Make an incision in the outer shell. Everything is exactly the same as before - perpendicular to the core. Be careful not to remove the braid. However, some F connectors require sheath removal, while others do not. As a result, you should get a core in dielectric foam wrapped in a winding (in the form of foil).
When you have not yet decided whether you need a braid, it is better to leave it for a while. It is located around the dielectric foam.
The braid must be wrapped over the outer sheath. After that, the white foam is exposed. Here you already need to decide on the type of your F connector and the shape of the bare wire.
Please note that there should not be any cores between the central core and the braid. It will be visible.
F connector is placed on the end of the cable.
After landing the connector, the dielectric should not be at its bottom. It is unacceptable that it does not reach the bottom of the connector or peeks out.
Please note that the F connector must not be allowed to come into contact with the tip.
Everything, the coaxial cable is ready to go.

After choosing the wire section, drawing up an electrical wiring diagram and purchasing installation products, you can proceed with the installation of electrical wiring in the house. The reliability of electrical wiring depends not only on the reliability of the connections of wires with installation products. Equally important is the correct removal of insulation from the ends of the wires.

How to properly remove insulation from wires
universal tool

Usually, plastic insulation is removed mechanically (with a knife or side cutters) or by melting. Enamel insulation is removed mechanically (scraped off with a knife or sandpaper) or chemically.

How to properly remove the insulation from the wire with a knife

It is not correct when, to remove the insulation, it is cut in a circle with a knife blade oriented perpendicular to the wire, while still applying considerable force.

As a result, the copper core is notched, and the wire in this place can easily break. This is especially true when stripping thin wires with a diameter of 0.6-0.8 mm. After such stripping, they break off after a few minor bends.

It is necessary that the blade is almost in the same plane with the axis of the wire. The insulation is cut along the conductor, the remaining on the wire is taken to the side and also cut off.

How to properly remove the insulation from the wire using side cutters

The second mistake is often made when stripping insulation with side cutters. Usually they take the tool in hand, as it should, without paying attention to the orientation of the cutting edges.

If the sharpening side is directed towards the movement of the side cutters, then a significant clamping force must be applied. The wire can easily break off along with the insulation.

And it is necessary that the sides of sharpening the cutting edges of the side cutters look in the direction opposite to the movement of the tool, as shown in the photo. As a result, the cutting edges, even with a slight touch on the insulation, cut into it, and the insulation with a tube without notching the wire is easily removed.

Removing plastic insulation by melting

The insulation of modern wires for electrical wiring is usually made of PVC or polyethylene, the melting point of which lies in the range of 105-140 ° C. Therefore, using a soldering iron or other heating device, you can easily and safely remove the insulation from the wire. To do this, it is enough to hold the end of the soldering iron tip, pressing along the circumference of the insulation in the right place. The insulation will warm up, melt and be easily removed by hand.

As you can see, the insulation was removed perfectly, without harming the copper conductor.

If you need to strip a lot of wires from plastic insulation, then it is advisable to use a special device. Wood burning is very suitable for these purposes. Previously, such were produced under the name "Pattern".

The method of stripping insulation by melting is indispensable in cases of working with a system of electrical wiring. Over time, the plastic ages and becomes very hard, like bone. A piece of wire only 3 cm long protrudes in the junction box in the wall. You can’t get close to the insulation with a knife or wire cutters. In this situation, only reflow will help solve the problem. You can soften the insulation by heating it with a match or a gas lighter, then remove it.

With a conductor diameter of more than 0.2 mm, the most convenient is the mechanical method of stripping the insulation using sandpaper or scraping the enamel with a knife.

In order to remove it with sandpaper, you need to bend a small sheet of fine sandpaper in half, bring the end of the wire in between the bent halves of the sheet and drag the wire through without squeezing your fingers. And so repeat this operation by turning the wire until all the enamel is removed.

To remove the enamel with a knife, you need to put the end of the wire on any hard surface and turning the wire in a circle, scrape off the enamel until the end of the wire is completely clear of varnish.

In the case of removing insulation from a wire with a diameter of less than 0.2 mm, it is difficult to remove the enamel mechanically without damaging or breaking the conductor.

But it is easy to remove the enamel in a thermochemical way, using a soldering iron and a piece of vinyl chloride insulation. To do this, you need to stretch the end of the wire between the tip of the soldering iron, pressed against the vinyl chloride. The chlorine released from heating will clean the wire from the enamel.

This method is indispensable when removing enamel from a wire of the licendrat type, which is widely used in radio communications for winding high-frequency inductors. The licendrate consists of many thin enameled wires and twisted into one conductor.

With success, the enamel is removed with the help of aspirin, put the wire on the tablet and press it with a soldering iron, and then pull the wire. In this case, the wire is also immediately tinned.

Removal of PTFE insulation

Fluoroplast is a chemically produced polymer that is resistant to organic solvents and is not wetted by water. Characterized by high electrical strength, stable up to an exposure temperature of 300°C. An ideal insulating material, but expensive. Therefore, it is used only in technically justified cases. In everyday life, fluoroplastic wire is used by radio amateurs, since it does not melt when soldering with a soldering iron, takes up little space and has an aesthetic appearance.

Fluoroplastic insulation is a thin narrow tape tightly wound on a twisted stranded thin copper wire. It is possible to release such a wire from insulation only physically.

It is best to use a knife for this purpose. Having pressed the wire to the platform, the fluoroplast is scraped off with a knife to the required length.

After the wire is exposed, it is bent to the side and the remaining unnecessary fluoroplastic is cut off. As a result, a conductor neatly stripped of PTFE insulation is obtained, ready for soldering.

Insulation from rubber, fabric and other insulating materials is removed by one of the above described mechanical methods. The main rule is to prevent notches on the wire strands.

Wire stripping tool
Automatic stripper model WS-04

Manual cutting of wires takes a lot of time, requires sufficient experience and accuracy, especially when removing insulation from stranded wires of small cross section. To partially automate the stripping operation, there is a special hand tool called a stripper.

Among my set of tools there is a stripper model WS-04 of the German manufacturer KBT. I bought a stripper a long time ago, and I am very pleased with the purchase. I strongly recommend that professional electricians purchase a snipper, you will not regret it.

Main technical characteristics and principle of operation
stripper model WS-04

The stripper allows you to bite and remove insulation without adjustment from wires with a diameter of 0.5 to 2.7 mm (section 0.2–6.0 mm 2). When adjusting with a micrometric screw, it is possible to strip the insulation from wires with a diameter of 0.25 to 0.5 mm. Also, with the help of a stripper, you can crimp on wires simple connectors without insulation, insulated and double crimped automotive connectors with a diameter of 0.8 to 2.7 mm.

The stripper is a tongs, with cams installed at the ends of the levers. One of the pair of cams is fixed permanently, and the second, upper one, is movable. The left pair is used to clamp the wire, and the right pair is for cutting the insulation and removing it. At the first moment of convergence of the stripper handles, the left movable cam clamps the wire, and the right movable cam cuts into the insulation with a sharp edge at the end. As the levers continue to be brought together, the insulation is pulled off the wire. The entire removal process takes less than a second.

For crimping wires in round terminals on the inner sides of the handles there are combs of a given profile. It is enough to insert the connector into a place suitable for its size and bring the handles together. The wire will be securely clamped in the ferrule.

Examples of working with stripper WS-04

It is difficult to describe the work with the stripper in words, it is much more clear to demonstrate its capabilities using examples of stripping insulation from wires of various types.

For example, there is a piece of double installation wire for laying apartment wiring, and you need to shorten it, and then remove the insulation to a given length.

To do this, it is enough to lead the wire between the cutting knives located on the inner sides of the handle and bring them together. Interestingly, the cut is obtained without deformation of the ends of the wires. If you cut with wire cutters, then the ends are usually flattened, sharpening a little.

Next, the end of the wire is wound between the movable and fixed jaws and the insulation is removed by squeezing the handles. No notches of wire cores are observed, which guarantees the reliability of the further connection. The blue movable limiter allows you to precisely set the length of the stripped insulation.

The insulation is easily removed from the stranded wire, which is often used to supply voltage in low-voltage circuits. For example, wires going to products from adapters and power supplies.

With the help of a stripper, you can easily remove the insulation from two strands of double-insulated cord wire, however, in two steps. For the first reception, the first layer of insulation is removed - a vinyl chloride tube.

For the second step, the insulation is removed simultaneously from two cores of wires. The time for removing insulation from such a wire is no more than 5 seconds.

The stripper perfectly helps to prepare before pressing into the RJ-11 connector and the telephone wire connecting the landline phone to the communication line. In the case of connection using a screw connection, one more movement can also remove the insulation from the wire cores.

Removing insulation from shielded wires is a rather difficult operation, especially if the wire is thin. With the help of a stripper, the insulation is first removed from the shielding braid.

The braid is then untwisted with a needle or sharp awl to expose the center wire. It remains to make one more movement, and the wire is freed from insulation. Removing the insulation from a shielded wire manually, using an ordinary knife, without damaging the wires, is laborious and time consuming.

I tried to remove the insulation from a thin stranded wire covered with fluoroplastic insulation. To my surprise, the stripper easily coped with this task.

To test the capabilities of the stripper, I stripped the insulation from copper and aluminum wires, solid and stranded, with insulation from different dielectrics, and the result was always pleasing. The stripper did the job flawlessly.

It happened with a stripper to crimp and insulated automotive terminals for double crimping. Compressed quite normally without much difficulty.

Feedback on the work of the stripper model WS-04

If you have to remove the insulation from the wires once a month, or even less often, then replenishing your arsenal of tools with a stripper that costs about $ 20 is probably not advisable. But if you have to remove the insulation from the wires more often, then I think it is necessary to have a stripper at hand.

I bring to your attention a short video demonstrating the operation of the WS-04 stripper.

The practice of working with the WS-04 stripper has confirmed its compliance with the technical specifications declared by the manufacturer, so, if necessary, you can safely purchase a stripper of this model, you will not regret it.

Conductor end preparation
for connection to electrical appliances

After the wires are released from the insulation, it is necessary to prepare their ends for connection to electrical appliances, since in the vast majority of cases a mechanical method of fastening with screws, clamping in terminal blocks, crimping and twisting is used. To plugs, sockets, cartridges, automatic circuit breakers and other similar devices, the connection is usually made with screws.

For connecting conductors to electrical appliances, where currents of less than 1 A flow, it is quite enough to insert a straight piece of a 5-10 mm long wire freed from insulation under the screw head and clamp it. In this way, I have wires fixed in all switches, since there are LED lamps in the chandeliers, and the strength of the current flowing through the contacts of the switches does not exceed 0.25 A.

The main thing is to prevent the conductor from slipping out from under the screw head. As you can see in the photo above, the contact in the switch (enlarged for clarity), to which the wire is attached, is bent in a corner. When screwing the screw, the wire rests against this corner, which prevents it from slipping. If the limiter is not provided, then it is imperative to twist the end of the wire into a ring. For connections where high currents flow, a connection without twisting the end of the conductor into a ring will be extremely unreliable.

The easiest way is to twist a ring of wire with the help of round-nose pliers. Of course, you can form a ring by wrapping the wire around, for example, the tip of a screwdriver or a drill of a suitable diameter. For ease of forming a ring of the required diameter, marks of 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm and 4.5 mm should be applied to the jaws of the round-nose pliers. If you need to make a ring for the M3 screw from a single-core wire, then I form rings on the 3.5 mm mark so that the screw can easily enter. In the case of a stranded conductor and with subsequent tinning - 4 mm.

It is not necessary to tin the wires, but it is desirable, especially if the product will be used in conditions of high humidity, for example, in a bathroom or shower room, damp basements, in winter in an unheated country house.

These are the rings that turned out, one for the M3 screw, and the other for the M4. Rings of stranded wire are formed in a slightly different way. First, the conductor wraps around the cone of the round-nose pliers, and then around itself at the point of exit from the insulation.

It is desirable to pierce the formed rings and flatten them a little with light blows of a small hammer. Then the contact area will increase and the reliability of the future connection will be much higher.

When installing a stranded wire, you can make rings that are not closed. To do this, after removing the insulation, tin the wire with a soldering iron, and then form rings using the technology of forming a single-core wire.

Strictly observing the technology of preparing wires for connection, which is not tricky above, you will never have to repair electrical wiring.