General Wire-Stripping Instructions

2-5 4. Remove the insulation with a slight pull. General Wire-Stripping Instructions When stripping wire with any of the tools mentioned, observe the following precautions: 1. Do not attempt to use a hot-blade stripper on wiring with glass braid or asbestos insulation. These insulators are highly heat resistant. 2. When using the hot-blade stripper, make sure the blades are clean. Clean the blades with a brass wire brush as necessary. 3. Make sure all stripping blades are sharp and free from nicks, dents, and so forth. 4. When using any type of wire stripper, hold the wire perpendicular to the cutting blades. 5. Make sure the insulation is clean-cut with no frayed or ragged edges; trim if necessary. 6. Make sure all insulation is removed from the stripped area. Some types of wire are supplied with a transparent layer between the conductor and the primary insulation. If this is present, remove it. 7. When the hand strippers are used to remove lengths of insulation longer than 3/4 inch, the stripping procedure must be done in two or more operations. The strippers will only strip about 3/4 inch at one time. 8. Retwist strands by hand, if necessary, to restore the natural lay and tightness of the strands. 9. Strip aluminum wires with a knife as described earlier. Aluminum wire should be stripped very carefully. Care should be taken not to nick the aluminum wire as the strands break very easily when nicked. Q1. What are the basic requirements for any splice or terminal connection? Q2. What is the preferred method for stripping wire? Q3. What stripping tool would NOT be used to strip glass braid insulation? Q4. What tool should be used to strip aluminum wire? TYPES OF SPLICES There are six commonly used types of splices. Each has advantages and disadvantages for use. Each splice will be discussed in the following section. Western Union Splice The Western Union splice joins small, solid conductors. Figure 2-5 shows the steps in making a Western Union splice.