Thinking of training to be an electrician? Or perhaps you’d like to ensure you have all the necessary tools to carry out minor electrical work yourself?
Of course, we’re not encouraging you to tend to electrical faults in your home; this kind of thing is often best left to a professional. But should you have a basic understanding of electrics, there are a few tools and pieces of equipment you might find useful. Here, we run you through five of them:1. Voltmeter – An essential tool for any electrician, a voltmeter is used to test if a circuit is live; it also confirms if equipment is safe before you start working.
A handy piece of kit to have at your disposal when troubleshooting circuits, it doesn’t have to break the bank. An ammeter, on the other hand, allows you to test the amount of electrical current in a circuit; like the voltmeter, it might also prove convenient if you’re thinking of carrying out a few basic jobs around your home or business.
2. Insulated Screwdrivers – Vital for any electrician, insulated screwdrivers usually come in sets featuring a wealth of different sizes. Often in kits of four, insulated screwdriver sets are offered online and in hardware shops at competitive prices and usually come with soft grip handles to ensure maximum grip, comfort and safety.
3. Tape – Here at JLM Electrical, we get through a lot of tape. And if you’re thinking of setting up as an electrician, it’s definitely something you’ll want to add to your tool box. It’s most commonly used for wrapping conductors and connectors, and it ensures the joint wires are connected safely. We say add a selection of tapes in different colours to your tool box; doing this helps you label up wires for easy identification when working.
4. Side Cutter Diagonal Pliers – Used for cutting wires, these pliers come into their own when you’re working in confined spaces. They’re sometimes called side snips and have a cutting edge from the tip; what this means is a lot easier access when you’re short of room.
5. Protective Gear – This is just as important, if not more so, than all the hand tools mentioned above. Protective wear, including a helmet and work gloves are absolutely vital. A decent pair of work gloves, in particular, will stand you in good stead. Designed to handle certain voltages, depending on their rating, gloves like this will allow you to work safely at all times – just what you need in a potentially dangerous role like this.
Of course, there’s a wealth of other equipment you could add to your toolbox. With that in mind, don’t forget to keep an eye here on the JLM blog for more suggestions, as well as a host of other electrical-related articles.
If you haven’t already, take some time to have a look around the site; you may find the answer to a question you’d like answering, as well as some handy DIY tips for carrying out safe electrical work in the home.