Electrical Wiring Terms and Tools Used By Electricians

Contrary to what some may tend to think, electricians are professionals with legitimate careers just like lawyers and bankers. Due to the essence of electricity in the various aspects of our daily living and work, the demand for qualified electricians has continued to grow. Electrical wiring is one of the areas that electricians are trained on, which similar to other courses, also has a set of unique terms and tools specific to electricians.

Even if you are not planning to become an electrician, the knowledge of electrical wiring terms and tools is still very important. The terms are mainly applied in the labelling of electrical wiring components and defining specific electrical wiring procedures. Electrical wiring tools mainly emphasize safety and efficiency in performing different kinds of electrical wiring processes including installation, repair and replacement.

Electrical Wiring Terms

Generally, there are numerous electrical wiring terms used by electricians that you should be enlightened on. Knowing the basic terms can be quite helpful when having electrical wiring problems. When you know the terms, it can be very easy to explain to an electrician about the electrical problems you are facing, ensuring custom solutions. The knowledge of electrical wiring terms is also essential to understanding DIY electrical wiring procedures. The following are basic electrical wiring terms used by electricians.

Circuit

A circuit refers to a single loop across which electricity flows. In order to power on an electrical appliance, there has to be a complete circuit, which means a continuous flow of electricity from the outlet into the device. That continuity is kept by the electrical wiring and in case any of them develops a fault, the circuit will not be complete.

Voltage/ Volts

Simply abbreviated as V, volts or voltage usually appear alongside numbers. Voltage is a term used in reference to the force of electric current.

Ohms

Ohms is also a common term, which electrical wiring professionals use to describe the amount of resistance in an electrical circuit. Although resistance may sound alarming, it is not bad since light and heat are generated through it.

Fuse

A fuse is a small device that comprises of a strip of electrical wires with a protective casing. The device is designed to blow up the circuit in case the current therein exceed the recommended limits.

Load

In electrical wiring, load refers to any appliance or system that relies on electricity to function including lighting, water heaters and refrigerators.

Electrical Wiring Tools

Generally, tools are meant to make work more efficient and safer. In electrical wiring, there are also a number of tools that electricians can use to efficiently and safely perform different tasks. While some tools can handle a wide range of electrical wiring tasks, others are limited to specific electrical wiring procedures. Nevertheless, the following are the basic electrical wiring tools used by electricians.

Screwdriver

A screwdriver is mainly for loosening and tightening screws on various electrical components. Screwdrivers come in diverse sizes for use with different screw sizes.

Voltage detector

Voltage detectors are designed to test for the presence of electric current in a circuit. It can either be automated or manually operated using on/off switch.

Wire stripper

True to its title, a wire stripper is used for cutting or stripping the insulation from electrical wires. It looks almost like pliers with a cut-off section and cutting teeth in different sizes for stripping different sizes of cables.

Pliers

Pliers always come in handy in all kinds of electrical wiring procedures. Pliers can serve many uses including cutting, twisting, trimming and pulling wires. Insulated pliers can also be used to hold items that could be dangerous if held by hands.

Fish tape

A fish tape is also an important tool for electrical wiring that mainly helps with routing new wires through the walls of buildings, metals or conduits. The tape comes in varying measurements for use in small, medium and large scale electrical wiring projects.

There are more electrical wiring terms and tools besides the ones discussed above. However, even with the knowledge of all these tools and terms, you will still need the help of professional electrician to address your electrical wiring needs. And, Electrical Service Singapore are the experts that guarantee reliable electrical wiring installation and upgrade Singapore.