12 Essential Electrician Tools You Need To Know About

How can you identify an electrician?

Do they wear fancy clothes or dirty jumpsuits?

Or is it their hat that identifies them as an electrician?

An electrician is known for the ability to construct a setup or fix any problem related to electricity. It could be the wiring, circuit issues, or new connection setups. 

But a skilled electrician is the one who knows what are the best electrician tools to get the job done efficiently. 

That’s because cutting a thick cable with a regular pair of scissors is a waste of both time and energy, and a good electrician knows that very well.  

So what tool can be used to cut a thick cable easily?

Professional Electricians and Their Tools

Choosing the right tool to work with is not a difficult task, but the availability of thousands of different tools has made it a complex task. 

Is it necessary to carry all the tools specifically designed to perform a specific type of function? Wouldn’t that make an electrician’s tool kit heavy?

Of course not. You don’t need every tool to fix issues. Most electrical faults are widespread and require a few sets of tools to fix.

Similarly, complex problems require hi-tech tools. And all sorts of electrical functions are to be performed with specific measures to ensure safe working. 

Here are the best electrician tools divided based on importance and functioning.

12 Essential Electrician Tools

There are four major areas of importance where the electrician has to be very specific about the tools they incorporate. They are

• Basic maintenance tools 
• Key tools
• Safety tools 
• High tech tools

These are the four main spheres according to which the tools are further designed and upgraded to meet the changing needs and perform better functions. 

The best electrician tools, essential under these spheres, are:

Basic Maintenance Tools

Dealing with common electrical problems has never been easier with these tools.

1. Pliers

Pliers are the staple of an electrician’s tool bag. They are hand-operated tools to grip, hold, or bend small articles and wires. They are also known as tweezers, pinchers, and forceps. 

The five main types of pliers are: slip joint pliers, water pump pliers, linesman pliers, locking pliers, and needle-nose pliers. 

The most commonly used plier by an electrician is the linesman plier.

It has a flat surface for gripping, a stub nose, and large cutting edges with a utility knife along with their angular edges, provided on the outside of the jaw.

It provides enough mechanical support to the electricians to bend and reshape the metal in the desired form compared to the smaller pliers. That’s why it is considered one of the best electrician tools.

2. Screwdrivers

As the name suggests, screwdrivers are operational hand tools that are manually operated, and the basic function of a screwdriver is to drive screws in or out of the surface.

Based on the top shape of the six most commonly used screws, there are six different types of screwdrivers:

• Flat head screwdriver
• Phillips screwdriver
• Pozidriv screwdriver
• Robertson screwdriver
• Torx screwdriver
• Hex screwdriver 

This is an essential tool for loosening or tightening various hardware. Luckily, advancements are made in the design and function of this tool. 

Instead of carrying multiple drivers, one can carry a single driver with a replaceable head and all six attachments. Isn’t it better to be able to reduce the extras?

3. Electrical tape

An elastic tape is used to hold a junction of wires together and effectively insulate them. Such is another staple of an electrician’s toolkit. 

An electrical tape is made of vinyl, plastic, or even fiber cloth. This material is pressure sensitive and works as an excellent adhesive to hold the wires or other conductive materials like wire connectors.

The tape prevents the unwanted touching of live wires and insulates the exposed wires.

Electrical tape is often referred to as thermal insulation or fish tape.

4. Tape measure

A tape measure is a portable measurement tool that can mark the desired length or measure length. 

A tape measure is the most convenient way to take and follow measurements, even in the most congested areas. 

A tape measure is made out of metal or fiber and can be released easily, without worrying about the tangling. The markings are made by the tape edges, in the form of inches and fraction inches.

Key Tools

These are important tools that can only be upgraded and not replaced.

5. Flashlights

A flashlight is a portable hand-held lamp used by electricians to locate wires in dark/tight spaces or complex circuits. 

The setting of a typical flashlight is a light source that is mounted inside a reflector and is covered with a transparent cover or glass to keep the light source and reflector safe.

It is usually powered with a battery, and everything is enclosed inside a case.

A flashlight can be mounted over different surfaces with the right attachments to address issues. 

This setting ensures that the electrician can use both hands to tackle wires, and there is no need to hold the light.

6. Voltage tester

Dealing with electrical circuits can be a tricky job. It is required to cut off electrical power in the key sections of the residence to ensure safety while operating.

A voltage tester is a handheld device used for testing power flow in the wires. 

It is an easy-to-operate device that is generally used to detect the presence of AC voltage, either in or around the wire.

7. Wire strippers 

A much easier way to strip a wire is the wire stripper. It is similar to pliers, but it is provided with sharp blades. 

A wire stripper is capable of wire stripping the insulation to expose the conductive wires. It can also cut the wires to the desired length, mostly to join terminals.

There are two types of wire strippers:

Manual

It is considered to be more versatile as compared to the automatic stripper because they can cut through a variety of wires. The jaws can be adjusted to strip thick wires as well or for receptacle tester.

Automatic

Automatic wire stripper is comparatively powerful in cutting through wires automatically. But the wire stripping occurs according to their size only.  It cannot adapt to cut thick wires if it is made for thin ones.

8. Tool belt

So, many tools to handle but no place to put toolbox while working? 

A tool belt is a solution to tackle this problem. A tool belt is a cloth belt tied around the waist of the electrician. It comes with various compartments that can hold tools of different sizes and shapes. 

Important power tools cannot be lost while working, and a tool belt makes sure it doesn’t happen. Hence, it is also counted as one of the best electrician tools.

Safety Tools

Here is a list of tools to ensure safety while working:

9. Insulated get-up

Electricians are supposed to work at different locations in various conditions. So it is important to stay on the safe side while operating.

The insulated get-up is one such step an electrician can take to ensure safety. This includes a variety of clothing and accessories that can be paired according to the requirement.

An insulated get-up includes

A rubber-soled shoe 

We all must have learned that rubber is a bad conductor of electricity. This property of rubber is implemented for safety. 

Wearing a thick-soled rubber boot will prevent you from electrical shock if you contact a power line. 

Non-conductive gloves

An electrician’s hands are at higher risk of getting injured or shocked while operating electrical wiring.  Protecting them at all costs is a must.  

Insulated gloves made of latex and rubber are the best solution to this situation. 

Since rubber is stretchable, it can fit hands perfectly and provide a barrier between the hands and the live wire.

Make sure the insulated glove is up to or beyond the wrist.

Face shield and safety glasses

Electrical fixation is one of the most dangerous jobs if not done professionally. Constant touching of live wires often leads to spark generation.

A thick see-through shield or glasses can ensure safety. 

Such shields or glasses are anti-electric materials and have no metal pieces. This ensures that the electrician is protected from shock in every manner.

10. ARC flash suits

ARC flash suits are a piece of personal protective equipment. These protective suits are made out of insulating material that makes them highly resistant to electricity. These suits are specially designed to solve the issue of random accidents that occur while operating or fixing live wires. 

ARC flash suits consist of a variety of insulated clothing. They have coveralls, aprons, footwear, leggings, T-shirts, and gloves.

High Tech Tools

Major advancements lead to better results. The high-tech power tools are the major advancements made to ease an electrician’s work. Some of them are

11. Circuit analyzers

The circuit analyzer/circuit breaker finder is a portable handheld electrician tool used to verify voltage, polarity, reversals, and even line voltage is called. It is a modern-day advancement in electrician hand tools.

A circuit analyzer can help you locate the outlet connected to the circuit.

12. Electrical contractor software

The electronic market size is estimated to reach about 30.6 billion US dollars by 2025. A huge market size means high demand, which will increase the management load.

A multi-functional service management tool that is a part of electronics components that can enhance your workflow and keep records is the electrical contractor software.

The service management software is specially designed to ensure a smooth workflow that is fully automated. 

Keeping track of your bills and the task, either finished or upcoming, is handled by the software; advanced software also provides you the feature to calculate different functions.

Here is a list of some of the most valuable features of this software that make it the best electrician tool:

• Budget management 
• Task scheduling
• Reminders
• Invoice generation
• Record keeping
• Send estimate directly to email address

Conclusion

The best electrician tools aren’t the most advanced machines, but the basic tools are easy to operate, come in handy, and serve the purpose. 

Being a professional electrician is a tough job, as you are supposed to be an expert in your work and also need to manage your workflow. An electrical contractor software can be an expert solution to tackle the management without compromising work. 

FieldCamp is one such service scheduling software that can help you manage your daily business operations. It allows you to schedule the jobs, store customer details, track and organize field staff, and generate invoices.

It is the most advanced field management software with a user-friendly interface. To know how it is beneficial for your business, start your FREE trial NOW and explore a range of features and functionalities of this software.