I was stripping wire wrong for a solid year before a foreman caught it

I was working on a panel swap in a Denver office building last month, and my foreman watched me prep a 4/0 feeder. He pointed out that I was holding my strippers at a sharp angle, which was nicking the copper strands. I had no idea I was doing that, but once he showed me how to keep the tool straight, the difference was huge. My connections are cleaner now, and I'm not leaving those tiny cuts that can cause hot spots. It's one of those small things you never think about until someone spots it. Has anyone else had a simple tool grip tip that made a big difference?

2 comments

2 Comments

luna51911h ago

Man, I was probably stripping wire wrong for a year too. I used to crank down on my lineman's pliers like I was trying to crush a can, and I'd flatten the conductor ends. My journeyman finally asked if I was trying to make little copper spatulas. A lighter squeeze and they stay round, who knew.

nathan_barnes7h ago

Flattened ends still work fine though, right?