ATTN: Electricians
 

What tools will I need to be a residential electrician? What are the basic tools? In other words, what tools would a prospective employer expect me to have?

As you can see by my résumé, I have a great amount of experience doing electrical work, but no experience working in buildings.

I used to own a boat repair shop and I had a tremendous amount of tools. Then I got a job on a ship and while I was out at sea, my cunt-in-law stole most of my tools. I know it was her, but I cannot prove it.

In a way, it was 'ok' because the ship I work on provides the tools I need to do my job. But now that I am getting out of the maritime industry, I need to buy more tools and I specifically need to buy tools geared towards, not yachts and other watercrft, but houses.

I already know I will need a Klein Linesman's pliers (something no marine electrician has much use for). What else will I need? I was looking in the T&B catalog and they have Romex strippers. Are those a necessity, or is that sort of a luxury tool? (No Romex on boats either)

I still own a business on paper, so I suppose I could see if Grainger has an electrician kit, but I thought if you guys (and gals) won't mind helping a brother out, I would be open to any suggestions.

Thanks

McD

You don't need romex strippers... but their nice to have.
Make sure you've got a pair of dikes (diagonal (cutting) pilers).
Also, be sure to remove those crappy handel grips that come on your kliens and replace them with the hardened, red, plastic ones klien sells.

That's about all I remember from my Electrician class in high school.

Talk to an electrican.

Thanks for the input above, ibis but I know the basic tools. I mean, I have been doing electrical and electronics for nearly 2 decades. The problem is that I have never worked on a house or in a building, only boats.

What I am getting at here is: obviously, I will need a P1 and P2 screwdriver as well as a small assortment of straight blade screwdrivers. I know I will need wire strippers. I know I will need linesman's pliers. Will I need a multimeter? For me now, this is a tool I use daily. Is this something that a residential electrician only needs occassionally, for instance, when the job is done to make sure there are no shorts or opens?

And I was thinking to myself that I will not need crimpers... or will I? Do residential electricians use them? I use them almost daily at this job.

The reason this is an issue for me is because I want to buy the tools that my future boss will expect me to have. I just bought a house and a new car, so I don't have much disposable money right now. I want to buy just what I need, and maybe a few things that are not necessary, but nice to have.

If that fat cunt sister-in-law of mine hadn't pawned my tools off to support her jelly donut habit, I wouldn't have to post this at all. I had enough tools to keep a carpenter, two electricians, an electronics tech and a mechanic busy.

No shit? Wow! I would have never thought of that! I guess I better change the title of this post to "ATTN: Electricians"

Wait a minute...

I've done some electrical work before.

From my experience, these tools proved very helpful:
Corless drill for installing outlets and cover plates and drilling holes for wire
Multimeter - it's a must
Pen-sized charge detector (detects a hot wire even if it's not on a closed circuit)
Utility knife and/or sheetrock saw for cutting holes for new boxes
Hammer
Optional: wire snake

..and remember that for resedential wiring, (at least in the US) black means hot, white common, green ground. That doesn't mean that each house you visit will be wired correctly, though (thus the pen-sized charge detector).

I'll add more tools if they come to mind.

You should talk to professional electricians in the county or state where you will be working.

You can call me stupid if you like, I don't care. Although the rules do.

A Stud finder and battery operated hacksaw for cutting holes for fixtures and receptacles and of course a measuring tape.

You mentioned that you're new boss would expect you to have certain tools. My Dad is an electrical and construction contractor. He subcontracts as well as employs other guys. Most of the time they have their own screwdrivers, utility knives and hammers but beyond that they don't supply much of their own. Each new guy has his own personal assortment of favorite tools that he might bring. My Dad does this for his livelihood and has for years so he's got all he will need for a job. If you are looking to be in the employ of an electrical contractor then ask HIM what you need. Don't buy anything until you do. Everything else will most likely be extras that you wouldn't necessarily need.

drill motor
universal bit
good fish tape
crimpers for stranded wire
voltage pick
diagonal dykes
linesman pliers
wire strippers; 10, 12, 14 gauge
torpedo level
drywall saw
multimeter
small hammer
conduit reamer/bender
small hacksaw
klein 10 in 1 screwdriver
8/10 gauge machine screw tap driver
assorted hex drivers
hex key set (standard)

That oughta cover you.

(I'm not a professional electrician)
How about one of these outlet testers http://www.testequipmentdepot.com/AE...esters/OT2.htm to see whether an existing installation is wired correctly before starting a job?

Also do electricians have use for a tone generator for locating wires? We data and voice guys often do...

Can we tone down the "fat cunt" talk please?
I know you're pissed, but children read these boards!
*giggles*
and when they pop up.. they get banned :)

Have you thought of joining the Sparky Union?
I work with electricians daily, but they all do convention work, so I dunno if the toolset is the same.

I don't think my Dad has ever used one of those. Wiring in a house usually follows a set order and isn't that hard to locate usually.

As for the GFI plug. An Ohm Meter will often tell you most of what you need to know. That does look like a handy gadget though.

Some burn ointment and bandages, come somewhere, someone is going to have the circuit breakers in their house mislabeled, or they'll have done a do-it-yourself repair job wrong and your going to have the shit shocked out of you.

Thanks, but I am already used to that. When I had my boat repair company, very often I would get called because some guy tried to wire up something on his own. I am quite used to following behind rank amateurs. Not saying I'll never get shocked, but the odds really are pretty low.

Thanks for the excellent answers. I have a good idea what tools to get now.

I am going to have a rough time at this, going from being a journeyman marine electrician to an apprentice residential electrician (mostly because of the pay cut I am going to take). Damn. I just literally shuddered because the job hunt starts on Monday. :|

Nutdrivers. I didn't see anyone list nutdrivers. Maybe not a lot of use in a house but you'll want em in a commercial building. And no matter how many strippers, or what kind, you still can't beat having a good electricians knife.

But for those times you have to spend time looking for a receptacle that is on a breaker that you wouldn't think it would be on, it will pay for itself.

One thing not mentioned is a continuity tester. It's an inexpensive pen light device you use to complete a circuit and tell from one end to the other if you are trying to trace a run. More for post contruction work.

I was a residential electrician until 25 tears ago. My must have tools were the lineman pliers, a large screwdriver that double as a wood chisel on occasion, a small philips and a pocketknife....the kind with a blunt tip, which I use for all wire stripping. All that would fit in my pockets and I could always grab a hammer if needed.