Electrical Supplies, Materials, and Tools - Definition of Terms

Electrical Tools and Equipment

• Lineman's Pliers are used for gripping, holding, and cutting electrical wires and cables, and are typically used by linemen for heavy tasks.
• Side Cutting Pliers are used for cutting fine, medium, and big wires and cables.
• Long Nose Pliers are used for cutting and holding fine wires, and can reach tight spaces or small openings where other pliers cannot reach.

Wire Stripper

• A Wire Stripper is a tool used for removing insulation of medium-sized wires ranging from gauge #10 to gauge #16.

Electrician's Knife

• An Electrician's Knife is used to remove insulation of wire and cables in low and high voltage transmission lines.

Portable Electric Drill

• A Portable Electric Drill is a small drilling machine with a chuck, used for making holes on metal sheets and concrete walls.

Hacksaw

• A Hacksaw is used to cut metal conduit and armored cable.

Electrical Supplies and Materials

• Convenience Outlets are devices that act as a convenient source of electrical energy for current-consuming appliances, and come in single, duplex, triplex, or multiplex forms.
• Kinds of Convenience Outlets include Surface type, Flush type, and Male plug.

Screwdrivers

• Standard/Flat Screwdriver is used to drive screws with a single slot head.
• Philips Screwdriver is used to drive screws with cross slot heads.
• Stubby Screwdriver is a short-shanked screwdriver used to turn screws in tight spaces.
• Allen Screwdriver/Wrench is used to drive screws with hexagonal slot heads.

Hammers

• Claw Hammer is used for extracting nails.
• Mallet (Rubber Head) is used for finishing a product without leaving marks.
• Ball-peen Hammer is used for flattening or shaping metal by peening.

Pliers

• Combination Pliers (Lineman's Pliers) are used for cutting, twisting, bending, holding, and gripping wires and cables.

Electrical Supplies, Materials, and Tools Definitions

• Ampere is a unit of measure of electric current.
• Circuit is the path of electric current from the source to the components and back to the source.
• Kilowatt is a unit of power equivalent to 1000w.
• Conductor is a wire or cord that provides a path for current flow.
• Resistance is the quality of electric current measured in ohms that resist the flow of current.
• Hot Wire is a wire through which current flows.
• Insulator is a material used to cover electric wires, which can be made from plastic, rubber, or asbestos.

Electrical Conduits and Materials

• Corrugated Plastic Conduit (CPC) is a flexible non-metallic conduit.
• Metallic Conduits are classified into four: Rigid Steel Conduit (RSC), Intermediate Metallic Conduit or Tubing (IMC or IMT), Electrical Metallic Conduit or Tubing (EMC or EMT), and Flexible Metallic Conduit (FMC).
• Non-metallic Conduits are classified as Rigid Non-metallic Conduit or PVC, Flexible Non-metallic or CPC, and Surface Plastic Molding.

Electrical Accessories

• Connectors and Adapters are used to connect boxes to conduits or raceways to other boxes in the electrical system.
• Lamp Holders are devices that hold and protect the lamp and are classified as Flush type, Hanging (weather proof/chain), and Surface types.
• Switch is a device that connects and disconnects the flow of electric current in a circuit.
• Fuse is a circuit protective device that automatically blows and cuts the current when overload or short circuit occurs.
• Circuit Breaker is a protective device used to automatically blow and cut the current when trouble in the circuit occurs.
• Junction Box is an octagonal shaped electrical material where connections or joints of wires are made.
• Flat Cord is a duplex stranded wire used for temporary wiring installation and is commonly used in extension cord assembly.

Electrical Wires and Conductors

• Electrical Wires and Conductors can be stranded or solid.
• Stranded Wire is made of multiple strands joined together to make a single wire.
• Solid Wire is made of a single strand of copper or aluminum wire.