While anyone in construction owns and uses tools, electricians tend to have the most because of the wide range of tasks we perform on a daily basis. But with so many tool options available, which ones should we carry every day? Let’s focus on the basic loadout of tools we should have, along with some useful task-specific ones.

Basic loadout

Let’s face it, if we carried every tool we owned, we could hardly walk around, let alone work effectively. So, the best plan is to carry only what you need for the most likely problems you’ll have. Below is what is generally accepted as a basic loadout to have with you.

Lineman’s pliers are the one tool that every electrician carries every day. They help us to cut, pull and twist wires, install various straps and staples, and even “massage” something into its proper place. They are available in several different configurations, including wire crimping and fish tape pulling. 

Diagonal cutters are used to cut lightweight metal, like wire.

Needle-nose pliers are used when precision is important. They allow us to bend loops in wire or otherwise manipulate it. They can also reach into small, confined spaces.

Screwdrivers are a necessity for any electrician and are available in an array of sizes, styles and lengths. We should carry at least three: a flathead, a Phillips and a trim screwdriver (for switches, receptacles and cover plates).

Tape measures are used on a daily basis. Try to select one that is at least 25 feet with a good blade standout and a magnetic hook.

Torpedo levels are needed to level anything we install. One that is small, has strong magnets and various angle bubbles is preferred.

Wire strippers are necessary to strip the wide range of wires we encounter. They are available in a variety of wire gauges, so a pair that covers the range being stripped most often is best.

A utility knife has several functions, from stripping wire insulation, to opening cardboard boxes or cutting drywall. 

Tool pouches are available in a range of options, but at a minimum, we should have a pouch for basic tools, one for materials and a belt.

All of these can be purchased separately or are available in kits. Lincolnshire, Ill.-based Klein Tools’ 5300 12-piece tool kit has almost everything needed for an electrician’s basic loadout. It has four screwdrivers (two Phillips and two flathead), wire strippers, lineman’s pliers, diagonal cutters, needle-nose pliers, pump pliers and a tape measure. It even comes with a leather tool pouch and web belt. 

Conduit installation

For conduit installation, we can shift our tool kit slightly. Typically, we would remove the diagonal cutters, needle-nose pliers and wire strippers, as we won’t need them to install conduit, and add:

Conduit reamers to put a smooth edge on the conduit after cutting it to length. They are available in several styles, including with screwdriver and bandsaw attachments or a cordless drill variant.

Tongue-and-groove pliers are used for tightening down conduit fittings. Select the size based on the conduit’s size. Purchase them in pairs, since two are needed when tightening fittings. 

Nut drivers are handy when installing nuts and bolts for conduit straps. A set with range of ¼–9/16 in. works for most applications.

Milwaukee Tool’s 15-piece ratcheting combination wrench set		Fluke’s 323 True rms clamp meter

Switchgear/panel installation

When installing and terminating switchgear or panels, the basic kit should change again, depending on whether we are only installing the equipment or actually terminating the conductors. Installation only negates the need for wire-manipulating tools (strippers, diagonal cutters, etc.), while wiring panels would not need conduit installation type tools. Here are a few of the items needed for panel installations: 

Hex key wrenches are necessary for tightening bolts and terminating conductors to lugs. Many come in foldable sets, allowing for ease of storage. They are also available in socket form so they can be used with a ratchet or cordless drill.

Socket sets are invaluable when assembling switchgear and installing panel interiors. While also available in ¼-in. and ½-in. drive, a 3/8-in. drive set with sockets that range from 5/32–7/8 in. should work for most installations.

Torque wrenches provide the required torque to bolted connections and wire terminations. A 3/8-in. drive torque wrench should work for most applications.

A set of combination wrenches is handy when making bolted connections. Ratcheting sets are quite popular; a set that has a range from ¼–1 in. should cover just about everything.

Flush-cutting pliers allow us to trim the tie wraps we use in panels to make the wiring neat and tidy. Think of them as much smaller versions of diagonal cutting pliers with jaws that cut the tie wraps flush, eliminating the razor-sharp edges left over by standard cutters.

Milwaukee Tool, Brookfield, Wis., offers an excellent 15-piece ratcheting combination wrench set. Ranging from ¼–1 in., it has every size an electrician would need for a standard installation. Having a small 2½ degrees of arc swing, the wrenches allow users to work efficiently in tight spaces. They also have an I-beam handle designed for comfort/ergonomics and bright markings for quick identification. 

Klein Tools’ 5300 12-piece tool kit

Residential

Our everyday tool kit for residential wiring looks much like a basic electrical loadout. However, speed and ease of movement are imperative in residential wiring, so we keep only the necessary tools on us.

A hammer is required to install the nonmetallic nail on boxes encountered in residential wiring, along with the cable staples to secure the NM cable.

NM cable strippers incorporate a cutting slot in the jaw to assist in removing the outer jacket of the NM cable, in addition to the standard wire-stripping holes.

Carrollton, Ga.-based Southwire’s SNM1214HH-WW wire strippers offer a slightly different take on the standard NM cable stripper’s function. In lieu of having the NM slot in line with the cutting jaws, these pliers have the slot 90 degrees and in front of the standard jaw, which allows for stripping the outer sheathing after the cable is in the box without leaving an excessive amount. They work for 12-2 and 14-2 NM cables, as well as stripping the individual wires themselves.

General wiring

Connecting and terminating wires doesn’t require conduit or equipment installation type tools. Meters and testers become extremely important here and would be added to our kit. In addition, we should keep all wiring type tools on our person (lineman’s pliers, diagonal cutters, needle-nose pliers and strippers) and add a few other items:

A multimeter or clamp meter is a vital safety tool that enables checking circuits and troubleshooting them when they are not functioning properly. There are a wide range of meters available with a multitude of functions, so a good quality meter should be selected with the options that are used most often, and within the range of the system being worked on.

Fluke, Everett Wash., has long been the gold standard in electrical meters. The 323 True rms clamp meter is an excellent choice for electricians and has commonly used features without being overly complicated. Capable of measuring AC and DC voltage to 600V, it also has a clamp-style aperture that will measure AC current to 400A. Rounding out the features are resistance measuring and audible continuity detection.

Noncontact voltage testers are helpful in determining whether voltage is present in a box, cable, etc. However, they cannot take the place of a quality electrical meter.

Torque screwdrivers are the little sibling to a standard torque wrench and are used when installing switches and receptacles. Even wiring devices have torque values for their wire-binding screws and we are required to make our installations to manufacturers’ specifications.

Armored cable splitters quickly and efficiently remove the armor from cables and leave a clean-cut edge that will not damage the individual conductors. 

Other considerations

The lists above are not exhaustive. Each electrician is different, as is each task they perform. Some will want additional items, some less. 

Cordless power tools—such as cordless drill/drivers, impact drills, reciprocating saws and band saws—are something else to consider for our everyday tool kits. There are many options available, and almost every electrician has at least one. Cordless options enable us to strip, crimp and torque wires. By studying which tasks we perform most often and selecting a manufacturer that provides a powered option, we can be even more efficient in our installations.

Conclusion

While there are some common tools regardless of what we are doing, our basic loadout is fully dependent on the task at hand. By removing tools we will not be using, and adding the ones we will, we can stay light on our feet and as productive as possible. 

klein tools | milwaukee tool | fluke