How to quickly clean copper wires from insulation. How to strip insulation from wires: quick ways, tips and tricks

21.08.2020

It is hardly worth saying that non-ferrous metal has a high cost today. The highest quality source of non-ferrous scrap metal for commissioning is power cables.

Indeed, the purity of the metal in them is maximum. Indeed, otherwise the cable will create electrical losses, which will not allow using it with a high degree of efficiency. Acceptance of non-ferrous metals cannot be fooled. The money will be issued based not only on the weight but also on the purity of the raw materials offered.

Various methods of stripping insulation

Oddly enough, but in order to hand over a power cable for non-ferrous scrap (and most power cables contain copper, aluminum, lead, etc.), you will need to try. Of course, there are several methods for removing insulating coatings:

burning out;
manual removal;
machine removal.

Burnout of the insulating coating takes place in very rare cases. As a rule, this method is not possible to use. More precisely, no one can prohibit its use.

But when burned out, the quality of raw materials can deteriorate significantly, which will lead to its actual cost reduction. The essence can be described as follows. Today, many models of power cables have aluminum or lead mesh, armor, etc.

Naturally, when exposed to high temperatures, this mesh quickly melts. As a result, it contaminates the copper. By the way, copper that is contaminated with lead is practically worthless.

Hence use a similar technique removal of insulation is possible, except in relation to varnishes.

Manual vs machine removal

If we are talking about a private person who plans to hand over the n-th amount of power cable to non-ferrous metal, then it is unlikely that he has special equipment that will allow you to remove the insulation efficiently.

Of course, in this case you will have to act independently. The bottom line is that with the help of an electrician's knife, the insulation coating is manually removed from each wire.

It takes a huge amount of time, but the quality of raw materials does not suffer at all. You can do otherwise. Reception points are guaranteed to have the necessary equipment to remove insulation from power cables.

For a certain amount they will be allowed to use. Or they will accept unprocessed raw materials minus this amount.

How to strip a wire

In the process of installing wires, one of the most critical stages of work is the removal of insulation. It does not matter whether aluminum wire, copper, coated with enamel or plastic insulation, in each case it is necessary to follow the technology when stripping it. If you ignore the recommendations and advice on how to strip the wire, the technical characteristics of the manufactured electrical system will be poor. Let's look at several techniques for stripping insulation from a wide variety of coated wires.

Features of the structure of wires

Solid and stranded wires

There are two types of wires:

Single-core.
Stranded.

A single-core wire means a wire in which the cross-section is formed by one core or wire. As for stranded wires, the cross-section of such a wire is formed by several thin wires, which in some cases are intertwined. To make the stranded wire elastic and elastic, a thread is added to the structure, which resembles nylon. Taking these features into account, the insulation stripping technology in each individual case may differ.

Cleaning with a knife

Correct direction of the knife blade

When stripping the insulation with a knife, do not cut the wires in a circle with the blade in a perpendicular position - a notch of the copper core may form. As a result, with a slight bend, the wire will easily and quickly break in this place, especially if you undertook to strip a wire 0.6–0.8 mm thick. After a few bends, the wire breaks completely. When stripping a wire with a knife, the blade should be practically in the same plane with the axis of the wire. The insulation is pre-cut along the core. The insulation cut along the length is moved to the side and simply cut off.

It is important to be careful with this type of stripping, as hands can easily be injured.

Using side cutters

Stripping with side cutters

Tools such as side cutters are often misused. The tool is taken in hand as necessary, no attention is paid to the direction of the cutting edges. If the side cutters are used incorrectly, great efforts will have to be made. In addition, in this case, there is a great risk of breaking off the wire together with the insulation.

It is important that the cutting edges are directed in the opposite direction to the movement of the tool. With this option, the blade will cut into the insulation even with little force. As a result, the insulation is removed by the tube from the surface of the core without damaging it.

Reflow method

Stripping with a soldering iron

If you have a soldering iron, you can quickly remove the insulation using the thermal method. To do this, warm up the tip of the soldering iron and run it lightly over the plastic insulation. After heating, the plastic will melt and come off. This method does not violate the guide in any way. If you need to strip a large number of wires with such a winding, then it is recommended to use a special tool. For example, a special wood burner previously known as "Pattern" would be suitable.

The reflow method is most effective if your wiring is old. After a long service life, the plastic winding on the wire becomes rigid and brittle. Moreover, if the wire peeks out two or three centimeters from the junction box, neither the wire cutters nor the knife can cope with it. And if you use a lighter or crawl with a soldering iron, then you can strip the wire.

And if the enameled wire

Enameled wires

If the conductor is 0.2 mm thick, then mechanical stripping is the best option. For this, a knife or sandpaper is used to scrape off the insulation.

For cables that have thin insulation, you can use fine sandpaper. Fold it in half with emery inward. Then thread the cable into a folded sheet of emery and, using your fingers lightly, pull the cable. This procedure should be continued until the enamel is cleaned off.
If a knife is used, part of the cable must be placed on a solid base. Then it is necessary to turn it in a circle until the enamel is scraped off the surface of the conductor.

If the conductor is even thinner and less than 0.2 mm in diameter, the mechanical method will not be effective. This is due to the fact that the enamel will not be removed as a result, and the wire itself may break. In this case, you can master the thermochemical method using a soldering iron and PVC insulation. First, heat up the soldering iron, then put PVC on the table, and lead the wire from above and along it with a soldering iron. Under the influence of high temperature, chlorine is produced, which will clean the wire from enamel.

In most cases, such wires are used in radio communication, and it is he who is wound on inductive coils. It also has a name - litz wire. By its appearance, it is distinguished by the presence of a large number of thin wires, which are twisted into one conductor and at the same time covered with enamel.

No less interesting is another option for removing the enameled insulation from the wire. You will need to buy aspirin tablets. A wire is laid on them and a heated soldering iron tip is similarly passed along it. As a result, the wire is exposed and, plus everything else, is tinned.

Removal of fluoroplastic insulation

Fluoroplastic insulation

Fluoroplastic is a polymer that is produced by a chemical method. It has a number of positive characteristics, for example, it does not get wet from water and is highly resistant to organic substances. Its technical characteristics allow it to withstand temperatures up to 300 ° C! It is ideal as insulation, but the main disadvantage is the high price. In this regard, I use it in special cases. In everyday life, it is used by many radio amateurs, since after soldering it has an aesthetic appearance, takes up little space and does not melt.

The material itself is in the form of a thin narrow ribbon. She, in turn, is tightly wound on a twisted stranded wire. It is possible to clean such insulation only with a knife. The PTFE is scraped off to the desired length. As soon as the wire is bare, the insulation is taken to the required length, and the remaining fluoroplastic is cut off.

Insulation made of fabric, rubber is cleaned by any of the above methods. The main thing is not to allow notches of the main vein!

Automatic stripper

All of the above methods are manual. They require more time and attention, not to mention experience, when it comes to small cross-section stranded wires. If you work in this area, and you regularly need to strip the wires from insulation, then it is best to partially automate this process. For this, pliers were specially designed or they are also called strippers.

Stripper device

With the help of a stripper, the insulation is removed with a single press of the palm. Let's look at how to strip wires using the WS-04 model stripper.

Stripper WS-04 specifications:

It is possible to strip and cut wires Ø0.5–2.7 mm with a cross section from 0.2 to 6.0 mm2 without preliminary adjustment.
When adjusting a microscopic screw, you can remove insulation from a thin wire with a size of 0.25 to 0.5 mm.
The stripper allows you to crimp connectors without insulation, insulated or automotive wires for a double clamp 0.8-2.7 mm on wires.

Removing insulation

The stripper looks like a pliers, at the end of which there is a cam lever. The upper cams are movable and the lower ones are permanently installed. The left pair is used to clamp the wire, and the right one is used to remove and cut the insulation. When the handles are first brought together, the left cam clamps the wire, and the right one cuts its sharp edge into the insulation. With constant pulling of the levers, the insulation is gradually removed from the wire. The process of stripping the wire with a stripper takes a few seconds.

With multicore cable

The sequence of work with a stripper model WS-04 with solid, stranded and two-core wire:

The wire is wound between the cutting knives, which are located on the inside of the handle. Then they should be brought together. The result is a cut of the wire end without deformation. For comparison, cutting with pliers the end is always flattened and slightly pointed.
In the next step, one end of the wire is wound between the movable and fixed jaws. After squeezing the handles, the insulation is removed. With this work, no notches are observed on the conductor.
You can use the blue movable stop to adjust the exact length of the stripped insulation.
On a two-core wire, the insulation is removed with a stripper in two passes.
From the first call, the PVC tube is removed.
At the second stage, the insulation is simultaneously removed from the two wires.

Operation time may take no more than 5 seconds!

Among other things, the stripper can also be used to strip the insulation of the telephone cable before pressing it into the RJ-11 connector. If a screw connection is used, the insulation is removed from the wires with just one movement.

Also, the stripper can be used to remove shielded wires. First of all, it should be noted that this is a rather difficult task, especially if the conductor is thin. So, the first step is to remove the insulation from the shielding braid. To expose the center wire, the braid is untwisted with a needle or thorn. It remains to make one movement with the stripper and the wire is freed from insulation. Cleaning the shielded wire by hand is laborious, especially if you only have a knife on hand. It is very easy to damage the wire with a knife!

So, as you can see, the stripper is a fairly versatile tool that cleans different wires from insulation.

Coaxial cable

You can also strip the insulation on a coaxial cable with your own hands. Although the equipment for this purpose is inexpensive and readily available, we will show you how to get the job done with nippers and a knife. Typically, this cable is used to connect satellite TV and standard F connectors.

Coaxial cable types

Step-by-step instruction how to strip a coaxial wire:

Take the cable away from your body.
Take a utility knife and press firmly on the cable at a right angle from the end of the cable at a distance of 2.5 cm. Do not press with the end of the blade, otherwise it will break off and may bounce into your eyes.
At this stage, the outer sheath, braid, foil layer and dielectric foam must be cut through. In most cases, it is white. It is with such layers that the vein is surrounded. You will feel some resistance as you plunge the blade into the cable. As soon as the blade has gone to half of the wire, less pressure is needed on it. It is imperative not to damage the center conductor!
Then you should walk along the circle of the cable. When doing this, be careful not to nick the vein.
Now pull and twist on the cut edge of the insulation. By doing this, you can remove the cut end of the insulation.
If wires stick out from under the cable sheath, then cut them off with wire cutters so that they do not go beyond the edge of the sheath. It is important to examine the wire for serifs. If there are any, then the above procedure will have to be repeated.
Dielectric foam may remain partially on the main core. You can simply remove it with your fingernail.
To connect the cable to the F connector, first remove a small part of the upper sheath.
To do this, measure eight millimeters from the previous cut. Make an incision in the upper shell. As in the previous case, the cut is made perpendicular to the wire. Be careful not to snag the sheath. In some versions of the F connector, there is no need to remove the sheath, while in others, on the contrary, it should be removed.
If you are not sure whether you need a braid in your case, then leave it temporarily. This braid is wrapped around the dielectric foam. Its wires are thinner than a human hair, so all work must be done carefully. Just now, the incision needs to be made with the tip of the blade along the entire wire.
Peel off eight millimeters of the cable sheath so that the dielectric foam wrapped in the winding remains on the core.
The braid is wrapped over the outer sheath. So, the dielectric is exposed. At this stage, pay attention to the requirement of the F-connector: which end of the wire should be in your case.
There must be no possible wiring between the braid and the center conductor. Against the background of a white dielectric, this will be clearly visible.
An F-connector is placed at the end of the cable.
The dielectric must be at the bottom of the connector after it has been seated on it. It is unacceptable that it looks out or does not reach the bottom of the connector.

F-connector

In no case should the tip come into contact with the F-connector.

The F-connector is now ready for use.

Cable stripping knives

Special knife

Separately, it should be said about special knives, which are directly used to remove insulation from the cable. For example, the most popular is the hook knife. During operation, it is much more convenient than a clerical one. Moreover, thanks to the thick blade, they can work more confidently and more daringly. It will be difficult for them to cut the insulation of the wire, but to cut the cable along: this is what you need. Such a hook digs well into the sheath of the cable, so it will not jump out of it. However, such a tool does not have all the advantages, since it cannot provide a good cable stripping.

Another special knife is known.

Stripping tool

It is very simple to operate. To begin with, use your thumb to pull back the special bracket. It is under it that you will thread the wire. At this point, a small knife peeps out of the handle, rotating around its axis. After the cable has been laid, the clip presses it against this knife. Make two or three turns around the wire until you get a cut. Now, without removing the wire, pull the tool firmly towards the end. The knife will turn and cut along the shell. In the end, it remains just to remove the cut off part and continue working.

The only drawback of such a device is that it is necessary to adjust the wheel directly to the depth of one or another type of wire. You can use a piece of wire for adjustment.

Also, such a knife is not very successful in removing insulation. This is due to the fact that the device can flatten a thick cable if not careful.

So, we looked at the most common methods on how to remove insulation from a wire. Perhaps one of the above methods will be useful in your case as well. Successful work to you!

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How to clean wires from insulation on nonferrous metals

Copper wire is a fairly common thing. It is used for wiring, and worn out is gladly accepted as non-ferrous scrap metal.

As a rule, such a wire is covered with a protective sheath, and enamel or plastic is used as insulation. If you decide to hand over copper to St. Petersburg, then before that it makes sense to clean the wire, as this will significantly increase its cost.

Options for getting rid of isolation

There are several ways to clean up:

Using a utility knife. This option is the simplest and most affordable. Everything is done in two stages: the shell is first cut in a circle, and then along the length, only after that the insulation can be removed. However, doing this is dangerous - you could cut yourself with the blade if it slips off.
Take a paper cutter, fasten one end of the wire well and lower the blade close to the wire - the insulation will be removed.
Heating the copper wire will melt the insulation. Such an operation is carried out in small areas, but there is a risk of inhaling smoke and getting burned.
A hammer - they just hit the wire until the insulation breaks. This option is the most laborious and time consuming.

There is another option - use a special installer's knife equipped with a hook. It is more convenient than a clerical one, since it excludes slipping of the blade: the hook sticks well into the insulation and cannot jump out of it. Therefore, an incision can be obtained very quickly without any risk.

Special tool

Everything will turn out much faster and easier if you use a device that can now be freely purchased in the store. It's about a stripper.

It is not too expensive, and the quality of work is excellent. The principle of its operation is as follows.

The stripper handle has a small rotating knife. Pull the staple on the tool with your finger and push the wire under it - it will press against this knife.

The tool is now wrapped around the wire a few times to create a cut in the sheath. Next, the stripper is pulled towards the end of the wire, the knife will turn around and make an incision along it.

Then the insulation can be easily removed. As you can see, manipulations are similar to those performed with a knife, but safer and faster.

The tool has one drawback: it must be adjusted to the thickness of the specific cable. This is done using a special wheel that controls the depth of the cut.

How to quickly remove insulation from wires. See the stripper in action in the video:

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How to remove insulation from a wire - how to quickly remove insulation from a copper wire with your own hands

How to quickly remove insulation from a wire

How to remove insulation from a wire? This question worried every person at least once. But before proceeding with the study of the methods for carrying out this procedure, it is necessary to understand the purpose of this layer for the cable.

Stripping of insulation may be necessary in cases where it is necessary to install an outlet or switch. And there can be a huge number of such examples.

Purpose of insulation in wires

This layer prevents short circuits that can occur between conductors.

Insulation is classified into:

single plastic
multilayer

For the latter option, fabrics, non-combustible dielectrics or resins are used.

Traditional household wire is a small cross-section cable. Removing the insulation quickly from a standard cord is usually not a problem. The easiest way is using a tool such as pliers. To do this, they grab one core of the cable and carefully, so as not to get hurt, they circle it in a circle with a knife.

As a result of the use of tools, part of the insulation is eliminated by rotating movements - the cable is exposed. This option is perfect if, when installing switches and sockets, it suddenly turns out that the wires are too short. In this case, removing the insulation using the tools at hand will be easier than ever.

Some tips for quick cable stripping

Quite often, situations arise when even a real professional is confused. For example, a visual inspection showed that the charger has damaged wires to the plug.

The main problem is:

thin section cable
its multi-core
pouring wires into solid sheath

In this case, the insulation is not just a protective layer, but a channel consisting of two or three chambers.

On the one hand, the repair method is obvious. On the other hand, the question of how you can quickly remove the insulation from the cable is not clear.

Experienced experts advise using a razor cassette as a special tool. Only one element will be needed - a thin blade. In this case, you need to secure the cable well in a vice. In their absence, a clamp from a table lamp is also suitable.

To strip the insulation quickly, you need to split the cable into conductors. This must be done very carefully so as not to damage the structure of the veins. There is no need to rush in this matter. Otherwise, the cut may be too deep. At the end of this stage of work, you need to pick up part of the insulating layer with your fingernail and slowly remove it from the core. Careful attitude to the wire will allow you not to break it or damage it. It is very important not to cut the rest of the conductors when removing the insulation.

The second situation when it is required to remove the protective layer from the cable is the loaded sections of electrical networks.

The most striking examples are:

inner filling insulating layer
rigid and dense outer insulation
fabric insulation, which is impregnated with a resin composition
individual insulation of all cores

To remove the protection, it is necessary to remove the outer shell with a tool. For this purpose, a shallow cut is made along the cable. Using a pair of pliers will remove the wires. This must be done one at a time, otherwise you will have to remove the inner fabric or fill. The rest of the outer insulation layer simply needs to be cut off.

Tools used for wire stripping

To strip the insulation from the cable, some people settle for a regular kitchen knife.

But it's best to use the following tools:

a cutter equipped with sharp new blades
any kind of pliers
scissors used for cutting thick wires and metal
a clamp or a small vice

To create a reliable and safe connection of wires, it is better to use special terminal blocks.

If it is necessary to remove the protective layer from thin conductors, these tools can damage them. Therefore, if possible, it is better to do without removing the insulation.

Without removing the protective layer, separate the conductors and create contact using a crocodile to the teeth. In this case, the reliability of the connection is ensured not so much by removing the insulation as by puncturing it. In most cases, this is sufficient.

Working with electric current should not be considered too simple. Even if you know exactly what tools you need to use to eliminate the protective layer from the wires, you need to remember that damage to the core will eventually lead to its breakdown and, as a result, failure.

In the event that the insulation has been removed a little more than required, cut off the excess with a suitable tool. Leaving bare wires is too dangerous.

You should not purchase special tools to remove the protective layer from the wires. They are usually useless. And people use, in most cases, simple tools at hand.

When working with tools, you must be careful, do all operations without haste. It is best to slowly push the insulation when removing from the cable. This will prevent damage to the core.

In the process of work, you should be extremely careful. As practice shows, electrical problems often begin exactly where the protective layer was removed, because it is difficult to notice microscopic damage to the cores the first time. It is better to spend a little more time right away, but do everything neatly, rather than correct your own mistakes later with a lot of money.

The best option is to call an electrician at youdo.com. The order is made easily and quickly, the contractor will quickly arrive at the specified address and remove the insulating layer professionally and inexpensively.

All wires and cables (with the exception of those laid through the air) have a protective layer called insulation, which prevents the conductors from shorting to each other or to the contacting surface. Work on the installation of electrical wiring, connecting equipment or drawing up electrical circuits is accompanied by the removal of this layer in certain areas, in order to ensure reliable contact at the switching points. To make this process as convenient and safe as possible, there are a number of techniques that allow you to quickly and efficiently clean up, eliminating damage to the current-carrying conductor. In this article, we will tell you how to remove the insulation from the cable and wires correctly, consider clear ways.

The subtleties of stripping insulation and the difficulties encountered

The insulating coating can be single or multi-layer, which can affect the choice of the method of its removal and the devices used for this, from a simple stationery knife to a multifunctional stripper.

The correct choice of tools greatly affects the quality of the work performed.

The operation of removing the protective layer from a wire or cable may seem simple and uncomplicated, accessible to everyone. However, it must be remembered that these measures are accompanied by the use of cutting tools, which can damage the conductor itself, reducing its cross-section or break the insulation in an unnecessary place, as well as get a cut as a result of improper use.

To avoid such situations, safe working methods and special tools have been developed that greatly facilitate the cutting of the ends of the wire, reducing the resulting risks to a minimum. The purpose of this publication is to familiarize the user with these developments. Read also the article: → "".

The difference between copper and aluminum conductors

Accuracy is required when working with any conductor, but it should be remembered that aluminum conductors are more fragile than copper analogs and have a lower margin of safety under bending loads. This is due to the technical characteristics of the material used in the product:

It can be concluded that aluminum products are inferior in strength and have a lower current conductivity. Therefore, it is important to avoid damaging them during stripping in order to prevent additional performance degradation.

Most common stripping techniques

During the stripping of current-carrying veins, the presence of certain skills that are acquired only in practice plays an important role. This is especially true when handling thin conductors, where every wrong movement can lead to refraction.

Practical experience allows you to choose the required force for pressing the tool, the angle of its application and the direction of movement in order to affect only the sheath of the wire, and not on its core.

Popular methods of stripping insulation include the following:

using a knife;
use of side cutters:
exposure to high temperatures;
using a stripper.

Each of these methods may be applicable in different circumstances, and deserves a detailed description.

Removing the braid with a knife

The use of a knife is the most widely used option, and is common among DIYers who rarely need to cut wires. In this case, it is important to choose the correct angle of inclination of the blade. It is unacceptable to make a circular cut of the shell, substituting the cutting edge perpendicular to the conductor. This will inevitably lead to damage to the secondary insulation or a notch on the current-carrying conductor, which can subsequently cause its fragility. Read also the article: → "".

The knife should be brought to the conductor at the most acute angle, practically sliding along the insulation and act only in the direction "away from you", which will make the process safe for both the product and the user.

Practical tip: An excellent tool for stripping the top layer of insulation is a knife with a heel, which has been called the "electrician's knife." Its design allows you to quickly remove the insulating layer of the cable, avoiding core damage.

Using side cutters to strip the wire

Such a tool should only be used by experienced electricians, because any excess of force will either bite off the wire or damage it. There are two options for using side cutters:

When working with a conductor of large cross-section, the insulation is "bite" from different sides, after which it is simply removed from the core
The shell is clamped and cut by the cutting edges of the tool, after which it is pulled together with an axial movement to the side.

The second option requires special attention and accuracy.

It is important to know: the sharpening side of the side cutter jaws should be directed in the direction opposite to the direction of tightening the removed insulation. This will allow you to succeed without applying excessive squeezing force, and will reduce the risk of wire biting.

Some brands make products with the provided notches for the safe removal of insulation from conductors of a certain cross-section, which makes it easier for domestic use.

Stripping insulation by exposure to high temperature

This method is suitable for cable and wire products that have an insulating coating of current-carrying conductors made of polyvinyl chloride. Heat can be created with a soldering iron or a lighter. Under its influence, PVC loses its density and is easily pulled together with fingers. Unfortunately, this method is only suitable for wires with a small cross section.

Another disadvantage of this method is the fact that it is applicable only if it is possible to provide access to fresh air for ventilation, because the emitted combustion products can be unpleasant and even harmful.

Use of a special tool - stripper

Attachments such as a stripper make stripping wires easy and safe. The tool provides for the ability to work with cable and wire products of a certain size. For instance, WS-04B capable of stripping conductors with a cross-section range from 0.2 to 6.0 mm². Read also the article: → "".

There are the following types of strippers:

simple manual - its principle of operation is similar to the operation of side cutters with notches for a certain section of conductors;
semi-automatic - has an adjustment of the length of the exposed ends and removes insulation from the cores when the handles are closed;
automatic - carries out several operations at once: trimming, stripping, twisting and crimping conductors.

The use of a stripper eliminates damage to current-carrying conductors and breakdown of insulation in unintended places, which makes its use the most versatile of the considered stripping methods.

Step by step instructions for stripping a cable

Quite often, multiple tools are used to strip cables before connecting them. For clarity, you can consider the sequence of actions when preparing a VVG or PUNP cable, which has a double PVC coating for installing a plug socket:

Before starting work, you must make sure that there is no power
With the help of side cutters, the length of the wire, convenient for termination, is provided (when installing the socket, it is no more than 120-150 mm)
Using a knife with a heel, a longitudinal incision of the upper shell is made, after which it is removed
The phase, neutral and RE conductors are alternately placed in the stripper and stripped from the insulating layer to a predetermined length.

The most common mistakes

The bulk of mistakes made when stripping insulation from wires and cables are caused by the use of inappropriate tools or violation of the rules for using them.

Among such shortcomings are the following:

When removing the top insulating layer, when cutting it off, the knife is used with excessive force at a right angle. The error lies in the fact that in these there is a threat of damage to the insulation of current-carrying conductors, which can lead to a short circuit of the wire to the body of the electrical device or to a short circuit of the conductors among themselves.
The use of side cutters is carried out on the wrong side of the tool (meaning the sharpening side). The error consists in the possible slippage of the wire between the cutting edges and the need to squeeze them more tightly, which can lead to biting of the core.
Using the knife with the wrong angle heel. The error can cause a violation of the easy sliding of the heel along the wires of the wire, its "burying" and damage to the secondary insulation in an unnecessary place.

The correct and careful attitude to the use of the tool will help to avoid such problems when working with the cable.

In conclusion, I would like to note that each tool should correspond to its intended purpose. For stripping wires and cables, such tools are a knife with a heel and a stripper. Other devices should be used with the utmost care and utmost care. The tips and tricks provided in this publication will help you avoid mistakes when stripping the wire.

One of the main sources is cable scrap. Copper cable - a cable with conductive cores made of electrical copper.

This metal is different minimum content of impurities, which increases its electrical and thermal conductivity, makes it soft and malleable.

A copper cable that has failed or has worked out its service life is readily bought, but the prices for the wire can vary greatly depending on the percentage of copper in the raw materials being handed over.

The basis of the cable is conductor from. Usually, a product has several conductors isolated from each other, which are enclosed in a common shell.

Depending on the conditions in which the operation will take place, the coating can be reinforced with a protective screen or armor.

The following types of cables are distinguished:

power;
household;
control;
special.

Power copper cables are used to distribute the electricity supplied by the power plant to:

substations,
utility and transport facilities,
manufacturing enterprises, etc.

There are up to five conductive cores inside such products.

By insulation material they are divided into several types:

Household have from one to several cores. They are used to connect devices to portable power generators, as well as welding installations to the mains.

Control cables are used to connect electrical appliances, switchgears and various mechanisms in tunnels and channels without the risk of damage. Installation of this type of wire is possible both outdoors and indoors.

Special cables are used to transmit high-frequency and low-frequency signals.

Areas of use

Copper cables are widely used in various branches of human economic activity:

in power linesserving for the transmission and distribution of electricity in stationary installations;
wiring inside residential premises and offices;
on manufacturing enterpriseswhere there is a high probability of fires and explosions.

Single core copper cable finds its application in conditions where, after installation, its immobility is ensured (electric motors, electrical wiring in the room).

In the same time stranded the wire is used to power equipment with a large range of motion.

Such equipment includes, for example, gantry cranes.

Conditions and restrictions of admission

Scrap copper cable is a valuable type of secondary raw material and is accepted in almost any form. The cost at which you can hand over the copper wire to the collection point depends on a number of factors:

Raw material quality... The higher the copper content in the cable, the higher the cost.
Conductor section thickness.
Purity... The cable should be free of pronounced traces of grease, enamel, varnish, welding and oxides.
Shell integrity and the complexity of further processing of the scrap.
Lot size... The larger the batch, the higher the price for 1 kg of cable.

Hand over scrap metal to small private collection points not recommended... As a rule, they do not have documents confirming the right to conduct such activities and are simple resellers who announce the minimum price for metal.

A higher price for scrap metal is offered by processing plants and metal depots, which have all the necessary technological and material capabilities for its transportation, assessment and further processing.

Prices for acceptance of scrap copper cable

The cost of a copper cable varies depending on the percentage of copper in the raw materials supplied, as well as on the quality and volume of the metal.

The exact price of scrap can be found after analyzing the sample on special equipment -.

In the price lists of enterprises that accept scrap, there is, as a rule, the price for pure metalexempted from:

isolation;
lubricants;
paints, etc.

To determine the cost of scrap at the point of delivery, prototype cutting, which is peeled from the braid and weighed. In this way, the amount of metal in the received batch is determined, without taking into account the weight of the insulation.

Average prices for different types of copper cable scrap are presented in the table:

Scrap type	Description	Price / price range (RUB per kg.)
Copper cable	With a copper yield from 70%	260 — 300
Copper cable	In isolation	220 — 280
Copper "oil"	mechanical scrap of a cable. Does not have oxides, darkening, in oil. The presence of varnish, terminals, remnants of insulating material, paint, dirt, paper, etc. is unacceptable.	200-298
Copper "mix"	Conductors, telephone copper wire, wire, cable, assembly parts, flexible braids. Coating with varnish, paint, as well as the presence of oxides is allowed.	230 — 285
Annealed copper	Scrap of copper conductor of any shape, heat-treated. The raw material should not contain any traces of oxidation, tips, oil, particles of insulating material.	280 — 300
Copper "shine"	Copper wires and cables stripped of insulation. Each vein is shiny, free of oxides, darkening, films, traces of oil and varnish, as well as insulation residues. The price depends on the diameter of the conductor section.	240 — 318

How to increase the cost of scrap

In order not to miscalculate and hand over scrap copper wire at the best price, you need analyze the cost of raw materials on the market and determine the circle of potential buyers.

Compare admission prices scrap copper cable at various points. Order a preliminary assessment of the material in companies offering the most favorable conditions, and choose the most acceptable option for yourself.
Check out the buyer's reputation; check if he has.
Collect more raw materials for delivery... A large batch of scrap copper cable allows you to hand over it at a more favorable price.
Objectively evaluate the reception conditions... The free dismantling of scrap and its delivery to the enterprise is often compensated by the underestimated cost of receiving metal, therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the range of services as a whole.
Clean the cable... The wire stripped from the braid is taken much more expensively at the collection points. If the insulation can be removed by hand, then annealed copper is considered to be of inferior quality.

Self-cleaning of insulation

If there is no time, you can hand over the copper cable uncleaned. In this case, the reward will be lower.

The process of cleaning copper wire from the braid is unsafe and technologically complex. This requires the appropriate equipment and specialized knowledge.

A plus self-cleaning of wires from insulation - the ability to hand over scrap on higher price.

Minuses self cleaning:

Large time and labor costs.
Special knowledge and equipment required.
The effort spent does not always pay off, since cleaning large volumes is much easier, faster and more profitable to carry out at specialized enterprises.

Cable stripping equipment can be purchased from, for example, a Chinese supplier on aliexpress:

The main cleaning methods for copper cables are:

Heat treatment... This method is not often used, as it contradicts environmental standards. In addition, it has certain limitations: it is not recommended to burn thin-core cable scrap, as the metal can burn out along with the insulation.
Mechanical... Removing the insulation manually (stripping). Long and laborious process. Its implementation does not always justify itself in terms of time and labor costs. A manual mechanical stripper can be used to speed up the process.
Modern cleaning methods using special technological equipment. For example, a powerful and efficient automatic stripper. This method is the most effective and environmentally safe. And the stripped insulation can also be recycled.

To learn how to clean a copper cable at home using improvised means, watch this video:

Summary

Due to its high thermal and electrical conductivity, copper is widely used in many industries.

Recycling of scrap copper in used cable is one of the main sources of this metal today.

Copper cable reception is carried out at competitive prices, but they may vary depending on:

the percentage of copper in raw materials;
quality and section of the wire;
batch size.

Thus, the final calculation of the cost is made in each case individually.

In contact with

Non-ferrous scrap of used cables is a demanded and expensive recyclable material. It can be removed independently from old power, fiber-optic, telephone, installation, and other wiring. What tools and accessories are needed to remove the winding? How to quickly clean a cable for scrap delivery, spending a minimum of time and effort?

Popular methods of stripping insulation

When the cable is handed over, the value is the metal core of the conductors. Before going to the collection point, you need to strip the cable from the insulation winding. There are several ways to do it yourself:

manual stripping with a knife or hammer is a laborious and long process, suitable if the batch of scrap is small;
roasting and reflowing is a fast process, but harmful to the environment, not recommended for thin-strand scrap, the metal burns out along with the winding;
use of special equipment is the fastest and safe method, in the course of work use the tool.

Stripping with a knife, hammer

For stripping wires, a construction, office knife or pullers with hooks, adjusting screws, etc. are suitable. When working, carefully cut the winding along the core, then take it to the side and cut it off.

When working with a hammer, they forcefully hit the cable until the insulation is separated from the metal.

Roasting and reflow

Raw materials can be burned on a fire, but the method is justified for a large volume of raw materials. They carry out work in the open air, observing safety precautions.

Melting the cable with a soldering iron is one of the ways to remove insulation from thin, thick conductors, loops. Before work, the wire is laid on a flat horizontal surface. Then the soldering iron is heated and applied vertically to the winding. As the insulation melts, the cable is turned around its axis. After firing, the plastic is easily removed with pliers, tweezers, pliers.

Important! They work in a well-ventilated area. When the insulation melts, toxins are released and there is a strong plastic smell.

Using a side cutter and a stipper

How to quickly clean the scrap delivery cable and mechanize the process? Special tools will help:

side cutter;
stripper.

A side cutter is called wire cutters or tweezers for cutting the wiring. When wielding it, the free end of the wire is clamped between the blades, then gently turned and pulled. The insulation can be easily removed.

Note! The cutting edges are guided in the direction of the tool movement so that the blades cut into the winding without much effort. If the side cutter is mishandled, the cable will break off along with the insulation.

A stripper will help automate the cable cleaning process. There are different types of tools. Models differ in the number of additional functions.

Stipper and work with him

The principle of operation of all strippers is the same:

the end of the cable is inserted into the hole of the tool;
hand grip the stripper handles to bite the windings;
then the conductor is pulled outward, free of insulation.

Important! The tool is good because it is simple and straightforward to work with, and is inexpensive. It rarely damages the cable, shortens the time to remove the winding, and is suitable for work with solid stranded conductors.

Special equipment

If there is a lot of scrap, special equipment for stripping insulation will help to simplify the preparation of raw materials. It can be rented directly from the centralized collection point.

Recycling points

Scrap collectors buy the following waste of cable and wire products:

a) factory defects, warehouse illiquid assets;

b) used cable lines, production remains;

c) old uncleaned cable;

d) dismantled communications;

e) waste from installation work.

Acceptance is carried out according to several criteria, which form the price per kg of scrap. The length of the conductor pieces, the percentage of scrap to insulation, and impurities are taken into account.

By the way! To determine the weight of the metal without winding, the acceptance specialist cuts the prototype of the conductor, strips and weighs it.

Average price per kg of copper scrap for 2018-2019

	Scrap description	Average price, RUB / kg
Coiled cable	Covered with insulation
Copper cable	With a copper yield of 70% or more