2 Handling of Tools

and Equipment

INTRODUCTION
When you work with appliance repair, you need to be
familiar with working of the tools. You may
already be familiar with the typical wrenches
and screwdrivers, but you will need to know
more, such as about voltage meters and even
single and multiphase compressor testers.
Therefore, it is necessary to be sure that
you are equipped with enough knowledge to
properly use the tools that will be needed.
Always remember to take them when you are
working on a job.
Fig. 2.1 Tools used in electricity Various tools and equipment are required
for maintaining as well as erection of
various electrical components (Fig. 2.1). Therefore, it is
necessary to know about various tools and equipment
to operate them safely.

SESSION 1: TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

Fig. 2.2 Screwdriver
The various tools and equipment used by an electrical
or electronic technician while working with electrical
circuits are explained below:
Slotted Phillips Robertson (a) Screw driver: It is used to turn, tighten or remove
Fig. 2.3 Types of screwdrivers screws (Figs. 2.2 and 2.3).

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 (b) Ratchet: It is used to allow rotary motion in only one
direction and preventing the motion in opposite direction.
It is used to tighten nuts of various sizes (Fig. 2.4).
(c) Spanner: It is used to provide grip to apply torque
for turning objects such as nut or a bolt. A spanner
is available with variable diameter to tighten nuts and
Fig. 2.8 Tester
bolts of various sizes (Fig. 2.5).
(d) Wrench: It is a hand tool used for tightening and
loosening of the nuts and bolts (Fig. 2.6). These tools
hold slippery or small nuts and bolts for loosening or
tightening it.
(e) Wire cutter and Plier: A wire cutter is used for
Fig. 2.9 Hammer
striping and cutting wires whereas a plier is used to
hold objects like nuts and bolts firmly also used for
cutting metal wires (Fig. 2.7).
(f) Tester: It is used to verify the presence of electric
voltage in electrical equipment (Fig. 2.8).
(g) Hammer: It is used to fix nails in walls and
wood, fit parts, or forge metal and breaking different
materials (Fig. 2.9).
(h) Ladder: It is used to climb upwards to reach
higher places (6 to 7 feet) in tall units of a control Fig. 2.10 Ladder
panel (Fig. 2.10).
(i) Utility Knife: It is used to cut various objects, such
as wires, cords, tapes and so on (Fig. 2.11).
(j) Soldering or Desoldering Iron: It is used to embed/
remove the components on/from the panel (Fig. 2.12).
(k) Soldering or Desoldering Station: It is used to Fig. 2.11 Utility knife
hold the hot iron when it is not in use and adjust the
temperature of the tip (Fig. 2.13).

Fig. 2.6 Wrench Fig. 2.12 Soldering or

desoldering iron
Fig. 2.4 Ratchets

Fig. 2.13 Soldering or

Fig. 2.5 Spanner Fig. 2.7 Wire cutter and plier desoldering station

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 (l) Crimping Tool: It is used to cut various objects such
as wires, cords, tapes and so on. It is also used to join
wires with metal or plastic objects (Fig. 2.14).
(m) Voltmeter: It is used to measure potential difference
between two points in the electric circuit (Fig. 2.15).
Fig. 2.14 Crimping tool
(n) Ammeter: It is used to measure current flow in
a circuit (Fig. 2.16).
(o) Watt meter: It is used to measure electrical power of
any given circuit (in watts) (Fig. 2.17).
(p) Megohmmeter or Megger: It is used to measure
leakage in wires and earth resistance (Fig. 2.18).
Fig. 2.15 Voltmeter (q) Multimeter: It is used to measure various electrical
quantities like resistance, voltage, current, etc (Fig. 2.19).

Fig. 2.16 Ammeter Fig. 2.17 Watt meter Fig. 2.18 Megger Fig. 2.19 Multimeter

Check Your Progress

A. Fill in the blanks
1. _________________ is used to allow rotary motion in only
one direction. It is used to tighten nuts and bolts.
2. Crimping tool is used for joining wires with ____________
or ___________ objects.
3. In an electric tester __________bulb is used.

B. Identify whether the following statements are True or False

1. Always examine the tool for damages before use.
2. It is OK to wear loose clothing, dangling objects and
jewellery using hand tool.
3. Keep cords and hoses away from heat, oil and
sharp edges.
4. Before connecting any electrical equipment to a power
source, make sure the power is on.

C. Short answer questions

1. Can a wire cutter be used in place of a plier? Explain in
brief.
2. How do tools and equipment help ease an electrical
technician’s work?

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 SESSION 2: TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED FOR
CABLE LAYING
Preparations of Cables and Equipment for
Cable Laying Activities
Tools and equipment are used for various electrical
activities. We should take care while handling the
electrical wire laying. While laying the cables necessary
precautions and health and safety practices for power
related work should be observed as per standard rules.
Important tools and equipment used for laying electrical
wire (laying works) are given here.
Fig. 2.20 Cable drum
Tools and Equipment used in Cable Laying with cable

Activities
Many tools are used for cable laying. These include cable
pulling winch, cable guiding device and cable pulling
grip, etc.

Cable Drums
Cable gets twisted during laying process. Drums are
used to check or avoid twisting of cables. Cable drums Fig. 2.21 Cable drum
without cable
(Figs 2.20 and 2.21) help the technicians with the laying
of cables. Similarly angle rollers are also used for laying
the cable (Fig. 2.22).

Pulling Methods and Calculations

Proper methods should be used while laying the cable
in the field. Suitable equipment and tools must be used
in this process. The cable drum should be mounted
on jacks and the cable should be rolled off the drum Fig. 2.22 Angle rollers
gently avoiding kinks and twists. The free end in the
Cable-Reel
case of heavy cables may be pulled with the help of Mounted
on Jacks
a winch. Laying cable in an open trench presents no
serious difficulty. The cable is first placed on rollers
Cable
laid in the trench or on the ground above, which is
then transferred to the bed of the trench. When laying
cables in pipes and ducts, care should be exercised so Incorrect Correct
as not to damage them during installation. The correct Method Method

method of laying of cables for installation in a duct is Fig. 2.23 Pulling Methods
shown in Fig. 2.23.
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 Testing of Underground Cables
After laying cables underground or above the ground,
proper testing is done to check the faults caused,
if any, due to the laying. The cables are tested for
short circuiting faults, discontinuity faults and earth
fault. Murray and Varley loop tests are done to check
these faults.

Tools Used for Erection and Maintenance

A lineman who is doing erection and maintenance work,
cannot do his job without proper hand tools, which
he carries around on a daily basis. Unlike tools used
by any other worker, a lineman’s tools require proper
insulation, because these tools are used with electrical
installations. The handles of these tools are coated with
rubber to prevent the worker from getting electrocuted
Fig. 2.24 Tools for erection
and maintenance
(Fig. 2.24).
Tools are important to carry out a job. The entire
job being carried out by a technician is with the help of
tools. The following tools are commonly used for working
in a distribution system:
(a) Combination Pliers
It is used for cutting, removing insulation, jointing
and twisting the electric wires and cables even on
live-line. A lineman’s pliers have special design,
which multiplies force through leverage. These pliers
usually have grips for better handling than bare metal
handles. The grips also have insulation for protection
against electric shock when working with live circuits.
Fig. 2.25 Combination plier A lineman’s pliers are typically machined from forged
steel. The two handles are precisely joined with a
heavy-duty rivet that maintains the pliers’ accuracy
even after repeated use under extreme force on heavy-
gauge wire (Fig. 2.25).
(b) Adjustable Wrench
It is used to open and close nuts and bolts in case
of proper size spanner not being available. Common
sizes are 8” (Inch) to 12” (Inch). Adjustable wrenches
are designed to provide a wide range of capacity in a
Fig. 2.26 Adjustable wrench single tool and are a convenient service wrench for

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 distribution linemen. They are not intended to replace
fixed opening wrenches for production or general service
work. High dielectric insulated handle types are widely
used by linemen and other electrical workers (Fig. 2.26).
(c) Pipe Wrench
It is used to open, close, conduit GI pipes and valves.
Common size is 10” (Inch). The design of the adjustable
jaw allows it to lock in the frame, such that any forward
Fig. 2.27 Pipe wrench
pressure on the handle tends to pull the jaws tighter
together. They are usually made of cast steel. Nowadays,
aluminium is also used to construct the body of the
wrench, while the teeth and jaw remain steel (Fig. 2.27).
(d) Measuring Tape
It is used to measure the length of wires, cables and
space. Use of measuring tape makes cable savings Fig. 2.28 Measuring tape
efficient for cleaning and reduces wastage. These are
made of cotton or metal strips bearing size of 10’ (feet)
to 100’ (feet) (Fig. 2.28).
(e) Hammer
It is used to pierce nails, centre punch, rawl plug and
chisel. Common sizes are 1, 2.5, 3 and 5 lbs (Pounds).
A lineman’s hammer is best suited to driving in big lag
screws and hammering bolts in utility-pole work. They
are also used by electricians to drive nails in hard places
Fig. 2.29 Hammer
(Fig. 2.29).
(f) Ratchet with Drill Bit (Hand Drill)
It is used to make holes on wooden cross arms and
wooden cleats for tight fitting High Tension and Low
Tension cables emanating from DP structures, or LT
Fig. 2.30 Ratchet with drill
transformer bushings (Fig. 2.30). bit (hand drill)
(g) Electric Drill Machine
It has the below mentioned properties:
y It is a portable electric powered tool used for
drilling the surface (Fig. 2.31).
y It has a high speed motor to revolve the chuck.
y It is used to make holes smoothly and easily.
(h) Bench Vice Fig. 2.31 Electric drill
A vice is a mechanical apparatus used to secure an
object to allow work to be performed on it. In electrical
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 works, cutting does play an important role. Cutting an
electrical conduit has to be secure enough so that a
smart cut is made. A bench vice (Fig. 2.32) is a perfect
way to do this. Bench vice is used to grip the job (object)
which has the following features:
y Base Plate (permanently fixed on the working
Fig. 2.32 Bench vice table sides).
y Fixed Jaw (fixed with Base Plate)
y Moving Jaw (could be moved according to the
thickness of job)
(i) Chain Pulley
It is a pulley with depressions in the periphery of its
wheel, or projections from it, made to fit the links of a
chain. The desired capacity chain pulley is hooked at
the centre to lift heavy load for loading and unloading
Fig. 2.33 Chain pulley
at site (Fig. 2.33).
(j) Tripod
It is a combination of three to four meter long 40 mm
GI pipes hinged at upper end for making a tripod
formation. Tripods are perfect for utility workers as they
are portable and lightweight with high-strength anchor
(Fig. 2.34).
(k) Come Along Clamp
It is used while laying overhead lines. These are
Fig. 2.34 Tripod
mainly used for holding conductors and ground wires
in overhead transmission lines and various other
industrial maintenance operations. These clamps are
available in multiple diameter, weight and design that
are ideal to use in electrical works. They are ideal to
Fig. 2.35 Come along clamp pull conductors as they are lightweight and compact in
structure (Fig. 2.35).
(l) Ratchet Device
It is a device consisting of a bar or wheel with a set of
angled teeth in which a pawl, cog, or tooth engages,
allowing motion in one direction only. Ratchets are widely
used in machinery and tools as well as maintenance
works (Fig. 2.36).
The senior lineman normally works in a distribution
Fig. 2.36 Ratchet device sub-division of a Power Company (Discom). The
recommended norms for tools and equipment for a
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 distribution sub-division are almost same for all states.
Electricians working in the field must have the following
tools with them as given in Table 2.1.

Table 2.1 List of standard tools for an electrician

S. No. Particulars Quantity

1. Chain pulley block (5 MT) 1
2. Megger (1000 volts) 1
3. Earth Tester 1
4. Portable Drilling Machine 1
5. Bamboo Ladder 2
6. Steel Measuring Tape 1
7. Pulling and lifting machine 3 tone 1
8. Pipe wrench 3”(7.6 cm) 2
9. Spirit Level 4
10. Socket Spanner Set 2
11. Ring Spanner Set 2
12. Hammer 2

Fault Indicators and Protective Equipment

The flow of current towards an undesired path or
abnormal stoppage of current is termed as fault. Fault
indicators (Fig. 2.37) are devices which indicate the
passage of fault current. When properly applied, they can
reduce operating costs and reduce service interruptions
by identifying the section of cable that has failed.
Fig. 2.37 Fault indicator
Dos and Dont’s while Working
1. Never touch a current carrying wire or conductor.
2. Never pull out a flexible cable while removing the
plug from the mains.
3. Switch off the supply while checking any
electrical appliance.
4. Never play with tools.
5. Handle tools carefully and be alert while working.
6. Never switch on supply unless you are sure about
working of an appliance.
7. Ensure that proper earthing is provided for
the appliance.

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 NOTES 8. Seek guidance of your teacher in case of any
doubt and do not try to experiment yourself.
9. Report any damage or breakdown to your
teacher immediately.
Precautions
1. In DC measurements check polarities.
2. Select higher range for measurement initially and
later select required range for accuracy.

Check Your Progress

A. Multiple choice questions
1. Which of the following is used to measure power of an
electric circuit?

(a) Wattmeter (b) Megger (c) Ammeter

2. Which of the following is used to turn a nut or bolt?

(a) Spanner (b) Plier (c) Cutter

3. If a worker on a live-line gets electrocuted, first ________.
(a) call a doctor
(b) switch off supply
(c) take the person away from the spot
(d) provide artificial respiration
4. Pliers are classified by their ______________________
(a) width
(b) length
(c) nose shape and intended work
(d) handle

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 5. This tool is known as ________________. NOTES
(a) screw driver
(b) combination plier
(c) wire cutter
(d) crimping tool
6. A generator provides the pressure for the electrical
current to travel through electrical conductors (wires).
What is this measure of electrical force called?
(a) Watts
(b) Amps
(c) Volts
(d) Current
7. When working on a circuit, use approved tools with
______________.
(a) rubber gloves
(b) an International Efficiency (IE) rating
(c) insulated handles
(d) None of the above
8. If equipment has been repaired, make sure that it has
been _________________ as safe before using it.
(a) demonstrated
(b) listed
(c) tested and certified
(d) None of the above
9. Damaged tools must be removed from service and
properly _______________.
(a) repaired
(b) destroyed
(c) tagged
(d) carried

B. State whether the following statements are True or False

1. Safety glasses shall always be worn whenever you are
using power hand tool.
2. Never use electric tools in wet conditions.
3. If a tool doesn’t work for a particular job, you should
alter it, so it does work.

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