How to clean copper wires. Methods for cleaning cables for scrapping. Remove insulation by melting

When you lay electrical wiring, one of the most basic and critical steps is stripping the insulation from the wires. And it will not matter at all what kind of material you process - copper, with plastic or coated with enamel, because... in each of these cases, compliance with stripping technology is required. If you ignore the tips and tricks on how to strip the insulation from a wire, then in the end the technical specifications of the entire electrical system will not be high. In this article we will look at several ways to remove materials various types, as well as equipment for this work.

Wire structure

All wiring can be divided into two types:

1. Single-core;

2. Stranded.

Single-core - this means that its cross-section is formed by one core or wire. Stranded ones are those in which the cross-section is formed by the presence of several thin ones that are intertwined with each other. For firmness and elasticity, they have a thread reminiscent of nylon woven into them. If you take this feature into account, the removal technology may vary for each individual case.

How to remove insulation with a knife

Let's see how to quickly remove insulation using a knife. If you decide to use this method, then under no circumstances should you trim in a circle in a perpendicular position, because By doing this you can cause notching of the copper wires. As a result, even with a slight bend, the wires can quickly and easily break exactly at the point of the cut. This is especially undesirable when working with a cross section of 0.6-0.8 mm. So, bending several times, it will break completely. When you remove it with a knife, the blade must be kept almost in the same plane with the plane and axis. First of all, you need to cut along the veins, and after that it, already cut along, is moved away from the veins and cut off.

However, we draw your attention to the fact that if you decide to remove the insulation in this way, then be careful, because... You can easily cut your hands.

Application of side cutters

Most novice electricians, when they decide to work with side cutters, do not use them correctly. So, most often, this tool for removing insulation from wires is picked up at random and no attention is paid to the position of the cutting edges. But, by the way, if you took the side cutters incorrectly, then you will have to apply more force. In addition, there is a high risk of breaking or taking a bite.

The technology for working with side cutters is as follows: The cutting edges are directed in the opposite direction to the movement of the tool. This is because with this arrangement the blade will cut even with minimal effort. As a result, you get the sheath removed by the tube and an undamaged wire.

Remove insulation by melting

If you need to remove insulating material and you have a soldering iron on hand, you can use thermal method. To do this, simply heat up the soldering iron and move the tip along plastic insulation. Naturally, after heating, you can easily remove the melted sheath from a copper wire or any other. Using this method will not compromise its integrity in any way. But if you need to clean a large number of conductors with a similar winding, then a special device can be used. For example, a wood burner, formerly known as “Pattern,” is perfect.

Using this method is relevant for old material. When it is used for too long, the winding becomes brittle and stiff. Moreover, most often, the wires protrude from the junction box only a couple of centimeters, so that neither a knife nor wire cutters can remove them. But if you just use a lighter or a soldering iron, then you can easily remove what you have in mind.

Removal from enamel version

If you need to strip the insulation from a wire having a thickness of 0.2 mm, then the best option will mechanical restoration knife or sandpaper.

• To process a cable with a thin coating, you can use fine sandpaper. It needs to be bent in half work surface inside. After this, wrap the conductor in this bent sheet and, pressing a little, pull it through. This must be done until the enamel is completely removed.
• If you work with a knife, the part of the cable to be stripped must be laid on a solid base. Then start scraping the enamel, turning the guide while doing so, until everything is clean.

However, with a diameter less than 0.2 mm, this mechanical method It won't be possible to use it, because You won’t completely remove the enamel, but you can break the wire itself in no time. In such situations, you can use a thermochemical stripping method using vinyl chloride insulation and a soldering iron. The sequence will be as follows: heat the soldering iron, place the vinyl chloride sheath on the table, and the conductor to be stripped on it, and move the soldering iron along it. As a result, under the influence of temperature, chlorine is released, which will cleanse the enamel.

Basically, such options are used in radio communication devices and are wound on inductive coils. It's called a licendrate. Externally, it looks like this: a large number of thin wires twisted into a single whole covered with enamel.

Pay attention to one more interesting way remove the enamel coating. For this you need to purchase aspirin tablets. Then place the material on the tablet and move the soldering iron over it in the same way. As a result, you will get a bare result, and a tinned one at that.

Stripping fluoroplastic insulation

PTFE insulation is a polymer produced chemically. Has a number of positive properties. For example, it does not get wet in water and is highly resistant to various organic matter. Its parameters allow it to be resistant to temperatures up to 300 °C. Is ideal option electrical dielectric. However, there is one main drawback - cost. It is because of him high price it applies only in exceptional cases. IN living conditions He was loved by radio amateurs because... after soldering it has an aesthetic appearance, does not melt, and takes up little space.

The fluoroplastic itself appears in the form of a narrow thin strip, which is tightly wound around a stranded core. The fluoroplastic version can only be removed with a knife. It is scraped down to the length you need. After it is exposed, the shell is taken aside and the remains are cut off.

Please pay attention! Fabric or rubber insulation can be removed using any of the methods described above. The main task is to prevent cuts in the main core.

Using an automatic stripper

All methods described above are manual. They take a lot of time and your attention, not to mention the experience similar work. If you have to remove insulation quite often, then it is better to automate the whole process a little. It has long been developed for this purpose. special tool for removing insulation from wires, which is called a stripper. For example, let's look at the WS-04 stripper model. In appearance, it resembles pliers with cams at their ends. The upper ones are movable, and the lower ones are stationary. The left pair is used to clamp the cable, and the right pair is used to trim and remove it. During the first bringing together of the handles, left side clamps, and the right one cuts into the shell with sharp edges. When the handles are brought together, the cutting part gradually clears. All stripping work with a stripper takes just a couple of seconds.

With the help of a stripper, you can remove insulation from wires with one touch of your hand. For example, let's look at how to remove insulation from a wire with a stripper.

1. The wire must be inserted between the cutting knives located on the inside of the handle. After this they need to be brought together. As a result, the cut comes out without any deformation. To help you understand the difference, when cutting with wire cutters, the end always becomes slightly sharper and flattened.
2. The next step is to insert one end between the fixed and movable sponge. Pressing the handles will remove the coating. During such stripping there will be no marks.
3. You can use the blue limiter to adjust the exact removal length.
4. Two-core wires are stripped with a stripper in two passes: first, the vinyl chloride tube is removed; the second is simultaneous removal from 2 elements.

In addition, the stripper can be used for stripping telephone cables before pressing them and shielded versions. True, when working with them this will be a difficult task, especially if the conductor is of small diameter. However, despite this, we will tell you the technology of work. First, you need to remove the sheath from the braided shielding. To expose the central core, you need to unravel the braid using an awl or needle. After this, perform the already known movement with the stripper and it will be exposed. Remember that cleaning it with a knife is labor-intensive work, and besides, you can easily damage it.

Coaxial cable processing

It is quite possible to remove insulation from wires on the coaxial version on your own. Although all the equipment for this procedure is not too expensive, we will show you how to do it with a knife and wire cutters. Typically, such models are used to connect television antennas.

Below is the sequence of actions to clean the coaxial model:

1. The wire must be taken vertically;
2. Using a utility knife, press firmly on the cable at a right angle at a distance of 2.5 cm from the end. Do not press with the end of the blade, otherwise there is a risk of it breaking and rebounding into your eyes.
3. Next you need to cut through the outer shell, braid, foil and dielectric foam ( white). It is precisely these layers that this option has. As you press down on the knife blade, you will feel some resistance. Once the blade has penetrated halfway through the cable, the pressure must be reduced slightly to avoid damaging the central core.
4. Then work your way around the cable while cutting. In this case, it is advisable to do everything carefully so as not to leave nicks on the central core.
5. After trimming, twist and pull the edge. This will remove the cut end.
6. If there are wires under the shell, simply cut them off with wire cutters so that they do not protrude beyond the boundary of the shell. Check for combs on the center core. If they are present, everything will have to be repeated.
7. Dielectric foam may remain on the central core. It can simply be removed with a fingernail
8. To connect the cable to the F connector, you must first remove a small part of the outer sheath.
9. Measure 8 mm from the previous cutting point. Make a cut in the outer shell. Everything is exactly the same as before - perpendicular to the core. Be careful not to remove the braid. However, for connecting some F connectors, removal of the braid is necessary, but for others it is not. As a result, you should get a core in dielectric foam, wrapped in a winding (in the form of foil).
10. When you have not yet decided whether you need braiding, it is better to leave it for a while. It is located around dielectric foam.
11. The braid must be wrapped over the outer shell. After this, the white foam is exposed. Here you already need to decide on the type of your F connector and the shape of the bare wire.
12. Please note that there should be no conductors between the central conductor and the braid. It will be visible.
13. The F connector is placed on the end of the cable.
14. After the connector is seated, the dielectric should be located at the bottom. It is unacceptable that it does not reach the bottom of the connector or peeks out.
15. Please note that the F connector must not be allowed to come into contact with the tip.
16. That's it, the coaxial cable is ready for use.

To connect wires to each other, connect to contact groups, or terminate (use terminals, sleeves, etc.), they must be stripped.

The tip of the cable, freed from insulation, becomes the weakest link in the entire multi-meter wiring. If the metal core loses its cross-section or strength, the characteristics laid down by the manufacturer will be nullified. How to remove insulation from a wire without damaging its properties?

When applied protective coating, we have to solve opposite problems. The shell should be strong but flexible. Provide protection from moisture penetration, while at the same time being easy to remove from the core.

What damage can be caused to the current-carrying conductor by careless stripping?

1. Reducing the diameter (and therefore cross-section) of the conductor.
2. The appearance of fractures, and therefore a decrease in strength.
3. The appearance of hidden damage due to bending and stretching.
4. Reducing the number of wires in multi-core cables.
5. Left fragments of insulation on the surface of a current-carrying conductor.

Majority experienced electricians have their own secrets for cleaning wires from insulation: some remove the sheath with their teeth, many have a special (or rather favorite) tool. All methods are good if the conductor does not suffer and there is no damage to health. We will tell you about the correct technique.

How to strip a wire while maintaining its properties

Let's start with simple methods.

Knife

Used universal tool: regular pen or stationery.

Improving the use of knives, many electricians make homemade devices for stripping insulation. For example, you can use a blade from safety razor by simply screwing it to a clothespin.

Using holes of different diameters (on a clothespin), you get a universal tool for removing both the outer sheath and the coating directly on the conductors.

The simplest factory-made insulation stripping pliers work on this principle. The outer sheath is removed using calibrated holes, and conductors of small diameter are stripped using a blade with a molded hole.

Thermal method

If the question arises: how to quickly remove insulation from a wire, all means are good. Many craftsmen simply burn the ends of the conductors with a lighter or match. The method is not the best: Firstly, the cable may catch fire. Secondly, the remaining part of the shell loses its properties at a distance of 1–2 cm from the cleaned area. And finally, the conductor itself (copper or aluminum) is destroyed by such thermal effects.

Important! If a thermal method of processing conductors is used, it is necessary to ensure ventilation of the room. Any coating emits toxic smoke when heated.

If you need to quickly strip a wire, and cutting tools no - you can use a soldering iron. The tip of the conductor is burned with a hot tip, after which the insulation is easily removed.

There are thermal tools of industrial design.

Stripping wires of insulation is carried out as follows: heating elements are pressed to the cut site, the shell melts with a short pulse, the conductor remains untouched. Such devices can be stand-alone or part of soldering stations.

Advantage of wire thermocouples:

• Heating occurs pointwise, copper or aluminum core does not change properties.
• A thin melt line does not lead to waste of material.
• A sealed ring is formed around the shell, preventing the penetration of moisture.

The only limitation is the insulation material. Thermal stripping is used only in cables with polyvinyl chloride insulation. The fluoroplastic or rubber shell can only be removed mechanically.

Mechanical devices for stripping industrial wires

The most popular electrician's tool is the "Insulation Stripping Complex", known by the abbreviation KSI.

The operating principle is as follows:

During the initial compression of the pliers, the conductor is clamped between the grooved jaws (as in pliers), the other end is captured by the knife mechanism. The cutting attachment is spring-loaded and does not cut through the shell to the metal. This way the current-carrying core is guaranteed to be preserved. Next, the working levers are moved apart, and the notched sheath is removed from the wire.

The length of the area to be stripped is set using a limiter, against which the front wire rests when inserted into the tool.

There are certain restrictions: the tip cannot be too long. If you need to clean a long area, the process is repeated several times. In this case, the wire does not rest against the limiter, and the shifted section of the sheath is removed manually.

The complex copes well with both mono conductors and multi-core cores. There are restrictions on the diameter of the wire: a cable with a cross-section of more than 4.0 is almost impossible to process.

The next tool is simpler. End pliers for stripping insulation.

Designed for a diameter of up to 6.0 squares; it is difficult to expose a thicker wire manually. Between the cutting tips there is a screw stop, with which the diameter of the conductor is set. The distance between the grips is chosen to be slightly larger than the diameter of the current-carrying conductor. This is done to reduce the risk of damaging the metal. After squeezing the handles, the sheath is removed with a sharp movement along the wire. Working with such a device is not as convenient as with a CSI, but this is justified by its low cost.

Nippers, or the cutting sector of pliers, work in a similar way. Only stripping the wire with their help requires some skill.

The following device is designed to work with large diameter cables. This is a complex knife with a grip.

It can be used to strip wires of any length. First, a transverse incision is made, then a longitudinal one.

After which the sheath is easily removed without damaging the central conductor.

Stripping varnish-coated conductors

Such a conductor is used in transformer windings. Instead of a dielectric sheath, a thin varnish coating is applied to the copper core. The conductor is cleaned with a knife or sandpaper.

Security measures

A conductor stripped of insulation is potentially a source of danger. After processing the wire, especially in places where it is pressed and scored, the insulation resistance should be measured. This is done when putting the electrical installation into operation, then the frequency of measuring the electrical wiring insulation is carried out according to the approved schedule.

If there is damage that reduces the protective ability of the shell, it is necessary to cut off the damaged area or put a dielectric casing on it.

That's all we wanted to say about it. To fully understand the issue, we recommend watching the video.

Video on the topic

After selecting the wire cross-section, drawing up the wiring diagram and purchasing installation products, you can begin installing electrical wiring in the house. The reliability of electrical wiring depends not only on the reliability of the connections of the wires with the installation products. Equally important is the correct stripping of insulation from the ends of the wires.

How to properly strip insulation from wires
universal tool

Typically, plastic insulation is removed mechanically (with a knife or side cutters) or by melting. Enamel insulation is removed mechanically (scraped off with a knife or sandpaper) or chemically.

How to properly strip insulation from a wire using a knife

It is not correct when, to remove the insulation, it is cut in a circle with a knife blade oriented perpendicular to the wire while still applying significant force.

As a result, the copper core is notched, and the wire in this place can easily break. This is especially true when cleaning thin wires, with a diameter of 0.6-0.8 mm. After such cleaning, they break off after several minor bends.

It is necessary that the blade is almost in the same plane with the axis of the wire. The insulation is cut along the conductor, the remaining on the wire is taken to the side and also cut off.

How to properly remove insulation from a wire using side cutters

The second mistake is often made when removing insulation with side cutters. Usually they pick up the tool as they please, without paying attention to the orientation of the cutting edges.

If the sharpening side is directed towards the movement of the side cutters, then a significant clamping force has to be applied. The wire can easily break off along with the insulation.

And it is necessary that the sharpening sides of the cutting edges of the side cutters look in the direction opposite to the movement of the tool, as shown in the photograph. As a result, the cutting edges, even with a slight touch to the insulation, cut into it, and the insulation is easily removed with a tube without notching the wire.

Removing plastic insulation by reflow

The insulation of modern electrical wires is usually made of PVC or polyethylene, the melting point of which is in the range of 105-140°C. Therefore, using a soldering iron or other heating device you can easily and safely remove the insulation from the wire. To do this, just hold the end of the soldering iron tip, pressing along the circumference of the insulation in in the right place. The insulation will heat up, melt and be easily removed by hand.

As you can see, the insulation was removed perfectly without harming the copper conductor.

If you need to strip a lot of wires from plastic insulation, then it is advisable to use special device. Wood burning is very suitable for these purposes. Previously, these were produced under the name “Pattern”.

The method of removing insulation by melting is indispensable in cases of working with electrical wiring. Over time, the plastic ages and becomes very hard, like bone. Performs in distribution box There is a piece of wire in the wall only 3 cm long. You cannot get close to the insulation with a knife or wire cutters. In this situation, only reflow will help solve the problem. You can soften the insulation by heating it with a match or a gas lighter, then remove it.

When the conductor diameter is more than 0.2 mm, the most convenient way is to remove the insulation mechanically using sandpaper or scraping the enamel with a knife.

In order to remove it with sandpaper, you need to bend a small sheet of fine sandpaper in half, insert the end of the wire between the bent halves of the sheet and pull the wire through without squeezing your fingers too much. And so repeat this operation, turning the wire, until all the enamel is removed.

To remove enamel with a knife, you need to place the end of the wire on any hard surface and, turning the wire in a circle, scrape the enamel until the end of the wire is completely clear of varnish.

When removing insulation from a wire with a diameter of less than 0.2 mm, it is difficult to remove the enamel mechanically without damaging or breaking the conductor.

But it's easy to remove the enamel thermochemical method, using a soldering iron and a piece of vinyl chloride insulation. To do this, you need to stretch the end of the wire between the tip of the soldering iron, pressed against the vinyl chloride. The chlorine released from heating will clean the wire from the enamel.

This method cannot be replaced when removing enamel from a licendrate type wire, which is widely used in radio communications for winding high-frequency inductors. Licendrate consists of many thin wires coated with enamel and twisted into one conductor.

The enamel can be successfully removed with the help of aspirin, place the wire on the tablet and press it with a soldering iron, and then pull the wire through. In this case, the wire is immediately tinned.

Removing fluoroplastic insulation

Fluoroplastic is a chemically produced polymer that is resistant to organic solvents and is not wetted by water. It is characterized by high electrical strength and is stable up to an exposure temperature of 300°C. An ideal insulating material, but expensive. Therefore, it is used only in technically justified cases. In everyday life, fluoroplastic wire is used by radio amateurs, since it does not melt when soldering with a soldering iron, takes up little space and has an aesthetic appearance.

Fluoroplastic insulation is a thin narrow tape tightly wound on a twisted stranded thin copper wire. Such a wire can only be stripped of its insulation physically.

It is best to use a knife for this purpose. Pressing the wire to the site, use a knife to scrape off the fluoroplastic to the required length.

After the wire is exposed, it is bent to the side and the remaining unnecessary fluoroplastic is cut off. The result is a conductor neatly stripped of fluoroplastic insulation and ready for soldering.

Insulation made of rubber, fabric and others insulating materials can be removed using one of the mechanical methods described above. The main rule is to avoid cuts on the wire cores.

Wire stripping tool
Automatic stripper model WS-04

Manual cutting of wires takes a lot of time and requires sufficient experience and accuracy, especially when removing insulation from stranded wires small section. For partial automation of insulation stripping operations, there is a special hand tool, which is called a stripper.

Among my tool kit is a stripper model WS-04 German manufacturer KW. I bought a stripper a long time ago and am very pleased with the purchase. For professional electricians I highly recommend purchasing a snipper, you won’t regret it.

Main technical characteristics and operating principle
stripper model WS-04

The stripper allows you to cut and remove insulation from wires with a diameter of 0.5 to 2.7 mm (cross section 0.2–6.0 mm2) without adjustment. When adjusted using a micrometer screw, it is possible to remove insulation from wires with a diameter of 0.25 to 0.5 mm. Also, using a stripper, you can crimp simple connectors without insulation, insulated and automotive connectors for double crimping with a diameter of 0.8 to 2.7 mm on wires.

The stripper is a pliers with cams installed at the ends of the levers. One of the pair of cams is fixed permanently, and the second, upper one, is movable. The left pair is used to clamp the wire, and the right pair is used to trim the insulation and remove it. At the first moment of bringing the stripper handles together, the left movable cam clamps the wire, and the right movable cam cuts into the insulation with the sharp edge at the end. As the levers continue to be brought together, the insulation is pulled off the wire. The entire process of removing insulation takes no more than a second.

For crimping wires in round terminals on internal sides handles have combs of a given profile. It is enough to insert the connector into a place suitable for its size and bring the handles together. The wire will be securely clamped in the tip.

Examples of working with stripper WS-04

It is difficult to describe working with a stripper in words; it is much more clear to demonstrate its capabilities using examples of stripping insulation from wires of various types.

For example, there is a piece of double installation wire for installing apartment electrical wiring, and you need to shorten it and then remove the insulation to a given length.

To do this, just connect the wire between cutting knives, located on the inner sides of the handle and bring them together. Interestingly, the cut is obtained without deforming the ends of the wires. If you cut with wire cutters, the ends usually flatten, becoming slightly sharper.

Next, the end of the wire is inserted between the movable and fixed jaws and the insulation is removed by squeezing the handles. There are no cuts in the wire cores, which guarantees the reliability of further connections. The blue movable limiter allows you to accurately set the length of the insulation to be removed.

The insulation can be easily removed and stranded wire, which is often used to supply voltage in low-voltage circuits. For example, wires going to products from adapters and power supplies.

Using a stripper, you can easily strip the insulation from a two-core, double-insulated cord wire, albeit in two steps. During the first visit, the first layer of insulation is removed - the vinyl chloride tube.

During the second step, the insulation is removed simultaneously from two wire cores. The time to remove insulation from such a wire is no more than 5 seconds.

The stripper perfectly helps to prepare before pressing into the RJ-11 connector and the telephone wire connecting landline phone with the communication line. In case of connection using a screw connection, with one more movement you can remove the insulation from the wire cores.

Removing insulation from shielded wires is a rather difficult operation, especially if the wire is thin. Using a stripper, the insulation is first removed from the shielding braid.

The braid is then unraveled using a needle or sharp awl to expose the central wire. All that remains is to make one more movement, and the wire is freed from insulation. Removing insulation from a shielded wire manually, using an ordinary knife, without damaging the wire, is labor-intensive and time-consuming work.

I tried to remove the insulation from a thin stranded wire covered with fluoroplastic insulation. To my surprise, the stripper easily coped with this task.

To test the capabilities of the stripper, I stripped the insulation from copper and aluminum wires, single-core and multi-core, with insulation made from different dielectrics, and the result was always pleasing. The stripper coped with the task flawlessly.

I happened to use a stripper to crimp insulated car terminals for double crimping. We squeezed quite normally without much difficulty.

Feedback on the operation of the stripper model WS-04

If you have to strip the insulation from wires once a month, or even less often, then adding a stripper that costs about $20 to your arsenal of tools is probably not advisable. But if you have to strip the insulation from the wires more often, then I think it’s necessary to have a stripper on hand.

I bring to your attention a short video demonstrating the operation of the WS-04 stripper.

Experience with the WS-04 stripper has confirmed its compliance with the manufacturer’s claims. technical specifications, so if there is a need, you can safely purchase a stripper of this model, you will not regret it.

Preparing the ends of the conductors
for connection to electrical appliances

After removing the insulation from the wires, it is necessary to prepare their ends for connection to electrical appliances, since in the vast majority of cases a mechanical fastening method is used using screws, clamping in terminal blocks, crimping and twisting. Connections to plugs, sockets, sockets, circuit breakers and other similar devices are usually made with screws.

To connect conductors to electrical appliances where currents of less than 1 A flow, it is quite enough to insert a straight piece of stripped wire 5-10 mm long under the head of the screw and clamp it. In this way I have fixed conductors in all switches, since chandeliers have LED bulbs, and the current flowing through the switch contacts does not exceed 0.25 A.

The main thing is to prevent the conductor from slipping out from under the screw head. As you can see in the photo above, the contact in the switch (enlarged for clarity) to which the wire is connected is bent at an angle. When screwing the screw, the wire rests against this corner, which prevents it from slipping out. If a limiter is not provided, then the end of the wire must be twisted into a ring. For connections where there is leakage high currents, a connection without twisting the end of the conductor into a ring will be extremely unreliable.

The easiest way is to make a ring out of wire using pliers. Of course, you can form a ring by wrapping the wire around, for example, the tip of a screwdriver or drill of a suitable diameter. To make it easy to form a ring of the required diameter, marks of 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm and 4.5 mm should be applied to the jaws of the round pliers. If you need to make a ring for an M3 screw from a single-core wire, then I form the rings at the 3.5 mm mark so that the screw fits in easily. In the case of a multi-core conductor and subsequent tinning - 4 mm.

It is not necessary to tin the wires, but it is advisable, especially if the product will be used in high humidity, for example, in a bathroom or shower room, damp basements, or in an unheated country house in winter.

This is how the rings turned out, one for an M3 screw, and the other for an M4. Rings made of stranded wire are formed somewhat differently. First, the conductor wraps around the cone of pliers, and then around itself at the point where it leaves the insulation.

It is advisable to tin the formed rings and flatten them a little with light blows of a small hammer. Then the contact area of ​​the contacts will increase and the reliability of the future connection will be much higher.

When installing a stranded wire, you can make rings that are not closed. To do this, after removing the insulation, it is necessary to tin the wire with a soldering iron, and then form rings using the technology of forming a single-core wire.

By strictly following the simple technology described above for preparing wires for connection, you will never have to deal with electrical wiring repairs.

How to clean copper? Relevance this issue This is explained by the fact that products made from this metal have been used by mankind for many centuries. For a long time the value of this metal was so high that it was equal to gold. The development of technology has led to the fact that it was possible to significantly reduce the cost of copper production. This made it possible to make not only jewelry from this metal, but also dishes and interior items. The high popularity of this metal and alloys based on it is explained not only by its decorative effect, but also by its unique characteristics - high ductility, thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance, etc.

Why copper products need to be cleaned regularly

Regular cleaning of copper utensils and other items made from this metal is necessary because during use they quickly darken or become covered with a green coating - an oxide film. The most actively oxidized are those products made of copper and its alloys that are often heated during operation or are used on outdoors. Dishes made of copper, with active use, quickly lose their original shine and become dull, and their surface may become black.

Copper jewelry behaves somewhat differently: it may first fade and lose its shine, and then return to its original appearance. Some people believe that the appearance of copper jewelry (for example, a bracelet) is influenced by the well-being of the person who constantly wears it. However, this is most likely due to the fact that external environment, with which such a product is constantly in contact, humidity, pressure and temperature are constantly changing. Meanwhile, many adherents of alternative medicine recommend wearing copper bracelets for people experiencing problems with the cardiovascular system.

Copper utensils, which our distant ancestors began to use, are still held in high esteem by many housewives today. This popularity is explained by the fact that in copper dishes, which differ high thermal conductivity, all cooked products are heated evenly and completely, and such heating occurs in a short period of time. Meanwhile, at constant use Dishes made from this metal quickly lose their visual appeal: they become covered with a coating of oxide, become dull, darken and lose their original shine.

If you do not clean it, it will release toxic substances, and therefore cannot be used for cooking. In the event that everyone by known means It is impossible to clean such dishes; it is better not to use them for their intended purpose, so as not to harm your health. You should also keep in mind that dishes with black or green oxide spots on the surface look unpresentable, so they will not decorate your kitchen.

Effective cleaning methods

There are many proven methods that allow you to clean copper products even at home. Let's get acquainted with the most effective of them.

One of the most accessible home remedies for cleaning objects made of copper is the usual tomato ketchup. In order to clean copper with this product, it is simply applied to the surface to be treated and left on it for 1-2 minutes. After this exposure, the ketchup is washed off with a stream of warm water. As a result of this procedure, the copper product will return to its original shine and brightness of color.

You can clean copper items, if they are not very dirty, at home using regular dishwashing gel. To do this, use a soft sponge, onto which you apply detergent. Wash it off under running warm water.

This cleaning method is used if it is necessary to clean a large copper product that cannot be placed in any container. The surface of such an object is wiped with half a lemon. To enhance the impact lemon juice copper, you can clean it with a brush with bristles that have sufficient elasticity.

Add copper former shine A remedy such as “vinegar dough” helps. It is prepared as follows. In a special container, mix wheat flour and vinegar in equal proportions, bringing the resulting mass to a homogeneous state. Then the dough is applied to a copper object and left until completely dry. The crust formed after the mixture has dried is carefully removed, and the copper surface is polished to a shine with a piece of soft cloth.

There is a radical and effective method cleaning products made of copper, which is used if their surface is very dirty and it was not possible to clean them with other means.

• Vinegar is poured into a specially prepared stainless steel container, which is mixed with a small amount of table salt.
• Place the item to be cleaned into the resulting solution and place the container on the fire.
• After the cleaning solution has reached a boil, turn off the heat under the container and leave it on the stove until it cools completely.
• After the solution has cooled, the product to be cleaned is removed, washed under running warm water and its surface wiped dry.

If you clean copper using any of the above methods, strictly adhere to safety rules, carry out all work wearing protective gloves, and when working with acetic acid be sure to wear a respirator.

Cleaning Copper Coins

Coins made of copper are no longer issued in our time, and many such products in the hands of the population are of antique value. That is why the question of how to effectively and at the same time carefully clean such coins is quite relevant.

You can restore the former attractiveness of copper coins using several methods. The choice of each of them depends on the nature and degree of contamination. So, depending on what color the plaque has formed on the surface of the old copper coin, you can clean it using one of the methods listed below.

• If there is a yellowish coating on the surface of the coin (this indicates that it has been in contact with a lead product), then it should be cleaned with a 9% vinegar solution.
• Clearly green plaque is cleaned with a 10% citric acid solution.
• Coins made from copper may also have a reddish coating. Such a coin is cleaned by dipping it in a 5% ammonia solution or ammonium carbonate.

Old coins made from copper may have a layer of patina, which gives them a more noble and aged appearance. If there is no such plaque, you can create it yourself, even at home. To do this, use a solution consisting of a liter of distilled water, 50 grams copper sulfate and 5 grams of potassium permanganate. The resulting solution is heated over low heat, without bringing it to a boil, and then coins are placed in it, which must be covered with a layer of patina. They are periodically turned over, and when the color of their surface acquires the desired shade, they are removed. To consolidate the effect obtained, the surface of completely dried coins can be treated with benzene and alcohol mixed in equal proportions.

Used colored cable scrap is a popular and expensive recyclable material. You can extract it yourself from old power, fiber optic, telephone, installation, and other wiring. What tools and equipment will be needed to remove the winding? How to quickly clean a cable for scrapping, spending a minimum of time and effort?

Popular methods for stripping insulation

When handing over a cable, the metal core of the conductors is of value. Before going to the receiving point, you need to strip the cable from the insulating winding. There are several ways to do this yourself:

• manual stripping with a knife or hammer is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process, suitable if the batch of scrap is small;
• roasting and melting - a fast process, but harmful to the environment, not recommended for thin-stranded scrap, the metal burns out along with the winding;
• the use of special equipment is the fastest and safe method, in the course of work they use a tool.

Cleaning with a knife or hammer

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

When working with a hammer, they hit the cable with force until the insulation separates from the metal.

Firing and reflow

You can burn raw materials over a fire, but the method is justified for large volumes of raw materials. Perform work outdoors, observing safety precautions.

Melting a cable with a soldering iron is one of the ways to remove insulation from thin and thick wires and cables. Before work, lay the wire on a flat horizontal surface. Then heat up the soldering iron and apply it vertically to the winding. As the insulation melts, the cable is rotated around its axis. After firing, the plastic can be easily removed with pliers, tweezers, or pliers.

Important! 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 stipper

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

• side cutter;
• stripper.

Side cutters are called wire cutters or tweezers for cutting wires. When using it, the free end of the wire is clamped between the blades, then carefully turned and pulled. The insulation is easily removed.

Note! Cutting edges directed in the direction of movement of the tool so that the blades cut into the winding without special effort. If you handle the side cutter incorrectly, the cable will break off along with the insulation.

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

Stipper and working with it

The operating principle of all strippers is the same:

• the end of the cable is inserted into the hole of the tool;
• they clamp the handles of the stripper with their hands to cut through the windings;
• then the conductor is pulled outward, freeing it from insulation.

Important! The good thing about this tool is that it is simple and easy to use and is inexpensive. It rarely damages the cable, reduces winding removal time, and is suitable for working with single-core stranded conductors.

Special equipment

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

Recycling collection points

Scrap acceptors purchase the following waste cable and wire products:

a) manufacturing defects, warehouse surplus;

b) used cable lines, production residues;

c) old uncleaned cable;

d) dismantled communications;

e) installation waste.

Acceptance is carried out according to several criteria, which determine the price per kg of scrap. Take into account the length of the conductor pieces, percentage scrap to insulation, foreign impurities.

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

Average price per kg of copper scrap for 2018-2019