5.5 Electrical Tools MUST HAVES

Summary

In this video, host Josh showcases five and a half essential electrical tools for DIY enthusiasts. The tools include a non-contact voltage tester by Klein, a digital breaker finder, a versatile wire stripper and cutter, a wire twister, and Wago lever nuts. Each tool is demonstrated for its functionality, emphasizing safety, efficiency, and ease of use in various electrical tasks.

Takeaways

• 🔧 The video introduces five and a half essential electrical tools that all fit in a small bag.
• 📺 The host, Josh, runs a channel focused on DIY home building and saving money.
• 🔌 The first tool is a non-contact voltage tester by Klein, which detects AC current and has a silent mode option.
• 🧪 The tester does not detect voltage in neutral or ground wires but accurately detects hot wires.
• ⚡ The second and third tools are a digital breaker finder set with a transmitter and receiver, useful for testing outlets and finding circuit breakers.
• 🔍 The transmitter in the breaker finder also acts as a GFI outlet tester to check if outlets are wired correctly and GFI protected.
• 🔧 The fourth tool is the Klein catapult automatic wire stripper and cutter, which works on various wire gauges and has replaceable blades.
• 🔩 The fifth tool is a wire twister, which attaches to a drill to quickly and efficiently tighten wire nuts.
• 🛠️ The final ‘half’ tool is the Wago lever nut, an easy-to-use connector for wiring that works with both stranded and solid wires and allows quick connections and disconnections.
• 💡 The host provides detailed demonstrations for each tool and emphasizes their practicality for DIYers and homeowners.

Q & A

What is the first tool Josh introduces in the video?

The first tool Josh introduces is a non-contact voltage tester made by Klein.

What is the voltage range of the non-contact voltage tester?

The non-contact voltage tester is good for detecting voltages from 50 to 1000 volts.

How does the non-contact voltage tester indicate power detection?

The non-contact voltage tester beeps and shows a red light when it detects AC current, which is the type of current that runs through houses.

What is the purpose of the transmitter and receiver tool Josh discusses?

The transmitter and receiver tool is used for finding circuit breakers and testing GFI outlets.

How does the digital breaker finder function?

The digital breaker finder functions by plugging into an outlet and using a receiver to locate the corresponding breaker in the panel box.

What is the purpose of the Klein catapult automatic wire stripper and wire cutter?

The Klein catapult automatic wire stripper and wire cutter is used for cutting and stripping wires, with the ability to handle wires from 8 gauge to 20 gauge solid and 10 to 22 gauge stranded.

How does the wire twister tool work?

The wire twister tool works by fitting onto a drill or impact driver, allowing the user to tighten wire nuts onto wires without manually twisting them together.

What is the benefit of using Wago lever nuts over traditional wire nuts?

Wago lever nuts are easier to use and can be undone and redone without cutting the wires, making them more convenient for adjustments and testing.

What is the main reason Josh recommends testing a known hot wire with the non-contact voltage tester before using it?

Josh recommends testing a known hot wire to ensure the non-contact voltage tester is functioning properly before relying on it to confirm an outlet is safe to work on.

How does the GFI outlet tester part of the transmitter and receiver tool indicate if an outlet is wired correctly?

The GFI outlet tester indicates correct wiring by showing two yellow lights, and it can also trip the breaker if the circuit is GFI protected.

What is the main feature of the Wago lever nuts that makes them stand out from traditional wire nuts?

The main feature of Wago lever nuts that makes them stand out is their ease of use and the ability to add or remove wires without the need for twisting or untwisting wire nuts.

Outlines

00:00

🛠 Introduction to Essential Electrical Tools

Josh introduces five and a half must-have electrical tools that fit in a small bag, perfect for new viewers interested in building or saving money on house projects. He provides a link to purchase these tools in the video description and emphasizes the importance of subscribing and liking the video for notifications. The first tool discussed is a non-contact voltage tester by Klein, which detects AC current from 50 to 1000 volts. It requires two AAA batteries and can be clipped onto a shirt for convenience. The tester beeps when it detects voltage, and a silent mode is available by holding the power button for a longer duration. Josh demonstrates how the tester works with white neutral and black hot wires, explaining the importance of testing against the black wire for power detection. He also shows how to use the tester on receptacles and cords, highlighting the need to check both sides of a receptacle and the entire cord for power.

05:01

🔍 Advanced Voltage Testing and GFI Outlet Testing

The video continues with a two-in-one tool: a transmitter and receiver for finding breakers and testing GFI outlets. The transmitter, when plugged into an outlet, provides codes indicating correct or incorrect wiring. It also tests if the outlet is GFI protected. Josh demonstrates this by plugging it into a GFI-protected kitchen island outlet and pressing the test button, which successfully trips the breaker. He contrasts this with a non-GFI protected outlet, showing that pressing the test button does not trip the breaker. The receiver part of the tool is used to locate the breaker in the panel box. It requires a 9-volt battery and beeps faster as it gets closer to the breaker. Josh notes a peculiar lighting phenomenon with the receiver that appears different on camera than in real life. Lastly, he mentions the Klein catapult automatic wire stripper and cutter, highlighting its versatility for different wire gauges and the convenience of its wire cutter feature.

10:01

✂️ Wire Stripping and Twisting Made Easy

Josh showcases the Klein catapult automatic wire stripper and cutter, demonstrating how to strip wires from 8 to 20 gauge solid and 10 to 22 gauge stranded. He emphasizes the tool's precision and the ease of replacing its blades. The video then introduces a wire twister tool, which simplifies the process of connecting wires with wire nuts. The tool fits various sizes of wire nuts and can be attached to a drill or impact driver. Josh illustrates how to twist wires together using lineman's pliers before tightening them with the wire twister for a secure connection. He also shows an alternative method without initial twisting, highlighting the importance of the initial twist for a better connection.

15:04

🔩 Alternatives to Wire Nuts: Wago Lever Nuts

The final tool discussed is not a tool per se but a helpful component for DIYers and homeowners: Wago lever nuts. These nuts are easy to use and can accommodate multiple wires at once, from 2 to 5 wires, and are suitable for 24 to 12 gauge wire. Josh demonstrates how to use the Wago nuts, showing their clear plastic back for proper wire placement and the ease of adding or removing wires by lifting the levers. He contrasts this with traditional wire nuts, noting that Wago nuts allow for easier testing and adjustments. Josh concludes by recommending these nuts for their utility and includes a link to a video on wiring a panel box for further information.

Keywords

💡Non-contact voltage tester

A non-contact voltage tester is a safety device used to detect the presence of electrical current in a wire without direct contact. It's essential for electrical work to ensure that a circuit is not live before working on it. In the video, Josh demonstrates using a Klein brand tester to check for AC current in household wiring. The tester beeps when it detects voltage, indicating whether a circuit is live or not.

💡AC current

Alternating Current (AC) is the type of electrical current that regularly reverses direction, which is the standard for residential and commercial power supply. The video script mentions that the non-contact voltage tester only detects AC current, which is what runs through household wiring, as opposed to DC current.

💡GFI outlet tester

A Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFI) outlet tester is a tool used to check if a GFI outlet is functioning correctly. GFI outlets are designed to protect people from electric shock by cutting off power when a ground fault is detected. In the video, Josh uses a tester to confirm that a kitchen island's GFI outlet is wired correctly and will trip the breaker when a fault is simulated.

💡Wire stripper

A wire stripper is a tool used to remove the insulation from electrical wires to expose the conductive core. It's a crucial tool for any electrical work. The video features the Klein catapult automatic wire stripper, which can handle a range of wire sizes, showcasing its versatility and ease of use.

💡Wire cutter

Wire cutters are used to cut and trim electrical wires. They are an integral part of the wire stripper tool shown in the video. Josh demonstrates how the wire cutter on the Klein tool works, cutting through a 10-gauge wire with ease.

💡Wire twister

A wire twister is a tool designed to twist wires together, often used in conjunction with wire nuts for secure electrical connections. The video introduces a wire twister that can be attached to a drill, making the process of twisting wires together much faster and easier.

💡Wire nut

A wire nut, also known as a cable connector, is a device used to join two or more wires together. It's a common component in electrical work. The video script mentions using wire nuts with the wire twister tool to create secure connections.

💡Wago lever nut

Wago lever nuts are a type of electrical connector that provides a quick and easy way to join wires without the need for wire nuts. They are considered a more user-friendly alternative to traditional wire nuts. In the video, Josh explains how Wago nuts work and their advantages over traditional wire nuts.

💡Circuit breaker

A circuit breaker is an electrical safety device designed to protect electrical circuits from damage caused by overload or short circuit. The video script discusses using a digital breaker finder to identify which breaker controls a particular circuit, which is useful for troubleshooting and electrical work.

💡Voltage

Voltage, also known as electric potential difference, is the force that pushes electric charge through an electrical circuit. The video script discusses testing for voltage using the non-contact voltage tester, which is crucial for ensuring safety when working with electricity.

Highlights

Josh introduces five and a half must-have electrical tools that fit conveniently in a little bag.

The first tool is a non-contact voltage tester made by Klein, detecting AC current from 50 to 1000 volts.

The tester requires two AAA batteries and can be clipped onto a shirt for convenience.

To operate the tester, hold the power button briefly to turn on or off, and hold for a second to mute the noise.

The tester beeps when it detects power on the black hot wire but not on the white neutral wire.

Before relying on the tester, Josh recommends testing a known hot wire to ensure it's working correctly.

The tester's end is shaped like a cord prong to slide into a receptacle for testing.

Josh demonstrates the importance of testing both sides of a receptacle to ensure power detection.

The second tool is a two-in-one transmitter and receiver for finding breakers and testing GFI outlets.

The transmitter tests GFI outlets without batteries and provides a code for any wiring issues.

The receiver requires a 9-volt battery and helps locate the breaker in the panel box.

Josh shows how to use the transmitter to test if a circuit is GFI protected by tripping the breaker.

The Klein catapult automatic wire stripper and cutter is the fourth must-have tool, versatile for different wire gauges.

The wire stripper can strip solid wire from 8 gauge to 20 gauge and stranded wire from 10 to 22 gauge.

The wire cutter can handle up to 10 gauge wire and has a feature to strip the wire automatically.

The fifth tool is a wire twister that fits on a drill or impact driver to twist wires together with wire nuts.

The wire twister simplifies the process of twisting wires together and can be used with different sizes of wire nuts.

Josh recommends twisting wires together first before using the wire twister for the best results.

The final half-tool is Wago lever nuts, which are easy to use and suitable for both stranded and solid wires.

Wago lever nuts provide an easier alternative to wire nuts and can be used for multiple wires at once.

Josh demonstrates how to use Wago lever nuts to connect wires and mentions their ease of testing and undoing wiring.

Transcripts

in this video I'm going to show you five

and a half electrical tools that are

must-haves that all fit conveniently in

this little bag and if you're new this

channel my name is Josh your channel is

all about building your house save a ton

of money be sure to subscribe ring that

Bell so you get notification every time

I release new video and Hammer that like

button for me that's all I asking turn

for making this video so at any point in

this video you want to purchase any of

these tools there's a link to them in

the description below let's get started

the first tool that I'd like to go over

is this non-contact voltage tester and

this is made by Klein as you can see if

we take a look at the back it's good

from 50 to a thousand volts and it only

detects AC current and not DC current so

AC current is what runs through your

house and if we pop this back off this

is where the batteries are stored as you

can see it requires two aaa's in order

to power the device and it came with the

batteries just so you know and this end

will also act as a place to where you

can clip it onto your shirt and in order

the power on the device we just hold the

power button down just for a second and

release and the green light indicates

that it's powered on and in order to

power the device off we just hold it

down for another Split Second and it

powered it off now if you don't want to

hear that noise when you power it on and

off and it also makes that same noise

when you're using it which I'll

demonstrate that here in just a moment

you hold this power button down for

longer than a split second for a second

or two and when it turns on as you can

see it did not make any noise and when

you go to use it it also will not make

any noise so if you want to use it

silently that's how you do it and turn

it off you hold it back down and you

turn off just like you did the first

time so now let's go use this so I can

show you how it works to demonstrate how

this tester works I put together the

white neutral wires here and the black

hot wires together here so you'll see

the distinct difference here now we're

going to power on the tester and if we

place this up against a white neutral as

you can see it's not beeping or anything

so you would think there was no power to

this circuit but if we go over to the

black hot wire it's beeping very easily

and it's on the same circuit as this

white wire and that's because this does

not detect the power or anything that's

in the neutral wire so you're going to

want to make sure when you're testing

out an outlet or a circuit that you're

testing it up against the black wire and

if we touch the ground wire as you can

see it's not going to detect anything

there as well and something you're going

to want to do before you rely on this

tester is go to a wire that you know is

hot for instance this to make sure your

tester is working properly before you

use it to rely on turning off an outlet

to work on it as you've probably already

noticed the end of the tester is shaped

like the prong of a cord that's because

it'll allow you to slide the end of the

tester into a receptacle and just so you

know if you bump this tester it's going

to show a red light and as if there is

voltage so if you tap it it's because

it's detecting the vibrate operations so

don't get confused thinking there's

power to something all because you just

tapped it against something so we're

going to slide it into this receptacle

on this side of it and as you can see

it's not beeping as if there's no power

but if we slide it into this side and

it's going to be and this is beeping

because this is the hot side of the

receptacle so you want to make sure that

you test both sides of the receptacle

before seeing if there's any power in it

if we plug it into the circular part

that's for the ground as you can see

it's not detecting anything so we know

there's power to this receptacle because

it's beeping in the hot side of the

receptacle and now if we plug in a cord

like this I want to show you something

that's really critical if you hold it up

to this side it's beeping but if we hold

up to this side it is not so it's very

important that when you're checking to

see if there's power to a cord go around

the whole thing

so that way you know if there's power in

it if you're not up against the power it

won't beep so very important to note

about this Con non-contact tester I

pulled this receptacle out of the wall

so you can see this demonstrated on a

receptacle so as you can see if you

touch these silver terminals there's no

beeping but if we touch the gold

terminals where the black wires are

located it's clearly has power now if

you're wondering how do you test the

switch it's the same idea you just touch

the terminals with the tester and it

will beep if there's power to it the

second must-have tool is two tools in

one we got our transmitter and our

receiver that's four finding Breakers

this is a digital breaker finder and

this part will come with it that you can

store on the end like this and what this

does is we plug this into an outlet and

then we'll take the one that's on the

other side that's the receiver and we're

going to find the breaker in the panel

box using this device let me show you

how it works because this is technically

two tools in one this counts as two and

three in the list of must have tools if

we take this end off the first one I

want to go over is the part that's the

transmitter and this transmitter acts as

a GFI outlet tester and what I mean by

that is we're going to plug this into an

outlet and you're going to get these

codes telling you if it's wired

correctly or if it's wired wrong and

then we can test the outlet at the same

time if it's a GFI this receptacle is

part of the kitchen this is the island

and it is GFI protected via the breaker

now this does not require batteries to

operate unlike the non-contact voltage

tester I just showed you so all we got

to do with this will slide it right into

the receptacle and this is a chart of

any wiring that may be wrong it's going

to show up and to give you a code to

address that issue but as you can see

this is correctly wired because we got

two yellow lights here on the end and

that's what's represented on the this

chart so because it's a GFI protected

circuit if we press this button it's

going to short out the circuit and if

this circuit was not GFI protected if we

press this button it won't do anything

and it won't trip it so if we press it

now

it kicked the breaker and it is

correctly wired and it is GFI protected

now this receptacle is not on a GFI and

if we plug this in it gives us our same

code as same correctly wired but if we

press this in

it will not trip the breaker so that's

something to keep in mind if you go to

test this on a circuit and it's not

tripping the breaker it's more than

likely not a GFI protected circuit I'm

not going to show you how to use the

digital circuit breaker finder and this

is the outlet tester that I was just

showing you how to use and this is the

outlet or receptacle that we're just

testing so I'm going to plug this back

into that outlet now we're going to head

to the panel box with the receiver I

just noticed a really crazy phenomenon

watch the light on this it's going to

light back up see that here in person

without the camera if you're looking at

with your own eyes the light stayed

solid the whole time but right now while

I'm making this video I noticed on film

it looked like it was going off but

right now it is still on in real life

very weird leave a comment below if

you've ever noticed such a thing I'm

over here at my breaker box with the

receiver and something to note it did

come with a 9 volt battery and requires

a 9 volt battery to power this and it is

inside the handle of the receiver and in

order to turn this on all we got to do

is press this power button on just for a

Split Second

and you see the green light come on and

you hear the beeping

that's what it sounds like when it has

not detected the circuit yet and all we

got to do with this the first thing I

like to do is go over each breaker like

this

and you see it's probably that one but

we're going to go through all of them

first

all right so the only one that it could

have been was up here right there so you

can see it's a red light it's beeping

like crazy and you notice the beeping

speeds up as you get closer to the

breaker so like I mentioned before that

circuit is GFI protected and the purple

test buttons or GFI Breakers so if we

kick this

it should have kicked the power to that

circuit

and as you can see it's not detecting

anything there and something to note

when you power this back on

it's not going to detect it as easy so

it's recommended that you turn this off

then turn it back on

in order to use it again so if we go

through here

it detects it way better so always make

sure you reset your receiver after you

kick the breaker off and on my number

four must-have electrical tool is the

Klein catapult automatic wire stripper

and wire cutter let me show you how it

works the thing I love most about these

wire strippers is the versatility of

them and right here is where the wire

cutter is located and as you can see it

can take up to a 10 gauge wire and how

this works is around back there's a hole

and all you got to do is slide your wire

right into it it's going to come out the

front here and then you squeeze it and

the blade is going to come out and cut

it right in the back where that Blade's

coming out through the hole and now we

just squeeze now for the automatic

stripping tool that's located up here on

the head it can strip anywhere from a 8

gauge to 20 gauge solid wire and a 10 to

22 gauge stranded wire and all we've got

to do if you take a look at the numbers

here see that 12 I got a 12 gauge wire

right here and in order to use it all we

got to do is just line up with that 12

and slide it through the back here so

all we got to do is go somewhere like so

so you want to strip that much off of it

we just squeeze real slow it's going to

pull that sheathing right off and that's

all there is to it and this thing is

very precise wherever that wire is

looped over the end of the edge here

that's where it's going to be cut so as

you can see we can place and just cut

that little bit off with no problem

another great feature to these you can

buy replacement blades if these ever get

worn out I have used these a good bit

and it has held up very well definitely

good build quality and they may not be

suitable for every situation but for 99

percent of situations this thing works

great number five on the list is a wire

twister this thing is really cool and

you're really going to like what you're

about to see let me show you how it

works if we take a look at the wire

twister up close as you can see it has a

quarter inch Chuck that can fit on an

impact driver or a drill and if you take

a look at the opening here it is slotted

and as you can imagine it's for the wing

of the wire nut to catch on to be

tightened down so if we take a look even

the smallest wire nut like this size

will fit down into it and catches on the

side very easily and if you take a look

at this number 18 wire nut it has wings

on it so I've noticed that the wings

definitely grip onto this tool better

and it is very simple how this works but

I want to show you putting wires

together here as well now if we take

this number 14 wire nut as you can see

it slides in there very easily and it

grips it probably better than the rest

of them so if you notice the wings are

definitely going to be helpful for using

this tool and now let me show you how to

connect wires together using this in

order to place this in a drill you

simply just slide it into the Chuck of

the drill like you would anything else

and then tighten it down and make sure

it's in there really well and now

whenever I put together wires using wire

nuts how always twist the wires together

using linemans so in order to do that

all I do is grab the end here and then

twist them together like so just to make

sure they're connected well

and now in order to use this tool we

take our wire nut slide it into the end

on the wire twister just like so and now

we're going to place it right over those

wires and tighten it down

and as you can see that tightened it up

really easy now that's just a cool tool

to have if you've got a lot of wire nuts

to do and as you can see it saves your

fingers from having to twist it together

like so and if this was attached to an

electrical outlet or something it would

have been easier to see how well that

torqued it down so now let's say you

wanted to put these together and you

didn't want to twist them together first

but I always recommend you do so but I

just wanted to show you how it would

work so we'd slide them all in like so

and then we'd tighten them down

so as you can see it's more of an

exaggerated thing when you don't twist

them together first just so you can see

now if we undo it we'll see the

difference between the first method in

this one and it's not Twisted together

nearly as good as twisting them together

like we did first so I always recommend

you use the lineman's first regardless

my final must-have tool really isn't

necessarily a tool but I felt like it

should be on this list because it is

very helpful for diyers and homeowners

and they are the Wago lever nuts these

babies are extremely useful and easy to

use let me show you how they work

whenever I buy these Legos I like to buy

an assortment of them so you have some

available for each situation as you can

see this is one that's rated for five

wires at once and then it goes clear

down to two wires and also these are

good for 24 to 12 gauge wire so anything

in between you can use the same nut on

which is very handy and they're very

simple to use honestly they're super

easy to use anybody can figure these out

pretty easily the good thing about these

as well is they can be used on stranded

wire or solid wire so let's take this

one that's rated for three wires and as

you can see all you got to do is open up

the lever like this and that's going to

allow you to slide a wire inside here

and it has a clear plastic back so you

can make sure the wire is placed

properly so all we got to do to put a

wire in it is take it and Slide the wire

right into one of those ports right like

so and then shut the lever and that's

all there is to it if we take a look in

the back as you can see we have

sheathing up to here and then it goes

into this bar to where all the wires

connect and then you have a little bit

of sticking out right here and in order

to place more wires in there all we got

to do is slide them right in and shut

the lever and so on and so forth as you

can see that was almost too easy and

this is so much easier than using a wire

nut that it's ridiculous to be honest

with you if we take a look here if you

look at these ports in the back you can

slide a tester in here even after it's

connected and you can also slide a

tester in from this side as well right

into that little slot if you wanted to

test it the circuit for whatever reason

using the wire nut and this is very nice

because you can undo your wiring much

easier than a regular wire nut as well

so let's say we had to add a extra black

for a power to switch or something all

we'd have to do is lift up the levers

and you can just pull this right out and

boom you're ready to go I mean it's just

such a nice device that I had included

on this list I know I only counted it as

0.5 of on the list but it was something

I needed to include because it's going

to be very helpful for anybody watching

in this video to know something like

this is out there to use if you would

like to know how I wired this panel box

check out this video

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