cable stripping and terminating

[paul b b]

you lot will be sick of me lf i keep going like this lol.

how do you go about stripping and terminating ln a light switch. i was thinking more about the strapper post where there are a lot of cables i 1 box.

do you strip all and try to remember what is what?

or stip one and terminate?

advice most welcome

 

[Andy™]

depends what the cable does - i often put marks in the cable with cutters at a point past where it will be terminated. once outer sheath removed, repeat marks on conductors. when terminate working through them.

or if its fairly simple, remember which cable is which

 

[Lurch]

Strip and remember. Does help when you have a theme in your head that you've been using for years.

This is why I leave plenty on cables when there's a few in a switch, enough to be able to label the ends as you strip them in some fashion. It's not that bad once you get to it, neutrals and earths are easy enough, just push to one side, live feeds as well. Then asll you've got is some switch wires and a couple of 3 cores, 3 cores are easy enough, just make sure you get the right commons and strappers together, so once they're located then all you have is a couple of switch wires.

Piece of cake.

 

[paul b b]

ahhh thanks andy, like an x for a feed and just 1 nick for the light feed.

thanks andy

 

[Andy™]

ahhh thanks andy, like an x for a feed and just 1 nick for the light feed.thanks andy

something like that. i use roman numerals a lot for markings - very easy to mark into the sheath

 

[batty]

Keep a bit of spare on cables and nick the ones that are to lights ie 1 to pendant 2 nicks to wall and so on. Thats what I do and it usually works.

 

[green-hornet]

I suppose the more you do the more you know which is which.

I never take strappers up to the light it gets complacated with all those wires.

I normally mark the cables on first fix with simple crimps with the side cutter, for instance the switch wire will have three diagonal grooves, loop in and out really do not need marking, but if there is a link this would be marked by one groove.

I would normally terminate the switch wire first, if using twin and earth Brown /Blue, or in any order if I use Brown/Brown.

 

[tom1]

I suppose the more you do the more you know which is which.I never take strappers up to the light it gets complacated with all those wires.

I normally mark the cables on first fix with simple crimps with the side cutter, for instance the switch wire will have three diagonal grooves, loop in and out really do not need marking, but if there is a link this would be marked by one groove.

I would normally terminate the switch wire first, if using twin and earth Brown /Blue, or in any order if I use Brown/Brown.

i cut strait for the loop and diagonaly for switch wire, but then i strip it and forgetBlushing

 

[paul b b]

i cut strait for the loop and diagonaly for switch wire, but then i strip it and forgetBlushing

my problem exactly

 

[Tooold]

If flush work I tend to keep all the feeds coming through the same hole, same for 2 ways 3 core and switch wire in same hole etc. If surface write on back of cables, in trunking just write on them. I write on them when doing jb's as well, cos my memeory is getting worse! It does become easier when you get a system.

 

[tom1]

my problem exactly

strip the switch wire first then sleave and terminate

 

[vandalay]

Keep a Sharpie in my pocket for marking outer sheath.

 

[M107]

I now have a permanent felt pen in my pocket I use that to mark up cables on the sheath, mainly because the lacky couldnt decifer the side cutter marks.

But if i'm on my own I use the cutter marking on sheath untill the sheath is stripped & neutrals get bent left, line in/loop bent up, & switch conductors bent away from wall in order of connection reading left to right (sounds complicated but it works for me).

I like it when the customer watches & you've got a 12 way grid but they cant see the cutter marks, garunteed you'll get "how the hell do you remember where they all go"

 

[paul b b]

strip the switch wire first then sleave and terminate

but this makes it hard to get the outer gray cut tight to grommet

 

[steptoe]

[quote name='Andy

 

[green-hornet]

but this makes it hard to get the outer gray cut tight to grommet

I always have some slack, strip and terminate then push the slack back so that the sleeving is just inside the light fitting.

Some people have spoken about this on the forum before, some terminate at a comfortable height and then screw the fitting in place, pushing any slack into the void, this saves on the neck ache often associated with looking up all day long.