My electrical Instructer wants me to loop my copper around the screws on the switches and receptacles and I'm finding it difficult to do?

Question

I'm not even sure how much wire to strip back, and when I make the loops they end up shitty and Im not sure I put them on the screw correctly.

Is there any advice advanced people can lend or videos

Answer 1

Strip off approximately 3/4 of an inch of insulation from each wire. Loop the wire around the screw in a clockwise direction, if you go counterclockwise the wire will tend to be pushed out by the screw.



http://homerenovations.about.com/od/electrical/ss/stepsidewireout_6.htm



You can use a wiring screwdriver that has a pin on it to form the loop:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31iCKi4VBuL._SY355_.jpg



or needle nose pliers also work.

Answer 2

Loki, if you come back for more, maybe leave the question open for a day or two.

What you go for is a bend into a clean "J" shaped wire end, once it's stripped back. With "solid" wire, that's quick and simple with suitable hand tool. (Plan B is to strip off a lot more, simply pull the thing around the screw, and nip off the extra. )



With "stranded" wire, the strands need to be twisted into a nice tight spiral first, then shaped. For some work, the end might even be tinned with solder...

Answer 3

Most basic wire strippers have a unlabeled hole that is made to bend the wire for wire terminals. For instance on the cheapest pair I could locate http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JKWVXA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000JKWVXA&linkCode=as2&tag=theurbhea08-20&linkId=YWDD4RPXBLLMCHIW , the is a hole near the #10 stripping hole, put the tip of the wire in the hole and wrap the wire around the outside of the strippers. Always loop the wire under the screw with the tip pointing clockwise.