ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area stripping UF cable

Does anyone have a good way of stripping UF cable I can not stand doing it. I use a utility knife and I sometimes strip down to the copper

Hi,
If you are careful...the best method I have found..using an electricians knife...(get rid of that utility blade it will get you into trouble...they are TOO SHARP)..is to cut away either sidewall of the cable...along the conductors..removing only enough to expose the conductor..then carefully pull the conductors away from each other, once this is done cut the sheath on each side of the ground and twist the remainder off the ground wire.

UF is tough cable...especially if it is cold!

You should never need to strip more than 6-18" inches of UF cable.

Hope that helps..

-regards

Mustang

[This message has been edited by mustangelectric (edited 11-22-2004).]

I've got one of these. Works pretty well:
http://www.seatekco.com/zs-140.htm

I have always split it down the middle about two or three inches, then I grab the grounding conductor with my side cutters while holding the other conductors and the jacket ( you may need to hold these with a pair of adjustable pliers) and simply pull as far as you want to strip the cable.

After you get it started it goes kind of easy.

After this it is pretty easy to remove the other conductors from the jacket.

Roger

We got some new UF the other day (I think Colonial) that strips almost as easy as regular NM. Just slightly cut it and the insulation jacket justs peals off of all the conductors.

*Thread Jack*
We also got some 14/3 with white, black, purple and bare. Has anyone else seen this?

I always cut UF cable vertically (like I was splitting a banana) alongside the ground wire to the desired length. Then I pull the ground wire out with pliers. Next, I score the two sections using the hollowed out half rounds where the ground was as a guide. Next, I pull the two remaining insulated conductors out with my pliers through the scored line. Last, I cut off the sheathing. Quick and easy, never any damaged insulation.

strip down both sides length wise liberating the ground wire and creating two separate sheathed wires on either side.

Then wire stripper not quite all the way closed and spun around the hot and neutral to cut the outer sheath.

I just use a regular pocket knife. When you get the angle and pressure just right it will slide right down the conductor jacket without cutting it.

Like others have said, a utility knife is too sharp and will dig into the conductor jacket.

Ideal has a new UF stripper on their site. I haven't seen one yet but I'd be interested in how well it works. UF is a pain!