3/0 Wire stripper/cutter?

[handirifle]

I am getting ready to put a 2000w inverter in my 5th wheel. Instead of buying new cable (2/0) I have a lot of left over 3/0 THHN from our home build that was completed in 2010. Yes I saved it. For min voltage drop it calls for 2/0 but bigger is better I feel. Less chance of wire overheat.

Anyway I can bend it by hand, but stripping the ends and cutting it can be a real pain, with THHN. That cover is hard. I have wire cutter/strippers for 10ga and under, but wondering if they make hand tools for 3/0 wire that do the same. I will have a lot of ends to do this on, since it will involve 3-4 batteries.

Suggestions?

 

[handirifle]

I just got a thought, I have PVC pipe cutters, would that work, you think? I could run the blade around the insulation, like a pipe cutter and maybe a box cutter to break it open?

 

[flyerdan]

Harbor has a pretty hefty pair of cable cutters, I have a pair and they work good for cutting the ends off battery cables. As for the insulation, maybe a tubing cutter would score it and a utility knife to cut it down the middle and peel it off? The ratcheting pvc cutter would probably be quicker, if it can maintain contact while being rotated.

 

[dieselcrawler]

20 years as electrician, I just used a sawzall to cut and utility knife to skin for years. I did buy a ratchet cutter at one point, which works great for cutting, but pricey at about $130 a set.

 

[handirifle]

Flyerdan
Great for that price I will try them. I will try both the tubing cutter and my PVC cutters then. Thanks

dieselcrawler
I have no desire to spend that much either. Will try the above methods first before going to a sawzall .

 

[handirifle]

Question, on my home the ground wire does not have to be as heavy as the hot leads, are battery systems the same way or should they all be the same size? All my cable is black, but I will cover ground wires with appropriate colored tape, either white or red, have not decided.

 

[dieselcrawler]

DC battery cables should be red (positive) and black (negitve) unless they are used as jumpers between batteries to connect them in parallel.

The battery powered sawzall with fresh fine tooth blade actully works very well.

Current carrying conductors in battery system should be same size.

Neutral wire on household electrical service can be undersized per the NEC, as well as ground wire.

 

[RNeumann]

Channellock Cable Cutter, Shear Cut, 9-3/8" L. 911CB | Zoro.com

These will do a lot of the heavier cables. If this won’t work the sawzall or grinder cutoff wheel will do the trick. As stated a sharp utility knife is all you need for the sheathing.

The house is AC split phase so the neutral and ground are different sizes- the neutral is the same size as the 2 phases and the ground is typically smaller.

The RV on the battery side is DC. And “worse” the RV doesn’t have a good or real “chassis” ground like a car. Both cables need to be the same size- period.

Be kind to the wire and be careful how it’s run. THHN isn’t really designed for the movement associated with an RV. Plus the wires coming off the battery aren’t typically fused.

 

[handirifle]

I already have a 200 amp fuse block and fuses for this install. I also have plenty of 3/0 wire, so will definitely go with it all around. I questioned the color because on RV's the ground is white, but I know auto is red. I ordered heat shrink tubing, 12ft of it, (after reading replies) to cover negative cables completely in adhesive coated heat shrink, RED. That way I don't have to worry about misreading the color and purpose.

As for the chassis ground I will be grounding everything to the same section of steel, and plan on insuring a good solid connection.

I think I will use the cutoff wheel on my small grinder. Easier to handle than a sawzall (for me).

I posted this on an RV forum and the answers are remarkably similar. Good to have confirmation.

Of course I REALLY value the feedback here. After all I bought my diesel truck based on feedback from you guys.

 

[handirifle]

I forgot to add, the way this is going to be mounted, I do not forsee any movement of the wire. I know RV's bounce, a lot, but the batteries will be held solid, recessed in the steel floor and battery cases. The inverter is solid mount as well.

 

[parhamfarms2615]

 

[parhamfarms2615]

This is what you need^.4way Southwire skinner.heads are interchangeable. 1/0,2/0,350mcm,#2,#4,#6,3/0.all are available

 

[parhamfarms2615]

 

[parhamfarms2615]

These are the cutters you need to cut the cable

 

[dstig1]

I have a set similar to these, but they sure weren't THAT expensive! :confused2: Handles about 18" long. I have used a sawzall with fine tooth metal blade too.
Gardner Bender Manual Cable Cutter up to 5 MCM-GC-5 - The Home Depot

I always used a VERY sharp utility knife to strip the big cables. Didn't even know they had dedicated strippers, but it makes sense for those in the trade.

 

[handirifle]

This is probably the last time I will do anything with this cable, so I am trying to keep tool cost low. Thanks for the research though.

 

[mbohuntr]

This is probably the last time I will do anything with this cable, so I am trying to keep tool cost low. Thanks for the research though.

To strip that cable, I carefully run a utility knife around the jacket, taking care not to touch the wire, and then cut from the ring to the end. take the end of your finger nail, or a small thin flat blade and pry the insulation apart where you cut the end. It should spread apart, then peel like a orange.

 

[chim]

To strip that cable, I carefully run a utility knife around the jacket, taking care not to touch the wire, and then cut from the ring to the end. take the end of your finger nail, or a small thin flat blade and pry the insulation apart where you cut the end. It should spread apart, then peel like a orange.

I stripped cable ends for many years and that's what I normally did. Now that I'm out of the field we have all sorts of tools today for cutting and stripping when working with dozens of cables in switchgear, but for a few here and there a cutter like dstig1 mentioned and a good knife are all I'd want to mess with. If I wouldn't have access to a real cutter, I'd grab a hacksaw (or more likely my 20V DeWalt bandsaw) to lop it off. I love the bandsaw for anything I can use it on because it doesn't bounce around like my recip saw.

We recently bought 3 or 4 of these stripping tools for the guys in the field. For some reason, the kit doesn't cover all the sizes we use, so for each kit we bought an extra bare tool, empty box and I think 4 cutters. They get sent to the job sites as two-box kits. That way two men can be working on separate feeds (of different sizes) in the same gear, or when there are multiple parallel feeds, one tool can be set up for phase conductors and the other for grounds.:

DEWALT DCE151TD1 2V MAX XR Cordless Cable Stripper Kit - - Amazon.com

We have a selection of different cutters, crimpers, KO tools, including these. I think we have 4 of the Ridgid kits plus some oddball stuff from DeWalt and Milwaukee:

RIDGID RE6 Electrical Tool Kit w/ Cutter, Dieless Crimp Head and Swiv-L-Punch 5293 - Ohio Power Tool

Greenlee ESG5L11 Gator Battery-Powered Cable Cutter with 12V Charger - Wire Rope Cutters - Amazon.com

 

[lennyzx11]

Question, on my home the ground wire does not have to be as heavy as the hot leads, are battery systems the same way or should they all be the same size? All my cable is black, but I will cover ground wires with appropriate colored tape, either white or red, have not decided.

I did't see anyone actually answer your question.
It is Yes. They must be the same size in a DC system.

The AC system uses the neutral as the return which is the same size as the hot wires as one gentleman did note earlier.

Standard coloring code
AC
Hot = Black
Neutral = White
Ground = Green or Green/Yellow

DC
Positive = Red
Negative = Black

It is a common practice to wrap a band of the correct color of tape around each wire at each connection point if the color of the wire used is not the "correct" color.
ie. using a white wire as a traveler to a switch and back would have a band of black tape wrapped at each end to signify that it's being used as a Hot wire.

 

[s219]

To strip that cable, I carefully run a utility knife around the jacket, taking care not to touch the wire, and then cut from the ring to the end. take the end of your finger nail, or a small thin flat blade and pry the insulation apart where you cut the end. It should spread apart, then peel like a orange.

Yeah, that's how I do it and it works just fine. I keep telling myself I use that wire so rarely I don't need a special tool. Probably made 20-30 connections with it in the last 3-4 years, so if the trend continues I should revisit my decision. But I am also running out of structures and outbuildings to electrify....