Other general-use tools include screwdrivers, hammers, reciprocating saws, drywall saws, flashlights, chisels, tongue and groove pliers (Commonly referred to as 'Channellock®' pliers, a famous manufacturer of this tool) and drills. Cable Cutters: Highly leveraged pliers for cutting larger cable. Unibit or Step-Bit: A metal-cutting drill bit with stepped-diameter cutting edges to enable convenient drilling holes in preset increments in stamped/rolled metal up to about 1.6mm (1/16 inch) thick. Knockout Punch: For punching holes into boxes, panels, switchgear, etc. for inserting cable & pipe connectors. An electrical cable is an assembly of one or more wires running side by side or bundled, which is used as an electrical conductor to carry electric current. It has two or more insulated copper wires which are twisted with each other and are colour-coded. Twisted pair - Consists of two interwound insulated wires. If a system cannot be de-energized, insulated tools are used; even high-voltage transmission lines can be repaired while energized, when necessary. Because of the economic benefits of load sharing, wide area transmission grids may span countries and even continents. Historically, transmission and distribution lines were often owned by the same company, but starting in the 1990s, many countries liberalized the regulation of the electricity market in ways that led to separate companies handling transmission and distribution.

100, provided the same sized conductors are used in both cases. At higher voltages, where more than 2,000 kV exists between conductor and ground, corona discharge losses are so large that they can offset the lower resistive losses in the line conductors. Different classes of loads (for example, lighting, fixed motors, and traction/railway systems) required different voltages, and so used different generators and circuits. Electrical cables are extensively used in building wiring for lighting, power and control circuits permanently installed in buildings. Lockout and tagout procedures are used to make sure that circuits are proven to be de-energized before work is done. Some electricians are union members and work under their union's policies. Some electricians are union members. Tin, gold, and silver are much less prone to oxidation than copper, which may lengthen wire life, and makes soldering easier. And since conductance is proportional to cross-sectional area, resistive power loss is only reduced proportionally with increasing cross-sectional area, providing a much smaller benefit than the squared reduction provided by multiplying the voltage. Construction electricians may spend much of their days in outdoor or semi-outdoor loud and dirty work sites. Generally an electrician's work is physically demanding such as climbing ladders and lifting tools and supplies.

Some hand tools have ratchets to insure proper pressure. These may be hand or hydraulic powered. An electrician may experience electric shock due to direct contact with energized circuit conductors or due to stray voltage caused by faults in a system. Personal protective equipment provides electrical insulation as well as protection from mechanical impact; gloves have insulating rubber liners, and work boots and hard hats are specially rated to provide protection from shock. Power systems electricians may be called to work in all kinds of adverse weather to make emergency repairs. Auto electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical components. Since all the circuit conductors required can be installed in a cable at one time, installation labor is saved compared to certain other wiring methods. This was invented in 1930, but not available outside military use until after World War 2 during which a telegraph cable using it was laid across the English Channel to support troops following D-Day. Cables can be securely fastened and organized, such as by using trunking, cable trays, what are electric cables cable ties or cable lacing. Then the wire or cable is attached and pulled back.

Some wire strippers include cable strippers among their multiple functions, for removing the outer cable jacket. The first, and still very common, man-made plastic used for cable insulation was polyethylene. Insulation Resistance Tester: Commonly referred to as a Megger, these testers apply several hundred to several thousand volts to cables and equipment to determine the insulation resistance value. Tinning was used to help removal of rubber insulation. Utilities add capacitor banks, reactors and other components (such as phase-shifters; static VAR compensators; and flexible AC transmission systems, FACTS) throughout the system help to compensate for the reactive power flow, reduce the losses in power transmission and stabilize system voltages. High-voltage power transmission allows for lesser resistive losses over long distances. Reliability was improved and capital costs were reduced, because stand-by generating capacity could be shared over many more customers and a wider area. 6 American wire gauge) to 750 mm2 (1,590,000 circular mils area), with varying resistance and current-carrying capacity. Factors that affect resistance and thus loss include temperature, spiraling, and the skin effect. An electric arc exposes eyes and skin to hazardous amounts of heat and light.