The prongs on extension-cord plugs are easily bent—and easily straightened with pliers. But after a few such re-straightenings, the metal can fatigue and snap off. When a plug’s life is over, it doesn’t mean you need to buy a new cord.
How do you wire an extension cord plug?
For about five bucks, you can attach a replacement plug. So, you don’t have to throw away that old extension cord, even if one of its prongs is broken.
Steps on How to Replace and Wire a Plug:
Step 1: Cut the Old Plug and Slice the Jacket
- First, cut off the damaged plug.
- Then use a utility knife to split and slice off the jacket about 3/4 inch from the end of the cord. Take care not to cut the three wires inside.
- Using a wire stripper, as shown, strip 1/2 inch of insulation from the end of each wire.
Step 2: Attach Wires to Terminal Screws
- Open the replacement plug so you can reach the terminal screws inside.
- Attach each section of exposed copper to the appropriate terminal screw: green wire to the green grounding screw, white (neutral) to the silver screw, and black (“hot”) to the brass screw.
- Wrap the wire clockwise around the terminal and tighten each screw securely.
Step 3: Reassemble Plug Replacement
- Reassemble the replacement plug and tighten the screws holding it to the cord.
Step 4: Test the cord
- To see if a cord is working properly, plug it into a three-prong receptacle.
- Then, fit a plug-in circuit tester onto the cord’s other end. The tester’s lights will indicate whether the wires are hooked up correctly and the cord is grounded.
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