How to Repair a Cut or Damaged Power Cord
- Trim Ends. You can see my miter saw made short work of this power cord leaving jagged and frayed edges. I trimmed both ends with cutting pliers.
- Cut Outer Sheathing. Next, I used a utility knife to slice the outer sheathing much like cutting Romex. ...
- Strip Wires. I separated out the black and white wires, and used wire strippers to remove a short length of insulation.
- Twist and Solder. Before connecting the wires, I slipped a heat shrink tube in place. ...
- Heat Shrink Tube. When the soldering was finished and the splices had cooled, I slid the heat shrink tubes in place, and applied low heat with a heat ...
- Wrap in Tape. Lastly, I cut back any overlapping sheathing and removed some of the filler string. ...
How to repair a cut power tool cord?
Steps to Replace or Repair a tool cord:
- Remove the plastic housing to expose the cord and connections.
- Remove the trigger and unscrew the power cord from the on-off switch
- Cut the damaged section of service cord away.
- Using a utility knife I cut back the insulation to expose the black and white wires.
- Cut the indivigual wire insulation to expose the copper
How to repair a damaged electrical cord safely?
Fix for a Damaged Cord. Accidentally cut your good, heavy-duty extension cord? Replacement cords are expensive, and you can save money by just repairing it. Instead of splicing, add a new plug on the piece of the cord with the receptacle and a new receptacle on the piece of the cord with the plug.
How should you unplug an electrical cord?
Here are a number of suggestions for lowering your home's energy bills that don't require running around plugging and unplugging everything you own:
- Replace all your remaining incandescent light bulbs with LEDs. ...
- Don't heat and cool an empty house. ...
- Enable "sleep mode" on devices that have it. ...
- Replace older appliances with newer, more efficient models. ...
- Look for devices you've forgotten about and unplug them. ...
- Insulate your water heater, or set it to a lower temperature.
Can I repair a chewed power cord?
Repairing a chewed cord is not very difficult. It is always better to solder electrical wiring and insulate the repair properly to avoid fire hazards. The following technique will restore your damaged cords to like-new working condition quickly and easily.
Can you repair a cut power cord?
Power tool cords that get accidentally cut or hacked can be permanently repaired in minutes with heat shrinkable tubing and a soldering gun.
How do you repair a cord that has been cut?
0:257:15How to repair a cut power tool cord - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd use a wire nut. Like that these wire nuts have metal inside. And they help in threading it soMoreAnd use a wire nut. Like that these wire nuts have metal inside. And they help in threading it so you do the white one too fold it over like that.
Can you use electrical tape to repair extension cords?
However, Federal OSHA electrical safety standards actually do not allow us to make a repair to a frayed or damaged electrical cord using electrical tape, nor can we use electrical tape to splice two cords together .
How can I fix my power cord without soldering?
1:495:02How to fix a broken wire without soldering - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPlace the crimp connectors in the middle of the pliers as shown. So the sizes match. Press hard andMorePlace the crimp connectors in the middle of the pliers as shown. So the sizes match. Press hard and wait a few seconds. Then release the pliers. This method is a bit more complex.
How do you splice a power cord back together?
2:4710:14Power Cord Splice and Repair - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSelect one on is the smallest diameter. Possible that will still slide easily along the cord. Don'tMoreSelect one on is the smallest diameter. Possible that will still slide easily along the cord. Don't forget to take into consideration whether the heat shrink will fit over the splice section of wire.
Can you fix electrical cord?
For a simple, straightforward way to repair a cord, fit it with a new plug. If you can't find a new plug and wish to preserve the cord's length, you could apply metal solder with a soldering iron for a stronger fix. Then, plug in your repaired cord to see that it works as well as a new one again.
What to do if you accidentally cut an extension cord?
If you accidentally cut your extension cord or power tool cord, save it by adding a new plug and receptacle to the two pieces; a safer solution than a splice.
How to save money on replacement cords?
Replacement cords are expensive, and you can save money by just repairing it. Instead of splicing, add a new plug on the piece of the cord with the receptacle and a new receptacle on the piece of the cord with the plug. Complete DIY projects like a pro!
How to make two cords out of one?
Instead of splicing, if both sections are long enough to be worth saving, just buy a high-quality plug and receptacle and make two cords out of one. Add a new plug on the piece of the cord with the receptacle and a new receptacle on the piece of the cord with the plug.
Can you splice extension cords?
Technically, you’re not supposed to splice extension cords. Even if you solder the wires, wrap each wire with electrical tape and encase the whole splice in heat shrinkable tubing, it still won’t have the abrasion resistance of a new cord. Plus, it’s not permissible under the National Electrical Code.
Step 1: Trim Ends
You can see my miter saw made short work of this power cord leaving jagged and frayed edges.
Step 2: Cut Outer Sheathing
Next, I used a utility knife to slice the outer sheathing much like cutting Romex. I made a lengthwise cut about 2″ long, and peeled back the sheathing.
Step 3: Strip Wires
I separated out the black and white wires, and used wire strippers to remove a short length of insulation. Odds are that your power cord is composed of stranded copper (like mine) so be careful not to cut any of the strands.
Step 4: Twist and Solder
Before connecting the wires, I slipped a heat shrink tube in place. Heat shrink tubes will only constrict so far so select a tube that is just big enough to fit over the finished joint.
Step 5: Heat Shrink Tube
When the soldering was finished and the splices had cooled, I slid the heat shrink tubes in place, and applied low heat with a heat gun until the tubes were tight.
Step 6: Wrap in Tape
Lastly, I cut back any overlapping sheathing and removed some of the filler string. Then I wrapped everything with a couple of layers of electrical tape.
Try this DIY fix before you buy a new cord!
Power tool cords that get accidentally cut or hacked can be permanently repaired in minutes with heat shrinkable tubing and a soldering gun.
Saving a power cord
Slice around the outer jacket about 3 in. on both sides of the damage. Then slit the jacket down the center and peel it off.
Required Tools for this Project
Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start—you’ll save time and frustration.
Required Materials for this Project
Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here’s a list.
How to remove wires from a sleeve?
Using scissors or wire snips, cut the wire just behind the damaged area. Step 2.) Take the razor blade and carefully remove one inch of the outer covering without cutting into the wires themselves. You will want to have roughly an inch of the wires exposed at least. Step 3.)
How to separate hot wires from neutral wires?
Separate the wires and strip the neutral and hot wires as follows. Using wire strippers (or a razor blade), cut ½ inch of the casing around the wire off, exposing the bare metal. Not to fret if you cut through the wire or cut into the wire, just cut back the outer case back a bit further and try again. Step 4.)
What is the white wire on a 3 prong plug?
In three pronged plugs, the white wire is always the neutral wire. The ground wire is either green or a copper wire with no casing. The hot wire is the last one and is black. Step 4.) Using wire strippers (or a razor blade), cut ½ inch of the colored casing around the wire off, exposing the bare metal.
What is neutral wire?
The neutral wire (white wire) will always be marked in some way: writing on the length of the wire, ribbing, a white stripe, or a thin white covering around the wire itself. If you cannot figure it out by looking at the cord, the neutral wire is more easily identified by the prongs.
Is it safe to replace a plug?
Then it is 100% safe.
