DIY Supermarket

The Basics of Wiring

All domestic electrical devices operate using plugs and sockets. Because of the degree of wear and tear many plugs are subjected to, they are often the first component that fails. The good news is that wiring a plug is actually fairly straightforward; nevertheless, it is crucial you accomplish this correctly, for safety reasons as much as getting that hoover or hairdryer working again.

Step by Step

The obvious sign that you will need to give an electrical plug some attention is when the device it is attached to stops working. Firstly, to access the plug you will need to unscrew the large screw. This will reveal a plastic clamp, positioned over a thick conductor wire, protecting the three wires beneath.

It could well be the case that the wires have become detached from their terminals within the plug. Often the ends where the plastic coating gives way to bare metal will have become frayed and broken free. Simply expose more of the wiring by cutting away the coloured plastic, but not enough to sever it and then feed the metal back into the terminal. Stripping the wire is made much easier with wire-cutters, which are specifically designed for this task.

When unscrewing at the terminals, take care to do so carefully, as the retaining screws are tiny and easily lost. You should not need to completely unscrew them, just ease them out far enough to allow the wire to nudge back into position. Finally, replace the cover and tighten the large retaining screw.