We all have electrical appliances in our house and cables. Wires power most electrical appliances, but their isolation is not eternal. It doesn’t matter if you step on the cord or a dog chewed it; you will probably have to fix some electrical cords once in a lifetime.
Not all broken cables mean that you must throw away your favorite coffee machine or vacuum cleaner. Yes, cable repair costs can be high. Replacing electrical cords is also very expensive. Luckily, the fixing process is quite simple, and you can repair broken electrical cords independently.
You need to be careful and follow simple steps, and you can avoid expensive repairs. Here are some ways and tips on preparing tools and fixing all the broken cables in your home.
- Make sure the power is off!
First thing’s first. If you need to repair broken electrical appliance cables, make sure all power sources have been turned off. If a flat extension cord powers that appliance, make sure you unplug it. A cord that is damaged and energized can be life-threatening.
Ensure that you unplug the cord from the electrical outlet without touching the exposed wires or any metal parts. If you are unsure, turn off the power in that part of the house before you do that. Since the cable is already damaged, don’t pull it from the power socket.
The safest way for you and a broken cord is to pull the cord’s plug gently. Since the cable is already damaged, you do not want to pull it and damage it even more. Once you finish that, inspect the cable. Check if the damaged place is hot or darker in color.
If you see signs of meltings and burns, you may have a bigger problem. But if the cable breaks, you can fix it by yourself.
- Inspect every inch of the cable!
As we said, there’s a possibility that the cable is damaged. In that case, you will need an electrician or a new cord. But, you can check every inch of it and see if it’s worth repairing. It is easiest to spot obvious damage, such as a broken cord, but there may be a deeper cause of the damage.
However, in each case, you need to analyze the complete cable length and gaming background see other signs of damage. Use your hands and a magnifying glass if you need to. Focus on identifying if the cable is only torn in a certain part or minor cuts and burns.
If you unplugged the cord from the power socket, don’t be afraid to use your hands and inspect every cable section. That way, you’ll be able to feel every abnormality and see if there’s a sign of any more significant problem. Double-check the cord before you start fixing it.
- Prepare the cable and material!
Once you detect that there are no significant issues with the cable, you can start preparing the material and the cable. By material, we mean electrical tapes, screwdriver, heat shrink tubes, soldering iron, wire cutter, utility knife, and a hairdryer.
When you get the equipment you need, you can start preparing the damaged place. Use a wire cutter to split the cable into two separate parts. When you finish that, you can use a knife or cutting pliers and remove all the excess pieces and trim both sides of the cable.
Once you do that, you should be able to see the wire core. The next step is to remove the isolation from both parts of the cable. You can do that with a knife if you have the patience or steady hands or use wire cutters to be as precise as possible.
- Twist the exposed wires!
Before you start twisting wires, check if you haven’t damaged the wire stripes. You don’t want to damage the wires under the isolation and do it all over again. That may significantly shorten the length of the cable.
Remove approximately 2 inches of external insulation. After that, remove half an inch of wire insulation to get to the exposed wires. Be careful and try not to cut the wire strands. When you’re sure that wires are properly prepared, you can start with twisting.
Usually, there are black and white wires, and you need to twist them by color. Before you connect spliced wires, insert the shrink tubes. When you finish twisting, use a soldering iron and heat the splice. Try to be patient and careful because it is a very delicate part. You can melt the wire insulation, and worst of all, you can get burned.
- Isolate fixed cord!
When you complete all the previous steps, use a hairdryer to shrink the heat tubes. Those shrink tubes are protecting the soldered wire from being torn again. Besides that, there is additional isolation. By adding them, you can protect the cable from abrasion and possible water exposure.
The final part is the isolation, which is why you need the electrical tape. Wrap up the part of the cable you were fixing with electrical tape, which will be the end of the process.
Conclusion
If you notice a damaged electrical cord in your home, fix it right away. Don’t postpone the repairs because you or your family members might get hurt.
