This is one of a series of articles provided by the Plumber Chelmsford blog.
Every once in a while you are going to need to re- wire or replace a plug on an appliance in your home. This DIY task need not cause panic as it is something that can be done easily and safely as long as you follow some simple guidelines. A damaged or faulty plug should always be replaced as soon as possible as it could potentially cause a safety risk.
When removing a plug from its wall socket always switch the power supply off first and then remove the plug gently by its casing. Never pull it away by the flex cable.
You will then need a small screwdriver to disconnect the old plug. An important point before wiring your new plug is to ensure that you cut back the outer plastic cover by approximately 3-4cm to reveal the insulated wires. This is best done with a pair of pliers. You will then need to remove about 1cm of the insulating cover at the top of each individual wire leaving the exposed metal wires. These wire strands should be twisted firmly together so that they will form a good contact for each terminal in the plug.
You are now ready to connect your new plug that should be a British Standard three pin plug carrying the BS kitemark.
The brown live cable should be connected to the bottom right terminal next to the fuse. The blue neutral cable should be connected to the bottom right terminal. The earth green/yellow cable should be connected to the top terminal. An easy way to remember this sequence is that brown stands for bottom right and blue for bottom left.
Please not that some appliances do not have an earth green/yellow wire. These have extra insulation with no exposed metal.
Each exposed wire end, brown live, blue neural and green/yellow earth need to fit around and through each terminal in the plug cleanly. The terminal screws can then be tightened securely over the wires. The insulation covering should reach up to each terminal.
Once the fuse has been secured in place, the flex cable should be fixed firmly using the grip and screws at the bottom of the plug. Your plug should now be ready and safe to use.
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