Shopping Smarter, Not Harder

Shopping Smarter, Not Harder

Don't Use The Wrong Cord When Replacing An Appliance Power Cord

Willie Shaw

Age and everyday use can gradually take its toll on a power cord. Eventually, a power cord may need to be repaired or replaced with a new one. This is especially true if the cord has become nicked or frayed because it will then become a safety hazard. When replacing the power cord for a particular appliance, make sure that you select the right type of power cord for the appliance.

Use The Right Type Of Cord

The three main types of power cords are the self-connecting, terminal screw, and three-prong power cords. Small appliances commonly use self-connecting power cords. Larger appliances, such as washers and air conditioners, will most often use three-pronged plugs. If you will be using an appliance with a three-pronged plug, make sure that you have the appropriate outlet for that type of plug or install one. 

Older appliances will sometimes use terminal screw plugs. Wires are attached to screws that are on the inside of the cord. The older plugs have removable insulating discs, while the new plugs have rigid insulating barriers. Fortunately, you can simply check the type of power cord that the appliance originally had and use this to determine what you should replace the original cord with.

The gauge of the new power cord you will be using needs to be as heavy as the gauge of the power cord you are removing. Otherwise, you might experience issues as your appliance begins to heat up. Appliances that tend to heat up need to have cords that have been built to resist fire. When an appliance does not operate at a high temperature, however, the cord is more likely to be designed to be lighter, which makes the appliance easier to carry overall. 

Follow The Right Installation Method For The Appliance Type

There may be a specific cord or installation approach that you need to use depending on the cord that you are replacing. For example, with lamps, one of the challenges is to prevent shocks to the metal parts of the light. This causes the plug to be designed so that there is a small blade for the hot wire and a wide blade for the neutral wire. Polarized plugs must always be used for lamps. When installing the plug, you must differentiate the hot wire from the neutral wire. Fortunately, power cords are inexpensive, especially when purchased online, and can save you from having to spend much more to replace the entire appliance.


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About Me
Shopping Smarter, Not Harder

After I became a mother, I realized that I was going to be spending quite some time shopping for supplies. I knew that when I wasn't getting groceries, I would likely be finding new clothes for my kids to wear and trying to find things for the house. Instead of spending loads of money on all of these shopping trips, I started trying to shop smarter, not harder. I started carefully evaluating things like price tags and sales, and it really made a big difference in our lives. This blog is all about saving money by buying the right things, and knowing how to avoid problems from overspending.

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