5 Things to Know About Repairing an Extension Cord

Only repair heavy-duty cords Replacing a plug or socket only makes sense for expensive, hard-to-replace cords. A cheap $5 hardware store cord is not worth the time or money.

Use the correct replacement plug Get a plug rated for your cord’s gauge and number of conductors. Most household cords are 3-prong, 16-14 gauge.

Wire it exactly right White (neutral) goes to the silver screw, black (hot) to the gold screw, and green or bare (ground) to the green screw. Use a polarized plug with a wider blade for neutral.

Secure the strain relief Crimp the strain relief so inner wires cannot pull loose. Always do a tug test before plugging it in.

Never do these unsafe repairs Do not splice a broken cord, use an undersized plug, skip the ground prong, or use electrical tape instead of a proper clamp. These are fire hazards.