How To Wire A 3 Prong Extension Cord Plug

How do you wire an extension cord plug?

For about five bucks, you can attach a replacement plug. So, you don’t have to throw away that old extension cord, even if one of its prongs is broken.

Steps on How to Replace and Wire a Plug:

Step 1: Cut the Old Plug and Slice the Jacket

First, cut off the damaged plug. Then use a utility knife to split and slice off the jacket about 3/4 inch from the end of the cord. Take care not to cut the three wires inside. Using a wire stripper, as shown, strip 1/2 inch of insulation from the end of each wire.

Step 2: Attach Wires to Terminal Screws

Open the replacement plug so you can reach the terminal screws inside. Attach each section of exposed copper to the appropriate terminal screw: green wire to the green grounding screw, white (neutral) to the silver screw, and black (“hot”) to the brass screw. Wrap the wire clockwise around the terminal and tighten each screw securely.

Step 3: Reassemble Plug Replacement

Reassemble the replacement plug and tighten the screws holding it to the cord.

Step 4: Test the cord

To see if a cord is working properly, plug it into a three-prong receptacle. Then, fit a plug-in circuit tester onto the cord’s other end. The tester’s lights will indicate whether the wires are hooked up correctly and the cord is grounded.

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