Introduction

By law in the UK, all new electrical products must be supplied with a fitted plug. However, rewiring a plug is an easy and common DIY electrical task, as long as you ensure that all the wires are connected firmly and correctly.

• The following guidelines apply to a standard UK square-pin plug, which should be marked with BS 1363 or BS 1363A.

Tools for the job

• Medium slotted screwdriver
• Small slotted screwdriver
• Small Philips screwdriver
• Wire strippers
• Cartridge fuse of the correct rating

Wiring diagram

• It is very important that the wires, or cores, in the flex are connected to the correct terminals in the plug.

Procedure

• Undo the large screw on the pin side of the plug and remove the cover.
• Loosen the screws on the terminals and cord clamp, and if necessary remove any existing wires.
• Position the new flex against the plug such that its tip is level with the top edge of the plug, and mark the position of the cord clamp on the flex.
• Now use the cable strippers to remove enough of the outer insulation to allow the core wires to reach their terminals AND the cord clamp of the plug to cover the outer insulation of the flex. Take care not to strip or perforate the insulation covering the internal core wires.
• Position the flex in the plug and tighten the cord clamp. This ensures that the electrical connections remain in tact if the flex is pulled.
• Use the cable strippers to trim the core wires to length and remove 10mm (⅜in) of the insulation from the end. Ensure that the wires will safely and firmly connect to their terminals, and the core insulation travels right up to the terminals.
• For each core wire, twist the copper strands together, feed them into their respective terminals and tighten the screws. Do not overtighten.
• Ensure that a fuse of the correct rating is fitted. Use a 3amp fuse for appliances up to 700W, use a 5amp fuse for appliances up to 1200W and use a 13amp fuse for appliances up to 3000W.
• Replace the cover and tighten up the screw.

Further information and useful links

• Find a Electrical Merchants near you