Electrician help

[bbrauch2000]

my dog chewed plug off of the air conditioner in the apartment i rent. Obviously, i'd rather not replace the whole thing. Is there a way to replug the thing so i dont have to pay a ton for a new one when i leave?

[Hammer]

Is the whole cord removable with a plug style end? If so, this isn't that big of a deal. Just go to the big box retailer that carries the brand that you have and get a replacement. You will need the model, serial, voltage/wattage and the plug. The cords are not interchangable so you really need to do your homework. Also, if the cord is hardwired you will still be able to fix it but you may want to hire a pro...

Good luck!!

[bork]

It's an easy fix. You can get replacement plugs at a hardware store or a place like walmart. An AC probably needs a heavier-duty 3-prong plug. Then cut off the frayed end of the cord. Strip the outer covering on the cord with a wire stripper or utility knife. Then strip the inside wires back about an inch, try not to knick the wires. Screw the black wire to the gold screw, white to silver, and bare wire to green.

 

Edit: This is assuming there's enough cord left.

[TooLiveBrew]

bbrauch, you should be able to go to any good hardware store & get the proper advice/assistance with this. Is the plug just a grounded (3-prong) indoor plug? If so, you should be able to simply purchase a replacement plug. These types of plugs are do-it-yourself-ers, as you tighten the individual wires that run inside the rubber cord to their corresponding screws inside the plug.

 

You go in through the front of such a plug - run the cord through the back end, attach the wires to their screws, affix the cover on the front of the plug, and - voila! Replacement plug. The one thing to keep in mind is that your cord will obviously have to be shortened a bit, since your dog decided he/she wanted your A/C cord to not be quite as long! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

Make sure if/when you talk to a hardware store employee, though, that they are knowledgeable, and not just telling you things like, 'Yea, I think that's right.' Your specific A/C unit may or may not be as straightforward as the simplest fix. Also, have whoever helps you sort of walk you through the process you need to perform - if you're more of a visual learner like me. Any hardware store worth its salt will have at least a couple of employees that are very knowledgeable in a given department, such as (perhaps especially) Electrical.

 

EDIT: bork beat me to it, and remembers much better than I. I'd just add in that you should not pay much for this part. Maybe a buck at most? Dunno - it's been a while since my days of working at Ace.

[Hammer]

I guess the main thing is making sure you get the correct plug style if you are just stripping and replacing. I sold HVAC equipment for a couple of years and do not agree with all of the other advice as these units vary so much from manufacturer to manufacturer. The last thing you would want is for an electrical fire to start if you make a mistake while fixing a cord. This is an air conditioner and not a radio or a toaster. It will draw a lot more electricity than most appliances and can be more dangerous. Replacing a cord is really not that expensive when you look at the long term possibilities...

[TooLiveBrew]

That's a good point, Hammer - that's why I led off my post by asking if it is just a standard grounded cord. Is there no such thing when considering A/C units?

[1992casey]

Get the plug that matches. If it looks familiar, it's a 15 amp thinger. If one of the prongs is sideways, it's a 20 amp. If your dog chewed a lot of the cord, you can follow the thing to the inside of the air conditioner, get a similar cord, and match up the wires accordingly. You can buy the stuff by the foot, and the hardware guru can make sure you have an adequate gauge.