Swapping Out a Flat Iron's Electrical Plug: A Step-by-Step Guide

When a small appliance's plug goes bad, installing a replacement plug is an easy fix that saves you from having to buy a whole new appliance. Flat irons usually come with two-prong plugs, and the cord they use is known as zip cord. A zip cord is made up of two wires that each have their own insulation, with a shared layer of insulation holding them together. You can pull the two wires apart without much effort.

Step 1

Take the iron's plug out of the outlet.

Step 2

Using the wire cutters, snip the wires right where they meet the plug body to detach the old plug.

Step 3

Pull the two wires of the zip cord apart for a few inches. With the wire strippers, strip roughly 3/4 inch of insulation off the tip of each wire.

Step 4

Take off the cardboard insulator that sits around the prongs on the new plug. This piece is located at the top of the plug.

Step 5

Feed the two wires through the opening at the bottom of the new plug, pulling them out through the top side.

Step 6

Create a knot in the two wires by forming a loop in each wire and passing the other wire through that loop. This is an Underwriter's knot, and its purpose is to relieve strain on the cord. Tighten the knot until it sits approximately 1 1/2 inches away from the wire tips. If the plug you are using has a clamp at its base with two slotted screws, you can skip the knot and go straight to Step 8.

Step 7

Draw the cord from the bottom of the plug until the knot rests against the opening at the top of the plug where the wire exits.

Step 8

Loosen the two screws at the top of the plug. Wind each wire clockwise around each prong, then wrap each stripped wire end around each screw and tighten the screws. If your plug features a clamp at the base, pull any extra cord out from the bottom and tighten the two screws until the wire is held firmly and cannot be pulled out.

Step 9

Put the cardboard insulator back in place on the top of the plug.