- Please note that these guides are only informative. It can be dangerous to plug partially disassembled devices. Always unplug the device when working on it. If you’re not sure how to proceed, contact a local repair café or a professional.
How to diagnose and repair problems with a damaged power cable?
STEP 1 Check for visible damage
The power cable may have been damaged by the heat of a gas cooker or by a hot pan placed on the cable. If the cable is burnt, a short circuit occurs between the two internal wires and the appliance causes a power cut in the whole house.
If you see that the cable has been damaged somewhere and you have at least 5-10 cm of cable on either side of the damaged area, go to step 3 to see how to repair it.
If the cable is damaged near the plug, go to step 4 to see how to replace the plug.
STEP 2 Check for invisible damage
If you don’t notice any visible damage, there may be an internal break, so it is not visible to the naked eye.
It is not easy to check if the power cable is damaged. You must have access to both ends of each wire (three wires if there is an earth wire, two wires if there is not).
To access both ends of each wire you will need to open the mixer, which is not always easy or possible. Immersion blenders are among the most complicated items to open. They are often heat sealed or the plastic parts are so embedded that you have to break everything open!
With a multimeter set to continuity mode (buzzer) or Ohm mode (resistance), check that each wire is intact.
To check the cable for internal breaks, the two ends of each wire must be touched with the tester's test leads when in Ohm (resistance) mode. For example, touch the blue wire at both ends, if the tester indicates resistance close to zero, the wire is good. If you have no indication, then the wire is broken.
Repeat the same procedure for the other wires.
If you notice that the cable is damaged, it should be replaced. Go to step 5 to see how to do this.
STEP 3 Repairing the cable
If you see that the cable has been damaged somewhere and you have at least 5-10 cm of cable on either side of the damaged area, you can repair the cable. You will need the following materials:
- heat-shrink tubing of different sizes
- a soldering iron and tin on a roll
- a pair of wire strippers
We recommend that you follow this video tutorialc to learn the different steps of the repair. Make sure that cables of the same colour are joined together.
STEP 4 Replacing the plug
If the cable is damaged near the plug, it can also be repaired by cutting the cable before the damaged area and putting a new plug on it. In that case, you will need the following materials :
- a pair of wire strippers
- a new plug
- a small screwdriver suitable for the plug
We recommend that you follow this video tutorial to learn the different steps of the repair. Make sure that the cables are assembled in the right places in the socket. In most cases you will find information about this on the packaging of the new plug.
STEP 5 Replacing the cable
If you can’t repair the power cable, you will need to replace it :
To replace the entire power cable, the unit must be disassembled. Locate the point where the cable connects with the internal cables and replace it according to the colours of the original cable. Generally there are three colours (two if the earth cable is missing).
By international convention, the blue cable is the neutral, the brown is the phase and the yellow-green is the earth. The cable inside is firmly secured with a plastic bridge and two screws.
- Unscrew the two screws and release the cable. Then unscrew, or cut, the wires of the cable to remove it from the unit.
- Insert the new cable and screw in the wires, or solder the new wires to where the old ones were connected.
- Be sure to replace this fastening so as not to risk pulling the cable out during use and causing a short-circuit.
Background information
General repair tips :
- Wiki Restarters : How to use a multimeter
- Repairing a power cable
- Replacing a plug
- Replacing a power cable
- Wiki Restarters: The repair glossary
- Where to find spare parts ?
Caution
- Always unplug the device when working on it
- If you’re not sure how to proceed, contact a local repair café of a professional.
Source of this information
This tutorial was written by Repair Together - the network of Repair Cafés in Wallonia and Brussels (Belgium)
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