Never cut a cord while it’s still plugged in, or else you could get seriously injured from electrical shock. If there’s damage on the power cord near the plug, wear rubber insulated gloves so you don’t have to touch any exposed wires.
If you have trouble cutting the cord with a utility knife, try using a pair of scissors instead.
If your lamp cord doesn’t have a thin piece of insulation running down the middle, carefully slice through the cord’s insulation to expose 1 inch (2. 5 cm) of the wires inside of it.
If your lamp has a third wire for a grounding port, strip it as well.
Don’t twist the 2 wires together since you won’t be able to attach them to the plug.
You can buy polarized replacement plugs from your local hardware store. If your original lamp plug had a grounding prong, make sure you buy a replacement plug with one as well. Make sure to buy a new plug in the same style and model as the last one.
Some replacement plugs have a hinge rather than a cover. Remove the screw holding the plug together and pull the sides apart to open the hinge.
If the replacement plug you’re using has a hinge instead of a separate cover, you may skip this step.
The silver screw connects to the wider prong on a polarized plug, which is the neutral or negative side. If your lamp has 3 wires, then the neutral wire may have white insulation rather than having a ribbed texture.
The brass screw connects to the smaller prong, which is the “hot” or positive side. If your lamp has 3 wires, then use the wire that has red or black insulation.
Most household lamps don’t have a ground wire, but they may if they are industrial-strength lights or use high-wattage bulbs.
If you’re using a hinged replacement plug, then guide the cords into the hole at the back of the plug before snapping it closed. Tighten the screw on the plug so it stays closed.
If the lamp still doesn’t work, take apart the plug and check that you connected the wires to the correct screws. Switch them if you need to before trying the lamp again. If it still doesn’t work, then there may be a problem with the lamp’s bulb socket instead.
