How to Change a Plug
Changing a plug on your electronic device is a straightforward task anyone can do to increase the lifetime of your electronics. If you already know how to change a fuse in a plug and a replacement fuse hasn't worked, changing the whole plug itself might be the answer.
Before you start, check out our handy how-to video to see exactly what to do.
- You must turn off the power, unplug the device, and use a Philips screwdriver to remove the screws from the face plate.
- A standard 3 pin plug is wired by connecting the blue neutral wire, the yellow and green earth wire, and the live wire securely to the inside gold contacts.
- If your device isn't receiving power, you should replace the fuse first before attempting to change the entire plug.
Tools and materials
All you’ll need is a Phillips screwdriver and your replacement plug. That’s how nice and simple this job is.
Preparing the plug
First, turn off the power and unplug the device from the power outlet.
Take your Philips screwdriver and remove the screws from the face plate to release the back plate.
Top Tip: We suggest taking a picture on your phone of the inside of your plug to show where the wires lead to. This’ll ensure you’re re-fitting them correctly.
Wiring the plug
You can now lightly unscrew all the screws inside to free the live, neutral, and earth wires from the plug, ready for the replacement. Some electronic devices won't have an earth wire. If this is the case, just disconnect the neutral and live wires.
Now fit the neutral wire (blue) into the gold contact and keep it in place by screwing it in with your Philips screwdriver.
If your device has an earth wire (yellow and green), fit the earth wire into the top gold contact and keep it in place by screwing it in tightly. Repeat this step to secure your live wire too.
Reassembling the plug
Once it’s been rewired, it's time to put it back together. Reassemble your plug by feeding the screws through the front plate to lock the back plate and wires firmly into place.
Fit the back plate onto the front plate and make sure all the screws are tightly turned before use. To check it's working, plug your electronic device back into a power outlet and turn on the power.
We hope this guide helped you to rewire your plugs safely. Changing a plug is a quick job that saves you from replacing your favourite household items. If you need to go a step further, take a look at how to change an entire plug socket.
