Power Tool Cord Replacements

[Soundguy]

Guess I would side with the group that says replace with a factory cord. They available and not that over priced. No question the safest way to go. If it is a tool you have to keep, that is going to be the best and safest solution.

no question? please....

you have 2 things to deal with in a cord replacement.

1, materials

2, technique

lets look at safety from both perspectives.

materials. I can go buy UL listed insulated cord in bulk.. I can buy ul listed replacement plugs.. both are 'safe' when used correctly.

technique. Since replacement with either a home brew cord or the factory original is going to involve opening the tool and removing whatever conenctor method has been used.. it all falls down to opeerator capability. Over the years I've found the following conenction methods:

1, solder.. IE.. the wire enters thru the strain relief or grommet or otherwise thru the blukhead of the tool and one side is soldered to a switch, adn the other to the motor, etc. in places where a ground wire is used, it is either attached to atab on the case.. or for a plastic tool, I have seen them go right to the motor.

2, wire nut/scotchlock as above.. wire enters, and has mini wire nuts to attach to internal pigtail stub ends.

3, crimp-wire nuts, as above but wire nut is a nylon insulated crimp collar.. usually cheapest way.. generally have to cut them out, meaing you are shortening the oem wire stub in the tool.

If the operator is not up to par.. then there is going to be -NO- safety difference with using an oem cable, vs a replacement. it's a connection making exercise. either you can do it.. or you can't.. if the repalcement material is correct.. it should be the same deal as the oem.

4, oem molex or similar connector, VERY RARE, only in a few very rare cases have I opened a tool and seen a molded slip together connector. still.. takes a lil more work.. but you can repalce those too. the molex are generally crimp.. some are solder pins.. slip pins out with release tabs, change connector over to new wire and go. this repair takes more time with a non oem cord thant he rest of them. still... usually saves even more money as an oem cord repalcement with a specialty molded connector ain't gonna be as cheap as a pigtail whip style..

thus.. safety is left almost completely up to operate capability without reguard to oem replacement or generic repalcement parts. use safe parts, and the balls in the court of the 'replacer'

If you are just trying to resurrect a relic, tools are really inexpensive right now and are much superior to those that have lived a decade or better. Just my opinion.

MarkV

tools now superior to an older tool? that's a very supjective statement.

I like the 'inexpensive' new tools available like the next guy. I buy quite a few at harbor freight for applications I don't want a nicer tool in. for instance.. I have a NICE makita angle grinder. I also keep a couple 9$ harbor freight specials for doing 'junk' work where I don't want my makita to get beat or banged up. especially if I'm doing alot of welding and I don't want all the lil weld pop and spatters dimpling the pretty blue plastic on my good grinder.. but I DO want a grinder laying right next to me so i can snatch it up and grind when needed.

looking at the innards of a 9$ tool and a 69$ tool. lets face it. again.. I like a cheap tool like the next guy.. but it's not a comparison.

I have plenty of examples. I have a nice sears radial arm saw from the 70's, and I have a good skill saw from the early 90's both are superior to 'cheap' ones I have used new. I have a 'cheap' table saw that I used for very infrequent jobs. the skillsaw / RAS I have have smaller motors yet handle loads WAY better than that cheap-o table saw.

very few cases where a inexpensive new tool is going to be higher quality than a good proven tool that is a lil older.

same with hand tools. Again.. i like the 9$ wrench sets and 5$ ratchet sets harbor freight sells.. again.. good and easy to toss into a tractor tool box.. don't care much if it gets stolen or I loose one.. or have to torch and bend a wrench that cost me 20 cents. however.. they just don't compair tot he quality of some of the good tools I have from 10-20-30 ys ago.. I have a nice sk 1/4dr socket set in a metal container. way higher quality than the 2.99 HF special 1/4 drive kit that has the lil plastic socket holder. i've also stripped out a couple pakistani socket wrenches before.. no biggie.. i buy socket sets at flea markets and yard sales for a buck... I use them for junk work.. working in the dirt.. etc.. or again.. if i have to torch a tool. cheap stuff has it's place. does it work.. sure.. in most applications.. as good int he short term even.. is it better than a real quality tool that might cost 3-4x as much 9 some of that cost just paying for a name.. some for the quality.e tc.. )? please....

and that's not my opinion... that's observed fact from years of good and cheap tool owning and using.

soundguy

 

[Egon]

If buying bulk cord remember there are diffent quality/service duty cords available. The male plugs also come in different qualities.

I normall use the cheaper plugs, solder the connections and fill the interior cavity with silicon before putting them together. I realize the silicon may have some corrosive issues but have not caused me any problems. The plug end on the cord is also wraped with electrical for a few inches to give support at the bend point.

 

[Soundguy]

I have replaced power tool cords so many times I can't count how many. I use 100 foot extension cord the orange stuff from H/D. Buy 3 or 4 male plugs because you have enough wire. The advandage to this method is I can make the new cord any length I desire. Cut off 6 feet or so from the male end and use it for your first replacement. I am usually able to pull the old wire out of the strain relief on the tool and insert the new orange wire and make the connections inside. Worst case remove the strain relief and just inset the wire into the handle. Use a cable tie to secure the wire inside the case so it can't be pulled out. Just use a little care when using the tool. Then install a male plug on the end of the 94 foot section. You have an extension cord albeit shorter and when the next tool needs replacement cut from the male end and redo the ubove procedure. My drill, grinder, and drop shop lights have 10 foot cords while the vaccuum has a 25 foot cord. :thumbsup:

jelly conduit lube or wd-40 makes a great lube for pullingthe cable thru the strain relief.

in a pinch i have used 1/4" or 5/16" ID fule tubing as a extra strain relief, or on tools in rough areas..like anything I use aroud the welder like the die grinder or angle grinder. i get it a 1' fuel tube strain relief.. and it keeps the welding pops and crackles from pitting the cable.. same with dripping and splashing slag from cutting or welding.. them oem chep pvc power cords tend to melt thru FAST when a bit of bright orange slag hits them!

ditto on the long cord. In some applications IMHO.. it would be asfaer to have a tool with a 20' cord.. just plug it into the recep and pull the machine up tot he garage bay and go.

it's 1 less high resistance conenction ( plug to plug ) you are making, and if there is any water on the ground, who wants that 2-3 prong 'open' connection laying in a puddle?

I have 1 angle grinder and 1 drill setup this way.. both with 20' cords.. orange in color

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

If buying bulk cord remember there are diffent quality/service duty cords available. The male plugs also come in different qualities.

I normall use the cheaper plugs, solder the connections and fill the interior cavity with silicon before putting them together. I realize the silicon may have some corrosive issues but have not caused me any problems. The plug end on the cord is also wraped with electrical for a few inches to give support at the bend point.

easy to buy the non corrosive / electrical connection safe rtv...


soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

I would stay away from computer cords for power tools. They are only intended to carry 5 amps at the most. The ones I've cut into seem to be 16 or 18 gauge. I started to use one once as a replacement, but when I saw how it was built I changed my mind..

all cords are not created equal.

i have a box of older white/ivory cords from the 80's.. still good insulation.. many are honeywell.. some are as big as my finger.

various sizes.. none of them with conductors smaller than 14awg i have found, and plenty with larger.. the largest I have found was 10awg, except for one actual extension cable I found that as far as I can tell from the printing on the sheath, is actually 8awg.. it is 3' and was a hd jumper cord...

the lil black 'pencil' thick computer cords are likely something like 16 at most and really 18awg...

soundguy

 

[Short Game]

i don't like the cheap-o flat 3 way ends some cords have. can't get a xformer on them. I much prefer the angled 'ducks foot' style witht he 3 terminals at 60' arcs form each other..

soundguy

Agreed.

I like your style, Dude.

I love fixing things, but it still rubs when the thing shouldn't have needed fixing in the first place. But if fixing becomes necessary, make it better than it was.

I've stopped buying anything new from cheap tool suppliers that has a motor. Too many of them are gutless to the point of being useless. They are saving money on copper.

 

[Soundguy]

they are good at making fast motors, and if the tool is a gear reduction that they can use speed to turnt he reduction, then they are ok too.. but straight out with no gear reduction.. like a bench grinder.. no thanks...

soundguy

 

[Short Game]

they are good at making fast motors, and if the tool is a gear reduction that they can use speed to turnt he reduction, then they are ok too.. but straight out with no gear reduction.. like a bench grinder.. no thanks...

soundguy

I kind of feel sorry for the person I gave my brand new cheap bench grinder to. I bought a 4.5" angle grinder at the same time that I just had to abandon. Pretty much like that bench grinder, it thought that any work it tried to grind was actually a brake.

A local friend died and I got last pick of his stuff (there was some pretty cool stuff that nobody knew what to do with) All the great tools he had were immediately taken away to CA by his brother. An old but not working, proper, grinder (with a great stand) was left behind. The centrifugal starting mechanism's brass contacts had burned up. I cut up a brass key to make new contacts. It's great having a good grinder.

What drives me crazier than anything is waste. A new tool that is worthless by materials or design is the most galling kind of waste.

 

[Soundguy]

yep.. I have 1 good old grinder.. and 2 cheaper ones.. one cheaper is an older working one.. the other cheaper one is kinda wimpy.. I put a cotton buffing pad on it so i could ACTUALLY get some use out of it.

the good old one has a nice stand and cage with fan and dust collector.. use a ac filter!

soundguy

 

[JoeL4330]

the OP stated cords were disintegrating ...for replacements, consider not only the gauge, but the jacket and insulation specs

IEWC Industrial Electric Wire and Cable

 

[North West Farmer]

I have been checking back and forth to follow this thread and it has definitely been one of the most entertaining and educational threads that I have run across.

After considering the various comments, I find myself largely in agreement with Soundguy's remarks. Thinking back over 60 some years, I have attempted and devised most of the options discussed. Soundguy, you hit it on the head, capabilities, technique and materials. Get those areas under control and you should be accomplished at engineering and installing a good safe power cord for you power tools.

Nick, North West Farmer

 

[MikeD74T]

I use 25' extension cords with the female plug cut off as cord replacements. Nothing like a circular saw or drill with an extra 16' or so of extra cord. A 25' extension cord is often cheaper than a utility/replacement cord of the same gauge.

A couple mentioned radial arm saws with bad motors. If you're a serious wooodworker consider removing the motor & making a frame to hold a router. A radial arm router can make a lot of jobs real easy. MikeD74T

 

[Soundguy]

the OP stated cords were disintegrating ...for replacements, consider not only the gauge, but the jacket and insulation specs

IEWC Industrial Electric Wire and Cable

and if oem is bad quality.. why buy an oem replacement???

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

I have been checking back and forth to follow this thread and it has definitely been one of the most entertaining and educational threads that I have run across.

After considering the various comments, I find myself largely in agreement with Soundguy's remarks. Thinking back over 60 some years, I have attempted and devised most of the options discussed. Soundguy, you hit it on the head, capabilities, technique and materials. Get those areas under control and you should be accomplished at engineering and installing a good safe power cord for you power tools.

Nick, North West Farmer

yep.. if you know what you are doing.. and you kinda need to , even if you are attempting an oem replacement via opening the case.. then.. why pay 2x to 3x the cost of an oem replacement, when in many cases, the one you make at home could be better even.. or more suiped to the application you use it in ( better insulation for harsh environment.. updated wire size for longer cord.. etc.. etc.. length for safety.. increased strain relief.. etc.. etc.. )

good thread overall.

soundguy

 

[PILOON]

One of my peeves are cheap cords that in cooler weather become fishing poles, another is cords that are too short.
I was lucky to find a hardware store that was liquiding and the had some high quality real rubber cord stock.
Most of my power tools have about 9 ft cords as 'my standard' thereby generally eliminating the need for extensions.
Another trick of mine is that I made a pivoted boom that can swing about over about half of my shop work area so that I can plug tools in overhead, that way I don't trip over cords. Nothing nicer than to have power 'right there' and no tripping tangling in extensions.
I have even been tempted to install retraction reels to hang the tools from but due to differances in weight it would not be practical.
I also have power outlets mounted under the edges of my work benches so that I don't have to reach across to plug a tool in.

 

[Soundguy]

i don't recall what it was, as I have since already lengthened the cord.. but I bought a power tool a while back and it had some ridiculous 2.5 or 3' cord whip on it.. how useless.

Oh I know.. it was a sawsall. you had to use an extension cord to work the thing even right at your work bench.

I have a couple quad outlets at the back of my bench so power is close.. 2' away.. even so.. it's cord didn't allow it to work.

i also have a couple hanging overhead outlets for tools I need to walk around a tractor with.. I hang them kinda centeral in the bay.. works out good.

soundguy

 

[crash325]

So many posts and no one has said a word about "Heat Shrink Tubing". When replacing or repairing most any electrical cord, it is a great insulator and works well for strain relief. Comes in may sizes and up to over 3' long or even by the real if you need a lot.

Have used it for many years and never had a problem. Some of the real good stuff can be shrunk with a propane torch. Most of the time I just use a heat gun.

 

[Short Game]

So many posts and no one has said a word about "Heat Shrink Tubing". When replacing or repairing most any electrical cord, it is a great insulator and works well for strain relief. Comes in may sizes and up to over 3' long or even by the real if you need a lot.

Have used it for many years and never had a problem. Some of the real good stuff can be shrunk with a propane torch. Most of the time I just use a heat gun.

I hadn't thought of it for this ap. It could make for a nice layer of armor. It would probably keep the ozone away from the rubber insulation.

 

[lmalcomb]

ace hardware has them:
Ace 3175262 Power Supply Replacement Cord 10 Amp - Black

 

[Jeepnford]

Try this place. I was able to order a cord for one of my grinders and a handle on another I broke,and also a new wrench for one. I had about 30 bucks in all of it. Repair Parts for All Major Brands - DIY Repair | eReplacementParts.com