Resurrecting a hedge trimmer

I've accidentally cut through the power cord of my mum's Black and Decker hedge trimmer thingy and just wondered if anyone knows if its possible to replace the lead or do I have to go and buy a new trimmer?

 

Depends on if you're any good at DIY, or if your mum insists on a new one 'cos you broke it!

You may be able to easily dismantle the casing, it's usually just "posi" screws, in which case you'll find where the cord is connected. It will also have some sort of clip inside to prevent the cord being accidently pulled it out.
Buy a new length of cable that is suitable for the wattage of the trimmer. A small DIY store will advise you. It's a good idea to buy a longer length of cable sometimes, rather than having to use an extension lead if what you need to trim is a long way from the house.

Remove the old wire from the connection block and undo the restraining clip and connect the new length of wire the same way. Don't replace a three core wire with two core and make sure you secure the cord firmly with the clip. You'll probably have to fit a new plug if the one on the old lead is molded into the cable.

If you don't fancy taking the machine apart, go to an aquatics store and buy a waterproof cable connector and use that. There's always instructions on how to fit them enclosed with them. They're probably around ten quid now.

Of course these days, you're s'posed to use a qualified electrician to do any work in your house or garden, that's more technical than "plugging something in, or switching something on."

 

Many thanks, I'll have a go up opening it up. If you dont here back you know it went a bit wrong!!

 

I take it you had a circuit breaker!!

 

This is particularly important for anything in the garden.

With mine it's essential as I've about twenty thirteen amp sockets, mostly as doubles, between the garage, shed, filter room (four double sockets in there) and tea-house, three fluorescent fittings, three light fittings, six exterior lamps and two lanterns and a water heater.

Everything in my garden comes off the really old fusebox in the garage. (It has 15amp fusewire!). This is connected to the house mains by a below ground "pyro" cable, to a dedicated "garage" isolator with an rccb trip switch in the main fuse box, as are are the other house circuits connected.
Beyond the old-fashioned fuse box in the garage is an "industrial rccb" from which there are separate connections to the garage, shed and "filter room" via another double-pole fused isolator. The tea-house supply has a separate connection to the rccb via a double-pole fused switch in the shed. The tea-house has also another double-pole fused switch isolator inside it for further protection. The supply is via cables threaded through some alkathene pipe buried deep next to the side fence.

All the garden lights are operated from a bank of three switches in the lounge (behind the french window curtains) and these are connected to three plug sockets in the garage from the garage feed via an armoured four core cable under the patio's concrete raft. Two are for the five 240v lights on the side of the garage and shed. One for for the exterior lights on the tea-house and one feeds the transformer for the low voltage lamps in my Japanese lanterns. I use a waterproof socket on the side of the garage for any equipment needed for gardening.

None of the above curcuitry would I be allowed to do myself after 1st Jan 2005.
These days, you're not allowed to do much more than "change fuses in plugs," under the regulations.

It'd be an electrician's nightmare to sort if you didn't know how it was wired, but I've never had any problems and I don't worry about it.
Needless to say they aren't all in use at the same time!

 

You can always buy a cable connector - better than taking it apart - lots of springs and fiddly bits!

Buy a battery one next time, they are really good I use one all the time even though I have a mains one.

Much more convienient and they cut my hedge on one battery charge. Li-on battery ones are particularly good - recharge in 30 mins - expensive though.

 

Ordinary cable connectors are a bit dangerous in the wet, far safer to replace the entire length of flex.

 

If you've any sense you won't use electrical equipment in the wet. It's much safer to use the old fashioned shears.

Don't assume that if you are using an RCD unit that it is safe. They work by monitoring the outward and inward current, any imbalance should trip it and cut off the supply. It doesn't always work, I cut through a cable once and the cable was still "live", I can only assume that the + cable was cut first (which would have the effect of switching the power off.

 

Great advice doghouse riley, the other option is to take it down to your local electrical contracto and ask them if they could fix the lead for you. Find out the price first however. :o