Where can I find a replacement plug for my vacuum cleaner?

Question

One of the little metal pieces on the plug on my vacuum cleaner came off. I don't want to have to buy a new vacuum if I can just replace the plug.

I would like to know where I can get the plug and how to install it. I was thinking OSH, or Radioshack, but neither seems to offer the product online.

Answer 1

They're sold at Lowes/Home Depot, or an electric supply.

You'll  need wire cutters, a razor knife, and a small screwdriver.

Get the replacement cap.

Cut the cord about 1" back from the old plug.

Take the new cap and seperate the part you grip from the part that holds the wires.

Slide this part over the cut cord.

Carefully remove about 1" of the outer cord covering from the wires inside, making sure not to knick the colored insulation on them.  There should be a black, white and green.

Strip about 3/8 ths of the colored insulation from the wires.

Take the second half of the plug, and connect the black wire under the brass s***w,  the white wire under the silver/aluminum s***w, the green under the green s***w.

Make sure to tighten these screws.

Now put together both halves of the plug and tighten the screws to hold them tobether, and the cord clamp screws.

Answer 2

Hardware store like Home Depot or Lowes.  You can get a plug there.  If it's a grounded plug (3 pin) make sure you get a grounded one.  

You're going to have to cut the old plug off the end of the cord.  There are going to be 2 or 3 wires inside the cord.. white, black and green and  and strip enough of the wire insulation off the inner wires for the terminals on the new plug.  Be careful to match the black wire to the hot side, the green wire to the ground and the white wire to the neutral side.

The new plug will probably come with instructions, so be sure to follow them.

Answer 3

Lowes, Home Depot or a hardware store.

You would need to be able to strip the wires (remove the outer jacket to see the copper) and tighten the wires under some screws.

You can get the tools at the store and I'm sure there will be some one there that can tell you how.

(They might do it for you at the hardware store.)

You could take it to a local vacuum repair shop and they should do it for $20.

Answer 4

One last thing.  Having been a vacuum repair person for over 30 years now and having seen hundreds, if not thousands of these plugs with one prong broken off, I can tell you that if you do manage to get the plug replaced, either by yourself or at a repair shop, it won't last as long as the first one did if you don't start paying closer attention to where you are in relation to the end of the cord itself, when sweeping.  Pulling the cord out of the recept with the vacuum is what breaks the prongs off, or sometimes just causes one of the small wires inside the outer casing to break, usually just behind the plug.  Those are fun to diagnose.