Put the electrical tape down! For less than $5 at a hardware store, you can fix a drop cord properly, with the help of Klein Tools.
A few weeks ago, my drop cord was the unfortunate victim of an altercation with the bottom of a metal door. This resulted in the outer sheath getting sliced open. When I recently received the Klein Tools All-Purpose Pliers with Crimper, I knew it was finally time to fix my 100′ 12-gauge drop cord.
After picking up some 14-8 Heavy Wall Shrink Wrap Tubing and some 12-10 Heat Shrink Butt Splice Connectors at the local big box retailer, I was ready to get started. As the pictures show above, just a few steps make quick work of this project:
Cut out the problem area
Strip the positive, negative and ground wires
Slide on the large shrink wrap
Insert the wires into the crimp connectors
Crimp hard to ensure tight fit
Heat shrink each connector
Slide over large tubing and heat shrink
While, I’ll admit that this is certainly less easy than wrapping some electrical tape around it, it’s a lot more stable and a more permanent fix. Knowing how to fix a drop cord properly can mean the difference between something running and something not or, worse, causing a fire. For the low cost of this project, there’s really no reason to not keep these things around at all times for quick fixes like this.
Klein Tools All-Purpose Pliers with Crimper
Recently released from Klein Tools, these pliers are the most multi-functional electrical tool I’ve used in a long time. Complete with wire cutters for 10 to 20 gauge AWG wire, side cutters, a crimper, long nose pliers and regular plier jaws, these pliers pack a lot into a lightweight hand tool. These pliers have already lightened my tool bag, as I was able to remove a few task specific tools. Another feature of the All Purpose Pliers with Crimper that I liked were the grips. One problem I tend to have is slipping and unlike my High-Vis pliers, these pliers have stops on the grips, which I really appreciate. So whether you need to fix a drop cord or wire a house, reach for these Klein pliers for your next electrical project.
