Hedge trimmer power cable - New plug?

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Recently, a family member accidently cut the power cable when using a hedge trimmer.

I've looked for tutorials on how to repair the power cable, but they say it requires things such as a soldering iron and heat shrink tubing.

So I'm thinking, it might be best just to cut the power cable where its damaged and fit a new plug.

The plug it has now is a moulded plug. Does it matter if the new plug isn't a moulded plug? Would a standard plug with the same type of fuse as the existing plug be sufficient?
 
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If the trimmer is the green bosch one you will need security torq screw drivers if you want to take the hole unit apart. The screws are torq (star profile) but the one deepest down has a pin in the middle (hence the need for the security torq screw driver). If the cut in the flex is close to the tool, just open the trimmer and remove the shorter section and wire in the longer part.

IMO, the suggestion to use a soldering iron to reconnect a cable is bad advice. The solder wicks down the threaded cable and creates a weak, non-flexible section.

If it is, for example, half the way along, why not fit a two pin connector?


It will be less cumbersome than a three pin plug and extension lead. Obviously the bit with the visible "male" pins connects to the tool, the other end connects to the supply.

If you want a watertight connection

 
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They are called 'torx'.

Whoops... Yeah, thanks.

Guess who got to the pub early today. 3pm and I am on pint 6.5...

BTW, for the OP


The above is an example of Torx screwdriver bits that have the hole for the pin in the middle of the head. The cheaper shorter ones are not long enough to reach the deep one.

I have repaired 3 of the Bosch ones in the last 2 years. With each of them the cut was near the tool, so it made sense to remove the damaged section and (slightly) shorten the flex.
 
i have had this done more than once - I just fitted one of these for garden machinery where the cable was cut - in both cases about a foot from the trimmers handle

my hedge trimmer had no earth so 2 pin was fine as in most of my electrical garden tools and now can be used with a much much longer lead i have with the same sort of socket on

 
Whoops... Yeah, thanks.

Guess who got to the pub early today. 3pm and I am on pint 6.5...

BTW, for the OP


The above is an example of Torx screwdriver bits that have the hole for the pin in the middle of the head. The cheaper shorter ones are not long enough to reach the deep one.

I have repaired 3 of the Bosch ones in the last 2 years. With each of them the cut was near the tool, so it made sense to remove the damaged section and (slightly) shorten the flex.
Good price for a set of long security torx bits
 
Good price for a set of long security torx bits

I have two different sets from amazon. One for home, one for site. I previously had the small bits but carrying the longer ones in my rucksack makes little difference to the weight of my bag. TBH, if I had to remove a really tight torx screw, I would use a dedicated torx screw driver, but none of my full handled drivers have the hole for the pin.

In my limited experience, they, the pinned versions, are normally used in plastics that do not require a lot of torque, meaning that lower quality fitting will suffice.
 
If it is, for example, half the way along, why not fit a two pin connector?


It will be less cumbersome than a three pin plug and extension lead. Obviously the bit with the visible "male" pins connects to the tool, the other end connects to the supply.

The section of the power cable that is broken is near the hedge trimmer. So if using a two pin connector, it wouldn't be on the ground while the hedge trimmer is in use.

Would the best option then be to repair the power cable instead and cover it with heat shrink tubing? Or is it okay if the two pin connector isn't on the ground while the hedge trimmer is in use?
 
The section of the power cable that is broken is near the hedge trimmer.

Thats where mine gets cut - if you look at some of the electrical items they have a 2 pin connector near the device - i had strimmers / lawn mowers like this - which is why i used the plug from screwfix , pretty much as supplied by other companies - like black & decker strimmers I have had - not sure on lawnmower

like this flymo lead
 
The hedge trimmer is a Bosch 450 watts.

According to what someone said in the comments in this video, to open the trimmer it requires a T20 Tor-X screwdriver to remove 10 screws. Then also requires a T20 screwdriver to take a screw out from the middle.

When they say it needs a T20 for the single screw left in the middle, I guess they mean two screwdrivers are needed in total to get the trimmer open? Also, I'm not sure whether or not the wires are soldered inside the hedge trimmer as the trimmer in the video appears to be an older model.

 
According to what someone said in the comments in this video, to open the trimmer it requires a T20 Tor-X screwdriver to remove 10 screws. Then also requires a T20 screwdriver to take a screw out from the middle.
Ok.

When they say it needs a T20 for the single screw left in the middle, I guess they mean two screwdrivers are needed in total to get the trimmer open?
Why two if they are all T20?
Anyway - get a driver and set of changeable bits.

Also, I'm not sure whether or not the wires are soldered inside the hedge trimmer as the trimmer in the video appears to be an older model.
You could still cut and join the cable inside the machine.
 
The hedge trimmer is a Bosch 450 watts.

According to what someone said in the comments in this video, to open the trimmer it requires a T20 Tor-X screwdriver to remove 10 screws. Then also requires a T20 screwdriver to take a screw out from the middle.

When they say it needs a T20 for the single screw left in the middle, I guess they mean two screwdrivers are needed in total to get the trimmer open? Also, I'm not sure whether or not the wires are soldered inside the hedge trimmer as the trimmer in the video appears to be an older model.


As I said earlier, the deep one needs the Torx driver with the hole for the pin. The ones in my earlier link will suffice for all of the body screws, you will however need a screw diver that accepts hex bits, eg https://www.wickes.co.uk/Stanley-0-66-358-Stubby-Ratchet-Multibit-Screwdriver/p/134002

You can purchase a single t20 security screwdriver, but the following will cost £6.99 for one single driver

 

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