It has provided 27 yrs. of excellent service but finally just stopped running. Wiggle the pronged plug in the wall and it starts running ... but then dies again. It's apparently not a house problem because the radio works in the same wall socket. Any ideas? Thanks.
I don't think it is the receptacle as other items work in it. The plug is a DIY job if you take your time and look for instructions. An electrician is going to charge from $50 to $100 just to walk through the door.
Before I'd concern myself with the receptacle since other plugs work in it, I'd try the fridge in another receptacle.
Replacing the plug is usually no more than cutting the old one off and attaching the wires to the screws of the replacement one. 2 screws if there is no ground, 3 if there is. Then it's just a matter of closing up the new plug with the screws provided. When you buy the replacement plug, just make sure you buy a packaged one that comes with instructions.
The only other thing is to make sure you connect the hot to the hot prong and the neutral to the neutral. If the existing plug has one wide prong, that's the neutral. Check the wire on that side (it might be rough, while the other is smooth) to note which is the neutral. That's assuming it's a molded plug. If it's not, just open it up and note where each wire goes.
Or get a knowledgeable neighbor and watch him/her closely so you can do it the next time, In our household, the kids at age 10 could do what you are needing to do.
Examine the plug, for signs of wear, etc. See if the plug pulls out of the socket easily. Consult your horoscope, read the funny pages, read four or five more answers on this list, and then replace the plug, and change out the socket.
I'd not want to mess around with a refrigerator. Don't want to lose food.
cut off about an inch of insulation on each of three wires.
attach each of the three wires to the screws in the new plug. Put them clockwise around the screws, tighten the screws. Put white wire on the silver screw, black wire on the gold, green on the green.
I agree with the others that it may be a bad plug and cord or it may be a bad outlet, or a combination of both. You do as someone suggested and try plugging the fridge into another outlet and then wiggle the plug and cord and see if the same thing happens. If you can't easily move the fridge closer to another outlet, you could try using an extension cord, but then you would need to wiggle the plug where it plugs into the extension cord. It also could just be a bad outlet that the plug on the radio happens to fit into okay but the plug from the fridge does not.
You don't need to hire an electrician to replace the outlet and/or the cord -- you could just hire a handyman-type person for a lot less. If you explain that you just want the person to switch out the outlet and maybe replace the plug on the end of the cord, you can probably find someone locally who will do it for something like $25 plus parts -- maybe $35 for the whole job. That is if you hire someone who works for himself/herself and is not one of those handyman franchises. The handyman franchises tend to charge something like $65/hour plug parts.
Most people do these types of repairs themselves, but not everyone wants, or knows how to, or even wants to learn how to do it.
I went to
formatting link
and tried to find some good videos on how to change the plug on the end of an electrical cord, but I didn't see any right away. But, I did see these two (and others) on how to change an electrical outlet:
formatting link
?v=84aGPD2nAM0 You may be one of those people who wouldn't want to do this on their own even after watching a how-to video etc. But, if you watch the video you'll see how quick and easy the job is, and you'll see that you can just tell a handyman-type person what you want done and how easily that person can do that for you. If I lived near you, I would do it for you for free since it is so easy. But a local person won't charge much at all.
One other note: Depending on how the cord is connected to your fridge, it may be possible to buy a whole replacement cord with the plug already on the end and replace the whole cord yourself. You would have to look at the fridge and maybe (after unplugging it) unscrew a cover plate where the cord goes into the fridge and see how the cord connects to the fridge. If it is easily accessible, you could take off the cord there, bring it to a Home Depot, Lowes, etc. and buy a replacement cord and plug and replace it yourself. But, first do the idea of trying to plug the fridge in another outlet in case it is the outlet that is bad and not the cord or plug.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.