How to repair damaged cable on chrstimas decoration.

S

Sue Ellen

Moderator.
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Hi All,

Looking for some advice about a cable on a christmas decoration that I have damaged. I accidentally closed a door on the cable and now it won't work. Just wondering if there is any way of tracing where exactly the cable is damaged and if it would be possible to cut/slice/repair? I particularly liked it and as it was bought a few years ago no chance of getting a replacement.
 
If you could locate the damaged section I would imagine you should be able to repair it unless the decoration was plugged in during the incident and irreversible electrical damage was done..

Was it just the fly lead that was damaged or an integral part of the decoration ? Don't suppose the door left any imprint on the cable where it nicked it? I would have thought it would if it managed to sever the wire underneath.

cybermate
 
1st off unplug it! I know someone who spent Christmas in hospital after stripping the end of a Christmas decoration wire, with their teeth - but forgot it was still plugged in! She now speaks with forked tongue!

You could get technical and use a multi meter to check for continuity/break.

Or go basic and replace the cable altogether.
 
Hi Sue Ellen,

Was the cable that got damaged a mains cable (running straight from a standard plug) or low voltage (running from a large plug with built-in transformer or a standard plug via an in-line transformer?

If it's mains, then you can either replace the entire cable length or cut it back close to the decoration where you know it's good and put a new plug on that and use and extension cord to reach the socket.

If low voltage, then the safety concerns are much less. In this case you can splice the cable or replace it altogether.

Maplin will sell all you need to repair this. Let me know if you need anything further.
Leo
 
Can't remember what they are called, but if you can locate break then it's a simple matter to repair/join using those little jointers. White with two screws - you just bare the wire at each end, put one wire into each hole and tighten the screws.

(It is incredbly frustrating not remembering the name of the damn things.)
 
PS if you tape over the whole thing after making the join with insulating tape it will be safer and a better/neater job
 

Just to ease your frustration, they're called connectors!!
 
Thanks for all the replies - the beauty of AAM.

I've had a look at it again and there are actually about 3 or 5 wires wrapped around each other and they initially go inside a christmas tree with tiny bulbs throughout and at the other end they enter a box that allows the sequence to be altered.

I think the best thing is to get an electrician friend to have a look at it and see what he thinks. Him indoors is crap with electrics.

So thanks again and Happy Christmas

S.E.
 
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