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I was given a couch recently, and it has electric components to recline and perform other functions. We moved this 200+ pound couch down a flight of stairs, across a city, and up 2 more flights of stairs. Afterwards I found out that the electric cable had been damaged! This is a standard American 2-prong connection, and I live in Oregon.

I am a novice at DIY stuff, but I am learning fast. I do have experience working with lower-voltage electronics, and I can repair lower-voltage wires with ease. A friend of mine tells me that a licensed electrician would be needed to repair the electric cord, but I cannot find any information online about this. Would I legally be able to repair this without breaking any sort of code?

My plans would be to buy a new cord (not sure where, suggestions would be useful). Then I will cut the old one just behind the last damaged part, and expose the wires. I'll solder the two wires together and use heatshrink tubing to protect them. Would this be the way to do it?

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Since it's a plug attached device, is not covered by code. However, you should still be concerned with safety while making the repair.

The safest bet here, would be to completely replace the cord. This means locating where the existing cord connects to the couch, removing the old cord, and replacing it with a new one.

You'll also want to find a cord that contains the same gauge wires as the original. The existing cord should have writing on it, that should list the gauge (AWG).

As to where to buy a cord, that's going to depend on where you live. You may be able to order a replacement from the manufacturer, or possibly locate one on Amazon.

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  • I'll replace the entire cord as you mentioned then. It's winding up through some stuff, so I can't see where the direct connections are. Hopefully I can dismantle enough to get to it :p
    – Thebluefish
    Mar 2, 2015 at 20:58
  • Would it be an acceptable practice to purchase a heavy duty extension cord with correct wire gauge from the hardware store or big box outfit and then just cut off the socket end of the cord leaving a length to the plug end to match the original?
    – Michael Karas ♦
    Mar 3, 2015 at 3:57
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You could also just buy a replacement plug from a hardware store

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  • Are you saying the OP should just buy a plug, and shorten the cord to wherever the damage is?
    – Tester101
    Mar 4, 2015 at 11:25

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