DP has just broke my dryer

Some people are totally unrealistic.

dc1 is 22yo. I cannot think of one occasion when we have needed to replace a plug on an appliance. We’ve done a lot of work in the house, including replacing electrical sockets. But he has never seen us doing that because there has never been a need for it! I’m going to say I’m pretty sure it’s the case of most of the children’s posters on this thread too.

Im not sure berating the OP for not knowing is of any help at all.

If a fuse blows, you should investigate and check why before changing it.

Yes, no appliance had to have a plug factory fitted, before January 1995. Some brands such as Zanussi and Hotpoint began fitting plugs in the late 1970s, but that was totally their choice.

Me too - still remember being told “Joe Brown was a live wire” and my friend being sent out for saying “Joe Blue was a neutral wire” and making me laugh.

There are lots of things we could just Google, so as to learn how to do it properly, such as when to use question marks.

Fuck me, there’s some nasty comments on here! Just ignore them @Pinkdreams

I’m in my 50’s and was never taught to wire a plug at school!
Jeez, the woman was just asking a question about something she’s not familiar with and instead of being supportive, some of you just felt good to stick the boot in. Incredible.

No , it’s the other way around…

My husband and I are early fifties, neither of us were taught this in school. DH had wired a plug before, his late mum taught him. We did have to put a new plug on our George Foreman Grill, a year or so back, was very easy to do, DH just doubled checked he had got it right. I think he quite enjoyed it, took him back in time, yes we both remember when everything electrical you bought never came with a moulded plug on, just the cable. Seems strange now, no wonder the younger ones don’t know how to change a plug, why would you if you hadn’t been taught.

Tbf, plugs have a label attached to the wire with a diagram showing you how to do it and telling you what fuse to use.

It doesn't need to be taught at school.

It's a LOT more complicated than changing a light bulb!

I'm 67 so have put plugs on appliances for many years, in fact did one a few days ago as a wire was becoming exposed, and it would be very easy to get in a complete mess with it the first couple of times!

The tricky parts are stripping the wires and getting each of the 3 the right length and uncrossed.

OP it sounds like your Dad could show you how to do it. It's a useful skill but I certainly learned by watching my Dad do it then he watched me try. Electrics are dangerous so you need to get it right and safe.

Take no notice of the sneering. Wankers.

@KatieDidItApparently so am I 🫣

Plug wiring colours and set up are still on the GCSE science syllabus and have been for decades but sadly a lot of ( younger?) science teachers just teach the colours from a diagram and don't do the practical part.
I wouldn't recommend you do this unsupervised since you don't know the difference between a plug and a socket. Fiddling with sockets is really dangerous.
If your dad is competent at this or you have a friend who is, can't you get them to show you how to do it and check you have done it properly so you can learn a new skill?

Ignore the sneering comments, OP. I am 62 and was never taught how to wire a plug at school. And rolled my eyeballs hard at the 'learnt it at Brownies' comment.
I would ask someone else how to do it too.

Personally I don’t know how to change a plug and I don’t give a shit that I can’t do it.

piss off with your judgmental attitudes.

@goingroundthebendatthisrate thanks for your detailed history lesson. And I'll add I've no doubt it took years from the point of standardisation to houses catching up with the new standards

UK sockets were designed to make safety top priority. Try and push a 3 month olds fingers into a UK socket, they won't fit!
People use socket covers because someone sells them and they think they should.
A socket cover used the wrong way up is one of the few things that can open the covers over the neutral and live pins. They actually make sockets more dangerous 😳

Op i don't blame you for not knowing.

I'm 46 and I was never taught either, my mum didn't dare do anything like that. One day as an older teen we needed to wire a plug so I followed the instructions on the bit of cardboard that came with the plug. My mum was terrified I'd get it wrong and suggested I called my absolutely useless, clueless boyfriend to do it instead. I told her if he did it, the house really would burn down.

Jesus Christ is it be a jackass day on Mumsnet? OP if you didn’t know it could be done why would you Google it! I’m 40 and never in my life have I needed to change a plug! I wouldn’t have the first clue and I don’t like to mess about with electrics.

Because, OP, sadly, this is the MN way. Be as nasty as possible to people, particularly if they are in any kind of distress. It's the equivalent to gathering to knit at a hanging.

Horrible, horrible, horrible. You can tell no-one goes to church anymore - this country's moral compass is completely shot.

is there really any need to be this smug?

A plug is a plug! And they are all simple to attach/mend.

it hasn’t been for decades. Since wired in plugs became the norm / requirement.

Is the plug integral with the wire op? If so that’s more tricky.

There’s a massive difference between the two and whereby anyone should be able to change a plug, changing a socket should only be attempted by a qualified electrician.

My dad taught me to change a plug when I was a child. I've been a primary school teacher for 25 years and changing a plug has not been 'on the curriculum' at any point during rhat time. That doesn't mean it was never taught by any school but it wasn't the curriculum.

You don't need an electrician to replace a wall socket. I've done it many times and I'm not an electrician. You just need to know what you're doing.

Neither was I, and I'm late 50s! My dad showed me how to but not at school.

He must have pulled it with full force to snap the plug! Change the plug, but check the rest of the cable isn't damaged or has pulled away at the other end. Only white goods you shouldn't really change a plug on is a washing machine/dishwasher as they are water tight for obvious reasons

Rewiring a plug is pretty easy, no need for an electrician. There are plenty of tutorials online. Rewiring plug sockets are also easy, but I own a socket tester just so I know I got it right.

I tend to just take a photo of the original wiring setup so I have a reference.

Light switches on the other hand... I always buy the wrong kind 😆