�Tools and materials
Screwdriver, knife or wire stripper, point, plug and new cables if necessary.

The parts of a plug
-A plug is made up of two parts. A terminal in the shape of a plug (male) and another terminal (female) known as the socket.
-The former takes the electric current from the latter, whether it is fitted into a wall or not. The energy is used to make a household electrical item function or to supply a current to an extension lead which leads to another socket.
-The energy is transmitted via copper wire reinforced with plastic. There are normally three connectors of different colours: red, black or grey for the live connector; blue for the neutral and green-yellow for the earth. Although every connector will serve for each of these functions, the should be respected to work correctly and avoid future confusion.
-It is always advisable to use plugs and sockets with an earth connection.

Common problems
-The most common problem in plugs and sockets is a broken cable.
-The wires become detached with use or an electric surge may burn them.
-These elements sometimes have to be replaced to prevent breakage or short circuits.
-If the terminal or mechanism has broken, it is best to use new ones.

The repair
-Remove the socket from the wall, and check that the three cables are firmly attached. If they are just loose, unscrew them, attach the cable wires and screw them into their respective sockets once more. Then fix the socket into the wall.
-Unscrew the plug, remove the broken wires if they exist and place the end of the cables into the sockets once more. Screw them into their connectors firmly. Then replace the top of the plug and screw in once more.

The cables
-When the ends of a connector break, it is best to repair them and cut the three once again to the same length.
-Once cut, remove around one centimetre of the cable plastic with a knife or wire stripper.
-If there are many fine wires, twist them together to strengthen them and ensure there are no loose wires; you can also bend over the stripped part. This is a good way of fixing them into their respective sockets.
-Make sure none of the stripped cables can come into contact with the others.
-When they have been fixed and screwed in, pull them gently to ensure they are firmly screwed in.
-There are plugs where the cables can be simply pressed in without the need for screws.