Fridge and freezer plug too large to fit through hole at back of kitchen cupboard

bev97

Hi
I know this sounds trivial but since moving house last month we have had to use an extension lead to connect our freestanding separate fridge and freezer and the hole at the back of the kitchen cupboard is too small to fit the plugs through.

My friend's husband is a joiner and he has had a look and said that it would easier to drill through another hole through the cupboard wall than to make the existing hole larger as once a hole has been drilled through it's harder to make it bigger (not sure why though).
He said it would be best to take off the sealed plugs and replace them with standard plugs that will fit through the existing hole.

At the moment I don't want to attempt messing about with plugs etc I really haven't a clue but also don't want to be drilling a new hole in the cupboard ( I know it won't be visible but I just would rather not).
I am tempted just to get a stanley knife and have a go myself but another friend said her husband did that after they moved house and had a similar quandary and made a real mess of it. :think:

What have other found the best thing to do?
Any advice much appreciated.

Tea_Pea_Dee

Changing the plug is by far the easiest option. If I can do it, anyone can. I changed a sealed plug on my dishwasher whilst the plumber did all the "plumby" bits. Obviously, attach the new plug after you have put the wire through the hole.

Jaynne

Changing the plug is easy. Enlarging the hole may also be easy depending on the thickness of the cabinet backs, as you say a stanley knife can be used on thin ones and a file to smooth off the edges afterwards.

Hole saws use a central guide bit so if you have an existing hole that doesn't work. You could have a go with a bigger hole saw but it would most likely wobble a lot and make more of a mess.

cattie

I've had this problem in the past with appliances and what you have to bear in mind is that cutting the hole bigger is by far the best option. Only should you ever need to pull the plug out of the appliance, it will be a far easier job with a hole that has a bit of space around the plug to enable you to be able to grip it.

youngie

only cut the plug of and replace if you have no warranty on your appliances otherwise you will invalidate them

globalds

cut an extension lead ..thread that through ..join plug back on that .. plug in .. any new appliance can go in and out of that ,if you change it again

Torry_Quine

Do some people really not know how to change a plug! :eek: Changing a fuse and rewiring a plug are very basic things that the vast majority should be able to do. Unless the items are new and so it would invalidate the warranty then just cut off the old plug and change it after putting the cable through.

Innys

globalds wrote: »

cut an extension lead ..thread that through ..join plug back on that .. plug in .. any new appliance can go in and out of that ,if you change it again

I'd say this is the best compromise - warranty remains and the appliance can be changed with no problems.

bev97

Thanks for all your replies. The appliances are well out of warranty so I'll probably try and change the plug!

Steve_the_fitter

ITs easy to make the hole bigger. Tell your joiner friend to put the bigger holesaw onto the attachment then put the a holesaw the same size on. The holesaw the same size steadies the holesaw while letting the bigger holesaw cut a new hole

googler

bev97 wrote: »

Thanks for all your replies. The appliances are well out of warranty so I'll probably try and change the plug!

If you want a tutorial, go to the bookshop for something like a Reader's Digest Basic DIY manual, or visit the library for same.

Let me google that for you...

or look HERE