My Mom is in her 80’s and has gotten in the habit of listening to books on CD on a portable CD player she keeps on her bed. It is always plugged in and she never uses batteries in it. The past few weeks the prong connection (on the cord that plugs into the wall) has become iffy to where she has to jiggle it in order to make contact and seems to be getting worse. She now has it taped into position to maintain contact, but every now and then it still slips and she has to work to get the connection back. She’s VERY attached to the player as she has memorized all the positions of the buttons so she can do it in the dark. Bottom line–she wants THAT CD player and NO OTHER.
Is there any way to restore or refresh the contact, or failing that just to wire the cord on permanently to the player? I know nothing about any of this but simple electrical wiring is something my husband can do. Thanks for any help or suggestions. I’ve gotten great advice from this group in the past and knew this would be the place to post.
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What is the make and model number? Have you searched Goodwill for a cord that may fit your unit?
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Unplug it from the wall. See if the plug is of the two layer variety. If so, you can gently spread the layers apart, about 1/8 inch, with a small screw driver. If it is the single layer type, you can bend the two prongs slightly apart. In either case, this should help. If not, then replace the plug with one you can buy at the hardware store, or your grocery. Some of the replacements, you just cut the wires square, insert in the plug, and pull a lever down. And, of course, your mother wants the CD she has used for years. It is her friend. She’s eighty years old. It’s referred to as being set in her ways.
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This could be a worn-out outlet in the wall, or a worn-out plug on the CD player. If it was me and my mum, I’d replace both the outlet, and put a new plug on the end of the cord. Totally parts cost will likely be under four dollars.
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I had the same problem but it isn’t the “appliance”, it is the outlet you are plugging into. I had the electrician come out for another issue and just asked him about this. He replaced my outlets(probably 40 years old), he said that they do wear out! When that happens we just assume it is the appliance and”bend the plug” wider to stay in the outlet when in reality the outlet is worn. I no longer have to jiggle the Vacuum cleaner cord, the stereo cord, the blow dryer cord, etc.. It was bathroom and living room electrical outlets all along! I am in Indiana and we have ESP service from Nipsco, I pay a monthly charge and if I have a service problem, they fix it. Most of my outlets have been updated, at no charge to me with this service. Well worth the cost for someone who doesn’t mess with? Electric issues or furnace problems?
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Thanks to everyone who replied! And for the offer to fix it for free, too bad I’m in central TX! I was not clear enough in my original post that the loose connection problem is where the cord plugs into the appliance, not the end that plugs into the wall…so might try the Radio shack approach of replacing the cord. Never thought of that. The little prongs can be wiggled and manipulated and it will work in spurts until it sits in there just right. She has to apply pressure and tilt it up just right and then tape it in that position onto the player (which by the way is a Sony and old enough to also have a tape player on it.) So it might be the cord that is bad, or could also be the receptacle it is plugged into in the player. Anyway, thanks again for all the advice. I’m going to have hubby read them too. Yes, set in her ways is a good description…