How to Replace a Failing Power Cord on Your Home Theater Receiver

The home theater receiver is the key component to the home theater. All other components attach to the home theater receiver and use it to transmit their signals to your television or stereo. Without the home theater receiver, you'll need to figure out how to connect multiple components in a very limited amount of space. There's no certainty involved when determining the longevity of a power cord. If the power cord on the home theater receiver becomes damaged, don't throw it away and replace the unit but replace the power cord instead. This isn't that hard to do, and this article will show you how.

Step 1–Get the Right Power Cord

This could very well be the most important thing you can do with this project. If you buy a power cord that is not rated for the voltage of the home theater receiver, you will blow out the receiver. The severe downside is that an electrical fire could also be possible. Inspect the current cord. You will replace it with a cord that is similar. If the cord is three pronged, then you will replace it with a three-prong cord. The voltage needs to be correct as well because the home theater receiver is rated to be used with a certain voltage. Inspect the back panel or bottom of the receiver to locate the electrical information. The only thing you need to concern yourself with is the voltage. Armed with this information, you can purchase the right power cord from your local hardware or electronics store.

Step 2–Remove the Old Power Cord

Out of everything you could possibly do, replacing the power cord is the easiest. Unplug the home theater receiver from the wall and remove all of the component wires. Use the screwdriver to remove the screws, holding the cover in place over the rest of the unit. The cover will easily be removed by lifting it up or sliding it off. Grab the power cord and follow it to where it connects inside the home theater receiver. If you are lucky, it will be a simple plug, and you will just need to pull it out to remove it. The other possible method is soldering. Heat the soldering gun and use it to melt the solder, holding the power cord in place. Screws may also be used to secure the power cord in place.

Step 3–Replace the Power Cord

Now that the old power cord is removed, you can install the new power cord. Place the power cord inside the home theater receiver where you removed the old one. Replace the screws that were holding the old one in place and plug it in or use the soldering gun and some solder to secure the power cord. With the new power cord in place, you can now replace the cover, tighten the screws and plug the home theater receiver in to make sure it powers on prior to your hooking up the components.