In the United States, the most common type of plug for wiring is NEMA 5-15. In Canada, they use the same plug, but it is known as CSA 22.2, Nº42. It has two flat parallel blades and a round grounding pin. The American plug is rated for 15 amps and 125 volts. This is a plug that we are going to be wiring in this blog post.

NEMA 5-15 Plug Construction

In an NEMA 5-15 outlet, the grounding pin is longer than the flat blades, so the device is grounded before electrical contact is made. In a correctly wired outlet, the ground slot is at the bottom, the hot slot is on the right, and the neutral slot is on the left. If the plug is polarised (e.g., different in shape, with a wide and a narrow blade), then the wide blade is neutral.

Inside a rewirable NEMA 5-15 plug are three terminals:

• Brass screw → Hot (Black wire)

• Silver screw → Neutral (White wire)

• Green screw → Ground (Green or bare wire)

A strain-relief clamp secures the cable jacket to prevent the wires from loosening.

How to wire a NEMA 5-15 plug

1. Prepare the cord

• Remove the plug housing.

• Strip about ½ inch (12 mm) of insulation from each conductor.

• Strip the outer jacket so the clamp can grip it.

2. Connect the hot wire

Attach the black wire to the brass terminal (narrow blade).

Tighten securely.

3. Connect the neutral wire

Attach the white wire to the silver terminal (wide blade) and tighten it.

4. Connect the ground wire

Attach the green or bare wire to the green terminal (round pin).

Make sure that the connection is firm.

5. Secure the strain relief

Position the cable jacket under the clamp and tighten it so it grips the outer insulation, not the individual wires.

6. Reassemble the plug

Check that no copper is exposed and all screws are tight. Close the housing and tighten the cover screws.

Cables Used To Wire a NEMA 5-15 Plug

SJTW

For general-purpose indoor/outdoor use

This is the most popular type of cable for everyday household power needs. It is found in appliances, extension cords, and outdoor-rated equipment.

SJT

For light-duty indoor equipment

SJT is used with a 5-15 plug only in controlled indoor environments. You will find it in office devices and small appliances, such as projectors or powered speakers.

SVT

For very light-duty applications

These are the flexible, low-voltage cables most often used in lamps and small portable devices.

SJOOW

For heavy-duty & workshop environments

This is a heavy-duty cord with rugged insulation and a 300-volt rating. It is used in power tools and semi-industrial settings where cables are exposed to oil and/or moisture.

All cables that are used in plugs, including SJTW, SJT, SVT, and SJOOW, are available at Nassau National Cable at an excellent price.