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I have one of the pumps mentioned in this thread:
http://www.brewnosers.org/forums/viewto ... =32&t=4283

I was going to use a power supply from an old laptop, but when I cut off the end I found that instead of there being two parallel wires, there seems to be wires wrapped around sheathing which is wrapped around other wires.

Am I frakked or can I still use this? If so, how?

Have a photo? It sounds like shielding to me...

Not my picture, but this looks like what I'm dealing with

That wire wrap is shielding. You should be able to split the centre jacket to see two separate wires.

is there a definite hot and cold or are they interchangeable?

They will probably have markings. They won't be interchangeable, although they both might work, one will spin the armature in the wrong direction(if there is no reverse polarity protection on the pump). Probably will have either: black & white or black and black with white stripe/marks