pruning power cords

["Daphne Freeman" <daphne_freeman at charter.net>]

Here is a question for our electrical gurus...

This weekend, I accidentally cut the side of the power cord for my Dupla
undergravel cables instead of the vals. This was not the actual coated
cables but the power cord that is connected to them and plugs into the
transformer.  It was underwater and there was a spark and that was it.  I
immediately unplugged them and dropped the water level down below the cut.
If I bent the cord sideways, it was obvious where I had sliced through the
insulation to the wire but it wasn't all the way around the cord, just on
one side.  I let it dry out for a couple hours and then painted the area
with 2 coats of brush-on electrical tape.  After it dried, I refilled the
tank and turned them back on.  They didn't come back on because the
temperature controller indicated it was too warm. The next day, the
temperature had dropped to 79 (it stays around 84) so I finally
checked/replaced the fuse in the Dupla transformer.  The light on the
transformer came on, the cables powered up, in theory, and all seemed well.
Hours later, the temperature hadn't changed so I reached in and grabbed the
cable, it was not on.   The output of the transformer registers 24V so it is
working.   I measured the resistance of the cables (unplugged from
everything) and got 4.3 ohms.

Here is my question: Is it possible that I fried the cables?  The
temperature controller is working. The transformer is working or the light
wouldn't be on. That only leaves the cables doesn't it?

Thanks.

Daphne