AC power plugs and sockets
A mains power plug is a mechanical connector that fits into a power point or electrical socket. It has male features, usually brass and often tin or nickel plated, that interface mechanically and electrically to the mains (domestic, usually single-phase power).
Such plugs have live, neutral and an optional earth contact. Large appliances with higher voltages use three-phase current and have phase 1, phase 2, phase 3, neutral and an optional earth contact. However, this article concentrates on normal domestic use.
| Internal plug wiring | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Wiring diagram for British BS 1363 plug.png) | |||
| Standard wire colours | |||
| live | neutral | earth | |
| EU & Australia | brown | blue | yellow & green |
| UK & Australia before 1969 | red | black | green |
| United States (screw colour) | black (gold) | white (silver) | green (green) |
The three contacts
The primary, live contact point is energised with alternating current. The secondary, neutral contact point is inactive until the circuit is closed. The tertiary, earth contact point is only intended to carry current when connected to a faulty instrument: if a bare live wire in a device gets loose and touches the metal casing of the appliance, somebody touching this part may receive an electric shock. Hence, according to the law in many countries, devices with metal outer casing must use a three-pin plug, and the metal casing must be connected to the earth pin. So, in the event of a fault of the described type, the ground will carry off the current and drag the case to earth potential. Also, as this is a short circuit, the circuit breaker will open. On first sight, it might seem that one can get the same protection by connecting the casing to the neutral instead of the earth wire, but one then has the additional danger of a live case when there is a fault in the wiring of the neutral wire en route to the circuit breaker. (Compare residual-current circuit breaker for an alternative means to protect against ground faults.)
- Alternative terminology
In the United States, the live contact may be called "line", "hot" or "line-hot". The neutral contact may be called "return", "cold" or "line-cold". The earth contact is called "ground". In Australia, the live contact is called "active". Live contacts are usually called "phases" when there is more than one of them (in three-phase systems). Pins are also known as "prongs".
History of plugs & sockets
When electricity was first introduced into the domestic environment, it was primarily for lighting. However, as it became a viable alternative to other means of heating and also the development of labour-saving appliances, a means of connection to the supply other than via a light socket was required. In the 1920s, the two-pin plug made its appearance.
At that time, some electricity companies operated a split-tariff system where the cost of electricity for lighting was lower than that for other purposes, which led to low-wattage appliances (e.g. vacuum cleaners, hair driers, etc.) being connected to the light fitting. The picture to the right shows a 1909 electric toaster with a lightbulb socket plug. As the need for safer installations grew, earthed three-contact systems were developed.
The reason why we are now stuck with over a dozen different styles of plugs and wall outlets, is because many countries preferred to develop plug designs of their own, instead of adopting a common standard. In many countries, there is no single standard, with multiple plug designs in use, creating extra complexity and potential safety problems for users.
World maps by plug & voltage/frequency
The outline maps below show the different plug types, voltages and frequencies used around the world, colour-coded for easy reference.
See also List of countries with mains power plugs, voltages & frequencies for specific places.
Individual plug types
Electrical plugs and their sockets differ by country in shape and size. We designate each type by a letter, following US government practice, plus a short comment in parentheses giving its country of origin and number of contacts. Subsections then detail the subtypes used in various parts of the world.
Note that Class 1 refers to unearthed equipment. Class II refers to earthed equipment, with higher current. See Appliance classes.
Type A (American 2-pin)
- NEMA 1-15
This class II unearthed plug with two flat parallel pins is pretty-much standard in most of North and Central America. Plugs may or may not be polarised and distinguish between the live wire and the return wire. The live pin is slightly wider at the tip. It is the further pin in the picture.
- JIS 8303, Class II
At first glance, the Japanese plug and socket seem to be identical to NEMA 1-15. However, the Japanese system incorporates tighter dimensional requirements, different marking requirements, and mandatory testing and approval by MITI or JIS. Furthermore, standard wire sizes and the resulting current ratings are different than those used elsewhere in the world.
Type B (American 3-pin)
- NEMA 5-15 / CS22.2, n°42
This is a class I plug with two flat parallel pins and a earthing pin (American standard NEMA 5-15/Canadian standard CS22.2, n°42). It is rated at 15 amps. This is the plug in the illustration.
- JIS 8303, Class I
Japan uses a type B that differs from its American counterpart in the same way that the type A one does. It is, however, much less common.
- Latin American type B
An unearthed version of the North American NEMA 5-15 plug is commonly used in Central America and parts of South America. It is therefore common for users who have bought North American appliances to simply cut off the earthing pin so that the plug can be mated with a two-pole unearthed socket.
Type C (Europlug 2-pin)
- CEE 7/16
This two-wire plug is unearthed and has two round, 19 mm pins, which usually converge slightly. It is popularly known as the Europlug which is described in CEE 7/16. This is probably the single most widely used international plug. It will mate with any socket that accepts 4.0 mm round contacts spaced 19 mm apart. It is commonly used in all countries of Europe except the UK, Ireland, and (former) UK dependencies such as Malta. It is also used in various parts of the developing world. This plug is generally limited for use in class II applications that require 2.5 amps or less. It is, of course, unpolarised. This plug is also defined in Italian standard CEI 23-5.
- CEE 7/17
This strange plug might easily be categorised under E or F. It has two pins like 7/16 does, but they are 4.8 mm in diameter like types E and F, and also a round, plastic or rubber base that stops the plug being inserted into small sockets that 7/16 can get into. Instead, only large round sockets such as those intended for types E and F can take it. The base has holes in it to cope with both side contacts and socket earth pins. Unpolarised. Class II applications. Also defined in CEI 23-5.
- BS 4573
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, there is a special version of the type C plug for use with shavers (electric razors) in bathrooms (where it is illegal to install normal sockets). It has 5 mm diameter pins on 16.6 mm pitch, and can often take CEE 7/16, US and/or Australian plugs. They are also often capable of supplying either 230 V or 115 V. They must contain an isolating transformer compliant with BS 3535.
Type D (Old British 3-pin)
- BS 546, 5 amp
India has standardised on a plug which was originally defined in British Standard 546 (one of the standards in Britain). Although type D is now almost exclusively used in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Namibia, it can still occasionally be found in specialist applications such as hotels and theatres in the UK. This plug has three large round pins in a triangular pattern. It is rated at 5 amps. There is a smaller 2 amp type, used almost exclusively in the UK for lighting purposes.
- BS 546, 15 amp
This plug is sometimes referred to as type M, but it is in fact merely the 15 A version of the plug above, which it resembles, though its pins are much larger: 7.05 mm × 21.1 mm. Live and neutral are spaced 25.4 mm apart, and earth is 28.6 mm away from each of them. Although the preceding type is standard in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Namibia, the 15 A version is also used for larger appliances. Some sockets over there can take both types of plugs. It is sometimes used in the UK instead of the more popular type G plugs for higher current appliances, whereas the plug above or type G is used for lower current appliances.
Type E (French 2-pin, female earth)
- French type E
France, Belgium and some other countries have standardised on a socket which is not compatible with the CEE 7/4 socket (type F) that is standard in Germany and other continental European countries. The reason for incompatibility is that earthing in the E socket is accomplished with a round male pin permanently mounted in the socket. The plug itself is similar to C except that it is round and has the addition of a female contact to accept the earthing pin in the socket. It has two round pins measuring 4.8 × 19 mm, spaced 19 mm apart.
Type F (German 2-pin, side clip earth)
- CEE 7/4
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Plug F, known as CEE 7/4 and commonly called a "Schuko plug", is like E except that it has two earthing clips on the sides of the plug instead of a female earth contact. Because the CEE 7/4 plug can be inserted in either direction into the receptacle, the Schuko connection system is unpolarised (i.e. live and neutral are connected at random). It is used in applications up to 16 amps. Above that, equipment must either be wired permanently to the mains or connected via another higher power connector such as the IEC 309 system.
"Schuko" is an abbreviation for the German word Schutzkontakt, which means "Protective (i.e. earth) contact".
- CEE 7/7
In order to bridge the differences between sockets E and F, the CEE 7/7 plug was developed: it has earthing clips on both sides to mate with the CEE 7/4 socket and a female contact to accept the earthing pin of the type E socket. Virtually all Schuko plugs nowadays are in fact CEE 7/7 rather than CEE 7/4.
Note that the CEE 7/7 plug is polarised when used with a type E outlet. The plug is rated at 16 amps. Above that, equipment must either be wired permanently to the mains or connected via another higher power connector such as the IEC 309 system.
- Gost 7396
The countries of the CIS use a standard plug and socket defined in Russian Standard Gost 7396 which is similar to the Schuko standard. Contacts are also 19 mm apart, but the diameter of these pins is 4.0 mm (like C) instead of 4.8 mm (E and F). It is possible to mate Russian plugs with Schuko outlets, but Russian sockets will not allow to connect type E and F plugs as the outlets have smaller hole diameters than the pins of those two plugs mentioned. Many official standards in Eastern Europe are virtually identical to the Schuko standard. Furthermore, one of the protocols governing the reunification of Germany provided that the DIN and VDE standards would prevail without exception. The former East Germany was required to confirm to the Schuko standard. It appears that most if not all of the Eastern European countries generally use the Schuko standard internally but, until recently, they exported appliances to the Soviet Union with the Soviet standard plug installed. Because the volumes of appliance exports to the Soviet Union were large, the Soviet plug has found its way into use in Eastern Europe as well.
Type G (British 3-pin)
- BS 1363
This plug has three flat prongs that form a triangle. Live and neutral are 4 × 6 × 18 mm with 9 mm of insulation, and spaced 22 mm apart. Earth is 4 × 8 × 23 mm. British Standard BS 1363 requires use of a three-wire earthed and fused plug for all connections to the power mains (including class II, two-wire appliances).
Safety measures:
- All plugs are earthed and fused.
- British power outlets incorporate shutters on live and neutral contacts to prevent someone from pushing a foreign object into the socket. The longer earth pin opens these shutters.
- It is commonplace to buy fake plastic plugs that sit in the socket when not in use so that children cannot try to put their fingers in. (It could be argued this is not entirely safe, as the device itself opens the safety shutters)
- Wall sockets usually incorporate switches to turn off the power.
- Sockets cannot be installed in bathrooms. (Even light switches must either be outside or on a cord that pulls a ceiling switch).
- The live and neutral pins have insulated bases to prevent clumsy fingers touching the pins and also to stop metal sheets (e.g. fallen blind slats) from becoming live if lodged between the wall and a partly pulled out plug. Faulty sockets may however not make good contact with insulated pins, and may even melt them.
This is probably the safest plug and socket system in the world, although it often seems excessively safety conscious to foreigners.
The plug is rated at 3–13 amps, depending on the fuse. BS 1363 was published in 1962 and since that time it has gradually replaced the earlier standard plugs and sockets (type D) (BS 546).
It is used in the UK, Ireland, Malta, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Oman, Singapore, Cyprus, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Iraq and Qatar.
Type H (Israeli 3-pin)
- SI 32
This plug, defined in SI 32, is unique to Israel and is incompatible with all other plugs. It has two flat pins like the type B plug, but they form a V-shape rather than being parallel like B plugs. It has got a earthing pin as well. It is rated at 16 amps.
Type I (Australian 2/3-pin)
- AS 3112
This Australian plug has also a earthing pin and two flat pins forming a V-shape. There is an unearthed version of this plug as well, with only two flat V-aligned pins. These flat blades measure 6.5 by 1.6 mm and are set 30° to the vertical on a nominal pitch of 13.7 mm. It is easy to bend them straight with pliers to force them into American sockets.
Although the above plug looks very similar to the one used in Israel (type H), both plugs are not compatible. Australia's standard plug/socket system is described in SAA document AS 3112 and is used in applications up to 10 A. As of 2003, the latest major update is AS/NZS 3112:2000, which mandates insulated pins by 2005.
A variant plug with a slightly longer earth pin is used for devices drawing up to 15 ampères; sockets supporting this pin will also accept 10 A plugs.
Sockets normally have switches on them for extra safety, as in the UK.
New Zealand and Papua New Guinea have the same system as Australia.
- CPCS-CCC
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Although there are slight differences (the pins are 1 mm longer) the Australian plug mates with the socket used in the People's Republic of China (mainland China). The standard for Chinese plugs and sockets was set out in GB 2099.1–1996 and GB 1002–1996. As part of China's commitment for entry into the WTO, the new CPCS (Compulsory Product Certification System) has been introduced, and compliant Chinese plugs have been awarded the CCC (China Compulsory Certification) Mark by this system. The plug is three wire, grounded, rated at 10 A, 250 V and used for Class 1 applications.
- IRAM 2073
The Argentine plug is a three-wire, earthed plug rated at 10 A, 250 V used in Class 1 applications in Argentina and Uruguay.
This plug is similar in appearance to the Australian and Chinese plugs. The pins are 1 mm longer than those of the Australian version and there are slight differences in the specified body dimensions. The most important difference lies in how the Argentinian plug is wired. The positions of the live and neutral contact pins are reversed from those of the Australian plug.
Type J (Swiss 3-pin)
- SEV 1011
Switzerland has its own standard which is described in SEV 1011. This plug is similar to C, except that it has the addition of an earth pin off to one side. Swiss sockets can take europlugs (CEE 7/16). This connector system is rated for use in applications up to 10 amps. Above 10 amps, equipment must be either wired permanently to the electrical supply system with appropriate branch circuit protection or connected to the mains with an appropriate high power industrial connector.
This type of socket also be sporadically encountered in buildings in Spain, where they may be erroneously referred to as enchufes americanos — American sockets.
Type K (Danish 3-pin)
- Afsnit 107-2-D1
The Danish standard is described in Afsnit 107-2-D1. The plug is similar to F except that it has a earthing pin instead of earthing clips. The Danish socket will also accept the CEE 7/4, CEE 7/7, CEE 7/16 or CEE 7/17 plugs; however, there is no earthing connection with these plugs because a male earth pin is required on the plug. The correct plug must be used in Denmark for safety reasons. A variation of this plug intended for use only on surge protected computer circuits has been introduced. The current rating on both plugs is 10 A.
Type L (Italian 3-pin)
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The Italian earthed plug/socket standard, CEI 23-16/VII, includes two styles rated at 10 and 16 amps and differ in terms of contact diameter and spacing. Because they can be inserted in either direction at random, both are unpolarised. CEE 7/16 (type C) plugs are also in common use. Appliances with CEE 7/7 plugs are often sold in Italy, but not every socket can take them.
- CEI 23-16/VII, 10-amp style
The 10 amp style is like C except that it is earthed by means of a central earthing pin. Italian sockets designed to accept the Schuko plugs often have an extra hole in the centre so that 100-amp type C plugs can also be inserted. These plugs are otherwise incompatible with any other type. This is the plug in the illustrations.
This plug is relatively standardised in Libya, Ethiopia, and Chile and is found randomly throughout North Africa.
- CEI 23-16/VII, 16 amp style
The 16-amp style is even more idiosyncratic. The pins are a couple of mm further apart, and all three are slightly thicker. The sockets for this often have special holes that can take the 10-amp plugs and CEE 7/16 as well. The packaging on these plugs in Italy may claim they are a "North European" type.
Type M (see D)
Type M is used to describe the 15 A version of D. See above.
Travellers' guide
Plug Adaptors
They do not convert electricity. They simply allow an appliance (dual-voltage if necessary), a transformer or a convertor from one country to be plugged into the wall outlet of another country. Adaptors sometimes do not make an earth connection, and so may be unsafe.
Convertors
Convertors should be used only with "electric" products. Electric products are simple heating devices or have mechanical motors. Examples are hair-driers, steam irons, toothbrushes or small fans. Convertors should not be used for more than three hours at a time.
Transformers
Transformers are used with "electronic" products. Electronic products have a chip or circuit. Examples are radios, CD or cassette players, shavers, camcorder battery rechargers, computers, computer printers, fax machines, televisions and answering machines. Transformers can also be used with electric appliances and may be operated continuously for many days. The advantage of convertors, however, is that they are lighter and less expensive.
Convertors and transformers are available for appliances of different power. Most products have the power printed somewhere on them. Some products list only amps. A rough conversion for the USA and other 110 V countries is 1 amp equals 100 watts and for Europe and other 240 V countries 1 amp equals 200 watts. The power of your appliance must fall within the range of the convertor or transformer being used (allow a margin of at least 10 watts).
Computers are electronic devices and therefore they must be used with a transformer, unless they are dual voltage. Most PC power supplies have a voltage switch, on the back of the case, for 110 V or 220 V — this should never be set incorrectly, and should always be checked if a PC has come from an unknown source or may have been tampered with. Fortunately, most laptop battery chargers and AC adaptors are dual voltage, so they can be used with only a plug adaptor for the country you will be visiting.
Safety note on developing countries
No precise information can be given about electrical systems in developing countries. Even information in this article is to be taken with a pinch of salt due to the fact that formal standards, where they even exist, tend to be ignored. Voltages and frequencies may vary greatly, with different contractors installing different systems at different times. Villages may have no power supply; in towns and cities, different voltages and frequencies may even be supplied to the same building. Earth contacts, where they exist, may not really be connected to the ground, and should not be trusted. Caution is advised.
See also
External links
The original content for this article came from http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/electricity.htm