Types of electrical plugs and sockets. Sockets in Ireland English plug socket

There are more than a hundred ways to connect electrical appliances to the network in the world. There are a huge number of plugs and sockets. It is also necessary to take into account that each country has a special voltage, frequency and current strength. This can turn into a serious problem for tourists. But this question is relevant today not only for those who like to travel. Some, when making repairs in an apartment or house, intentionally install sockets of the standard of other countries. One of these is the American outlet. It has its own characteristics, disadvantages and advantages. Today there are only 13 standards for sockets and plugs that are used in different countries peace. Let's consider some of them.

Two frequency and voltage standards

It would seem, why do we need so many standards and types electrical elements? But keep in mind that there are different voltage standards in the network. Many do not know that in household electrical network The countries of North America do not use traditional 220 V, as in Russia and the CIS, but 120 V. But this was not always the case. Until the 60s throughout Soviet Union household voltage was 127 volts. Many will ask why. As you know, the amount of electrical energy consumed is constantly growing. Previously, apart from light bulbs in apartments and houses, there were simply no other consumers.

Everything that each of us plugs into the outlet every day - computers, televisions, microwave ovens, boilers - did not exist then and appeared much later. As the power increases, the voltage must be increased. Higher current entails overheating of the wires, and with them certain losses for this heating. This is serious. In order to avoid these unnecessary losses of precious energy, it was necessary to increase the cross section of the wire. But it is very difficult, long and expensive. Therefore, it was decided to increase the voltage in the networks.

Times of Edison and Tesla

Edison was a supporter direct current. He believed that just such a current was convenient for work. Tesla believed in the benefits of variable frequency. In the end, the two scientists began to practically go to war with each other. By the way, this war ended only in 2007, when the United States switched to alternating current in household networks. But back to Edison. He created the production of incandescent light bulbs with charcoal-based filament. The voltage for the optimal operation of these lamps was 100 V. He added another 10 V for losses in the conductors and at his power plants took 110 V as the operating voltage. That is why the American socket long time was designed for 110 V. Further in the States, and then in other countries that worked closely with the United States, they adopted 120 V as a standard voltage. The current frequency was 60 Hz. But electrical networks were created in such a way that two phases and a "neutral" were connected to the houses. This made it possible to obtain 120 V when using phase voltages or 240 in the case of

Why two phases?

It's all about the generators that created electricity for all of America.

Until the end of the 20th century they were two-phase. Weak consumers were connected to, and more powerful ones were transferred to linear voltages.

60 Hz

This is entirely Tesla's merit. It happened back in 1888. He worked closely with J. Westinghouse, including the development of generators. They argued a lot and for a long time about the optimal frequency - the opponent insisted on choosing one of the frequencies in the range from 25 to 133 Hz, but Tesla stood firm on his idea and the figure of 60 Hz fit into the system as much as possible.

Advantages

Among the advantages of this frequency, one can single out lower costs in the manufacturing process of the electromagnetic system for transformers and generators. Therefore, equipment for this frequency has a much smaller size and weight. By the way, the lamps practically do not flicker. An American socket in the States is much better suited for powering computers and other equipment that needs good power.

Sockets and standards

There are two main standards in the world for frequency and voltage.

One of them is American. This is the voltage in the network 110-127 V at a frequency of 60 Hz. And as a plug and socket, standard A and B are used. The second type is European. Here the voltage is 220-240 V, the frequency is 50 Hz. The European socket is predominantly S-M.

Type A

These species are widespread only in North and Central America. They can also be found in Japan. However, there are some differences between them. The Japanese have two pins parallel to each other and flat with the same dimensions. The American outlet is a little different. And the fork to it, respectively, too. Here one pin is wider than the second. This is done taking into account that the correct polarity is always observed when connecting electrical appliances. After all, earlier the current in American networks was constant. These outlets were also called Class II. Tourists say that plugs from Japanese technology work without problems with American and Canadian sockets. But connecting these elements the other way around (if the American plug) will not work. A suitable socket adapter is required. But usually people just file a wide pin.

Type B

These types of devices are only used in Canada, USA and Japan. And if type “A” devices were intended for low-power equipment, then such sockets include mainly powerful household appliances with consumption currents up to 15 amperes.

In some catalogs, such an American plug or socket may be referred to as Class I or NEMA 5-15 (this is already an international designation). Now they have almost completely replaced the type "A". In the US, only "B" is used. But in old buildings you can still find the old American socket. It does not have a contact responsible for connecting the ground. In addition, the US industry has long been producing appliances with modern plugs. But this does not prevent the use of new electrical appliances in old houses. Resourceful Americans in this case simply cut down or destroy the grounding contact so that it does not interfere and can be connected to an old-style outlet.

About appearance and differences

Those who purchased an iPhone from the USA know perfectly well what an American socket looks like. It has its own characteristics. The socket consists of two flat holes or slots. In devices of a new type, there is an additional grounding contact at the bottom.

Also, in order to avoid errors, one pin of the plug is made wider than the other. The Americans decided not to change this approach, and left everything the same in the new outlets. The pins on the plug are not pins like a European socket. It's more like plates. There may be holes at their ends.

How to operate American equipment in the CIS countries

It happens that people bring equipment from the States and want to use it in Europe or Russia. And they are faced with a problem - the socket does not fit the plug. And what to do? You can replace the cord with a standard European one, but this option is far from being for everyone. For those who are not versed in technology and have never held a soldering iron in their hands, it is recommended to purchase an adapter for an outlet. There are quite a few of them - they are all different in quality and price. If you are planning a trip to the USA, then you should stock up on adapters in advance. There they can cost five or more dollars. If you order online, you can save up to half the cost. It should also be noted that even in US hotels all sockets are American standard - and it does not matter that most of the people who stay are foreign tourists.

In this case, an adapter from an American outlet to a European one could help him. The same applies to equipment purchased in the United States. If you don’t feel like soldering, you can purchase an inexpensive Chinese-made adapter and take full advantage of electrical appliances, charge your phone or tablet on a non-standard outlet. There are no other options here.

Summary

They say that one cannot understand Russia with the mind, but in the United States, everything is not so simple either. You can't just come and use American-style sockets with European or any other plugs. Therefore, you should take adapters on the road, and you need to order them in advance. This saves a lot of time and money.

We buy a lot of electrical household appliances of different capacities, made in the EU countries, in which the power cords end with European-type electric plugs. It is known that they differ not only in the diameter of the metal part from our domestic ones, but also in shape, greater potential power and the presence of one or two ground contacts. But we must not forget about the so-called "Soviet" type, which is still widely used in Russia and the CIS countries, along with electrical appliances of the past, so we will begin a brief overview of European-type electrical plugs with them.

One of the most common plug designs in the USSR, designed for 220V, 6A

This type, called the Soviet C1 / B, is still produced in our homeland and, in terms of its qualities, it can be equated with the European type CEE 7 / 16 Europlug. Electric plugs of this type are designed for a current of 6 A and 10 A at a voltage of 220 - 250 V and a frequency of 50 Hz. They do not have ground terminals, but there is one advantage, which is that their design is collapsible, which means that if the cable is damaged, you can replace it, leaving the socket the same and not spending money on a new one. The diameter of the pins in the Soviet plug is 4 mm.

The next type of electrical plug, which also has pins with a diameter of 4 mm and which is widely used in European countries, except for England, Ireland and Malta, belongs to the CEE class 7/16 Europlug. Used in the operation of household electrical appliances low power, without ground contacts and is rated for current up to 2.5 A at a voltage of 1100 - 220 V. Compatible with class C, C1, E, F.

Type C6 (in Europe CEE 7/17) we have a “Euro plug”, with round pins (knives) with a diameter of 4.8 mm

But the French type of electrical plug has metal pins already with a diameter of 4.8 mm and one ground contact. Widely used in France, Poland and Belgium. They are used for medium power devices such as vacuum cleaners, air conditioners, water heaters, etc. This type of plug can withstand current up to 16 A at a voltage of 220 - 250 V. Compatible with sockets type C, E, F, but with Soviet type C1 /B are not compatible and can only be used with an adapter.

For electrical appliances of medium and high power consumption, the European German type of Schuko CEE 7/4 plugs is used, which is widely used in Germany, Sweden, Norway and Holland.

CEE 7/4 Schuko plug and Schuko socket

Designed for current up to 16 A, in some versions up to 25 A at a voltage of 220 - 250 V, has a pin diameter of 4.8 mm, one grounding pin and is compatible with sockets C and F. According to its characteristics, "Schuko" CEE 7/4 Fits French type E CEE 7/5 plugs.

There is also a hybrid type of E/F electric plugs - CTT 7|7, which combines German and French quality. Very common in the European Union when using appliances of medium and high power consumption. They have a grounding contact, suitable for sockets type C, E and F with a metal pin diameter of 4.8 mm.

There are 12 types of electrical plugs and sockets in the world.
Letter classification - from A to X.
Before traveling abroad, especially to rarely visited countries, I check the data below.

Type A: North America, Japan

Countries: Canada, USA, Mexico, part of South America, Japan

Two flat parallel contacts without grounding.
In addition to the United States, this standard has been adopted in 38 other countries. Most common in North America and on the east coast of South America. In 1962, the use of type A sockets was prohibited by law. Instead, the Type B standard was developed. However, many old houses still have similar sockets because they are compatible with the new Type B plugs.
The Japanese standard is identical to American sockets, but has more stringent requirements for the dimensions of plug and socket housings.

Type B: same as type A except Japan

Countries: Canada, USA, Mexico, Central America, Caribbean, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, part of Brazil, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia

Two flat parallel contacts and one round for grounding.
The additional contact is longer, therefore, when connected, the device is grounded before it is connected to the network.
In the socket, the neutral contact is on the left side, the phase is on the right side, and the earth is on the bottom. On this type of plug, the neutral contact is made wider to prevent reverse polarity in non-standard connections.

Type C: Europe

Countries: all of Europe, Russia and the CIS, the Middle East, part of South America, Indonesia, South Korea

Two round contacts.
This is our usual Euro socket. Grounding is not provided, and the plug can be connected to any outlet that accepts 4 mm diameter contacts with a distance of 19 mm between them.
Type C is used throughout continental Europe, the Middle East, many African countries, as well as Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Bangladesh, Indonesia. Well, of course, in all the republics of the former Soviet Union.
German and French plugs (type E) are very similar to this standard, but the pin diameter is increased to 4.8 mm, and the body is designed in such a way as to prevent connection to euro sockets. The same forks are used in South Korea for all devices that do not require earthing and are found in Italy.
In the UK and Ireland, showers and bathrooms sometimes have special sockets that are compatible with type C plugs. They are designed to connect electric shavers. Therefore, the voltage in them is often lowered to 115 V.

Type D: India, Africa, Middle East

Three large round contacts arranged in a triangle.
This old English standard is supported mainly in India. Also found in Africa (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria), the Middle East (Kuwait, Qatar) and those parts of Asia and Far East where the British were engaged in electrification.
Compatible sockets are used in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Namibia. In Israel, Singapore and Malaysia, this type of outlet is used to connect air conditioners and electric clothes dryers.

Type E: France

Two round pins and a ground pin protruding from the top of the socket.
This type of connection is used in France, Belgium, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Denmark.
The diameter of the contacts is 4.8 mm, they are located at a distance of 19 mm from each other. The right contact is neutral, the left is live.
As well as the German standard described below, sockets of this type allow the connection of plugs of type C and some others. Sometimes the connection requires the use of force so that you can damage the outlet.

Type F: Germany

Two round pins and two grounding clips at the top and bottom of the socket.
Often this type is called Schuko, from the German schutzkontakt, which means "protected or grounded" contact. Sockets and plugs of this standard are symmetrical, the position of the contacts when connecting does not matter.
Despite the fact that the standard provides for the use of contacts with a diameter of 4.8 mm, domestic plugs easily fit German sockets.
Many countries in Eastern Europe are gradually moving from the old Soviet standard to type F.
Often there are hybrid plugs that combine type F side clips and a type E grounding contact. Such plugs connect equally well to both French and German Schuko sockets.

Type G: Great Britain and former colonies

Countries: UK, Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, Cyprus, Malta

Three large flat contacts arranged in a triangle.
The massiveness of forks of this type is surprising. The reason lies not only in the large contacts, but also in the fact that there is a fuse inside the plug. It is necessary because British standards allow high current in a household electrical circuit. Pay attention to this! The adapter for the euro plug must also be equipped with a fuse.
Plugs and sockets of this type, in addition to Great Britain, are also common in a number of former British colonies.

Type H: Israel

Three contacts arranged in a Y-shape.
This type of connection is unique, found only in Israel and is not compatible with all other sockets and plugs.
Until 1989, the contacts were flat, then it was decided to replace them with round ones, 4 mm in diameter, located in the same way. All modern sockets support the connection of plugs with both old flat and new round pins.

Type I: Australia

Countries: Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji

Two flat contacts arranged in a “house” and the third one is a ground contact.
Almost all outlets in Australia have a switch for added security.
Similar connections are found in China, only in comparison with the Australian ones they are turned upside down.
Argentina and Uruguay use receptacles that are compatible with Type I in shape, but with reversed polarity.

Type J: Switzerland

Three round contacts.
Exclusive Swiss standard. Very similar to type C, only there is a third, grounding contact, which is set a little to the side.
European standard plugs fit without adapters.
A similar connection is found in parts of Brazil.

Type K: Denmark and Greenland

Three round contacts.
The Danish standard is very similar to the French Type E, only the protruding earth pin is in the plug, not the socket.
From July 1, 2008, type E sockets will be installed in Denmark, but for now the most common Euro C plugs can be easily connected to existing sockets.

Type L: Italy and Chile

Three round contacts in a row.
European standard C plugs (ours) fit Italian sockets without any problems.
If you really want to, then E / F (France-Germany) plugs, which we have in chargers for MacBooks, can be put into Italian sockets. In 50% of cases, Italian sockets break in the process of pulling out such a plug: the plug is removed from the wall along with the Italian socket strung on it.

Type X: Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia

A hybrid of type A with C sockets. This type of socket accepts both American and European plugs.

Try to imagine homo modernus without mobile phones, cameras, laptops, navigation systems and other gadgets? The answer is simple: it's impossible. Well, all these benefits of civilization cannot exist without "nutrition", they need recharging.
That is why beaches, parks, museums fade into the background, and the first thing a traveler should think about is what sockets and what voltage will be in the country where he is going.
In most cases, the issue is resolved with the help of an adapter. But it can become useless if the voltage in the network is very different from the native, domestic one. For example, in Europe the voltage varies from 220 to 240 V in the USA and Japan - from 100 to 127 V. If you don't guess, burn your device.
Let's try to understand the wisdom of electrical engineering.

Voltage and frequency

By and large, in the world, only two levels of electrical voltage are used in the household network:
European - 220 - 240 V and American - 100 - 127 V, and two AC frequencies - 50 and 60 Hz.

Voltage 220 - 240 V with a frequency of 50 Hz is used by most countries of the world.
Voltage 100 -127 V at a frequency of 60 Hz - in the USA, countries of North, Central and, in part, South America, Japan, etc.
At the same time, there are variations, for example, in the Philippines, 220 V and 60 Hz, and in Madagascar - on the contrary, 100 V and 50 Hz, even within the same country, depending on the region, there may be different standards, for example, in different parts Brazil, Japan, Saudi Arabia, in the Maldives.

Therefore, before you hit the road, collect as much information as possible about the circuits and signals, the types of sockets used in the country and the voltage in the network.

Electrical sockets

There are a lot of sockets, plugs and options for connecting to the electrical network. But do not be afraid, there is no need to deal with everyone and look for each adapter.
It is necessary to remember (save, sketch, photograph) the 13 most used types of sockets, which are indicated in Latin letters from A to M:

Type A - American electrical socket and plug: two flat parallel contacts. It is used in most countries of North and Central America (USA, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Guatemala), in Japan, and almost everywhere where the mains voltage is 110 V.
Type B is a variation of the Type A connector, with an additional round ground pin. Commonly used in the same countries as the Type A connector.
Type C - European socket and plug. It has two round parallel contacts (without grounding). This is the most popular outlet in Europe, except for England, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus. Used where the voltage is 220V.
Type D is an old British standard with three round contacts arranged in a triangle shape, with one of the contacts thicker than the other two, rated for maximum current. Used in India, Nepal, Namibia, Sri Lanka.
Type E - plug with two round pins and a hole for the grounding contact, which is located in the socket socket. This type is now almost universally used in Poland, France and Belgium.
Type F - standard similar to type E, but instead of a round ground pin, there are two metal clips on both sides of the connector. You will find such sockets in Germany, Austria, Holland, Norway, Sweden.
Type G - British socket with three flat pins. Used in England, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Note. This type of socket often comes with a built-in internal fuse. Therefore, if after connecting the device it does not work, then the first thing to do is to check the condition of the fuse in the outlet.
Type H - has three flat contacts or, in the earlier version, round contacts arranged in a V shape. Only used in Israel and Gaza. Not compatible with any other plug, designed for voltages of 220 V and currents up to 16 A.
Type I - Australian socket: two flat pins, like the US type A plug, but they are angled to each other - in the shape of a V. Also available in a version with a ground contact. Used in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Argentina.
Type J - Swiss plug and socket. It looks like a Type C plug, but has an extra ground pin in the middle and two round power pins. Used in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Ethiopia, Rwanda and the Maldives.
Type K - Danish socket and plug, similar to the European type C, but with a grounding contact located at the bottom of the connector. Used in Denmark, Greenland, Bangladesh, Senegal and the Maldives.
Type L - Italian plug and socket, similar to the European Type C socket, but with a round ground pin that is in the center, the two round power pins are arranged unusually in a line. Used in Italy, Chile, Ethiopia, Tunisia and Cuba.
Type M - an African socket and plug with three round pins arranged in a triangle shape, while the ground pin is clearly thicker than the other two. It looks like a type D connector, but it has much thicker contacts. A socket is designed to power devices with a current of up to 15 A. Used in South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho.

A few words about various kinds of adapters.

The easiest way to be ready to put the plug in the outlet is to pre-purchase an adapter, converter or transformer (that's whoever needs it). In most hotels, if you ask, the right device will be picked up for you at the reception.

Adapters - combine your plug with someone else's outlet without affecting the voltage, the most versatile device.
Converters - provide the conversion of local parameters of the electrical network, but for a short time, up to 2 hours. It is used for small (camping) household appliances: hair dryer, razor, kettle, iron. Convenient on the road due to small size and weight.
Transformers are more powerful, large and expensive voltage converters designed for continuous operation. Used for complex electrical appliances: computers, TVs, etc.

And at the end, an easy life hack on how to use an English socket without an adapter

Happy travels!

Sources: wikimedia.org, travel.ru, enovator.ru, personal experience.

DA Info Pro - March 6th. When connecting any household appliance to the electrical network, we do not think about what types of electrical outlets can be. However, you can get into some confusion when repairing the electrical wiring in a house abroad or in an apartment in which foreigners lived before you. In addition, some problems can be encountered when traveling to another country when trying to plug an electrical plug into the network.

Electrical plugs vary by country. Therefore, the US Department of Commerce (ITA) in 1998 adopted a standard according to which various types of electrical sockets and plugs were assigned their own designation. We will write in detail for each type of electrical outlets.

Classification principle and main types

Total exists 15 types electrical sockets. The differences are in the shape, size, maximum current, availability of a ground connection. All types of sockets are legally fixed in countries within the framework of standards and norms. Although the sockets in the image above may look similar in shape, they differ in the size of the sockets and pins (plugs).

All types according to the American classification are designated as Type X (Type X).

In most countries, standards are driven by their history. So, for example, India, being a British colony until 1947, adopted its standard. Until now, in some hotels in the UK you can find the old standard Type D.

The image shows the types of electrical outlets in various countries peace

Although polarity is not important for a single-phase current connection, type A and B sockets are polarized. This is manifested in the fact that the plugs have different thickness - the position of the plug is important. In addition, in the USA, where they are actively distributed, an alternating current with a frequency of 60 Hz and a voltage of 127 V is used.

Development of various types of sockets and plugs

The widespread use of electricity in everyday life required the introduction of standards in the field of connecting electrical appliances. This would make electricity safer, devices more reliable and more versatile.

And many manufacturers of electrical equipment and devices in practice provide interchangeable cords for their devices under different kinds and countries.

Electrical sockets and plugs have evolved, among other things, under the tightening of safety requirements. So from Type D, Type G appeared - the maximum current increased, additional protective insulating coatings appeared at the base of the plugs.

Some types of connectors are already obsolete. So the American Type I, Soviet Type I, old Spanish sockets, plugs with cut plugs have gone out of everyday use. In fact, many countries standardize sizes among themselves. And standardization committees are trying to make interstate standards official. The main such organization is the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC, IEC).

It turns out interesting with the connection of electric stoves - the maximum power can reach 10 kW. Various countries have introduced into the rules and regulations to use a separate type of electrical outlets for such powerful appliances. And in some places they generally oblige to connect without an outlet in a fixed way.

To connect plugs of one type to an outlet of another, adapter adapters are usually sold. They meet as the same type electrical outlet to another, and universal - from any to a specific one.