11.05.15
18764 4.5If there are several mains voltage standards in the world, then accordingly there is also a wide variety of socket and plug standards for them.
As we already know from the previous article, two main standards for voltage and frequency have become widespread around the globe. One of the standards, the so-called American with a voltage of 110 - 127 V and a frequency of 60 Hz, is distributed together with the standards for plugs and sockets of type A and B. The second standard, the so-called European with a voltage of 220 - 240 V and a frequency of 50 Hz, is widespread with sockets and plugs C – M.
Some countries strictly adhere to one standard, but there are a number of countries where plugs and sockets of different standards are used.
There are only 14 standardized types of plugs and sockets on Earth. There are also various specialized designs used in specific industries. This was done specifically so that it would not be possible to connect specialized devices to a household network whose parameters they are not designed for.
Type A
Type A sockets and plugs have become widespread in North and Central America, as well as in Japan. But the American and Japanese standard are slightly different. In the Japanese version, two parallel flat pins of the plug are exactly the same size, but in the American version, one pin is slightly wider than the second. This was done so that the polarity was clearly observed when turned on. The first networks on the American continent were direct current. This type is also called Class II. Japanese plugs fit into Canadian and American sockets without problems, but you won’t be able to use an American plug with a Japanese socket. Well, maybe file down the wide pin a little.
Type B
This type, like the previous one, is used in Canada and the USA, as well as in Japan. It is these sockets and plugs that are used to connect powerful household appliances with a current consumption of up to 15 A. This type, in addition to the designation B, is also designated Class I in some catalogs or according to the international code NEMA 5-15. We can say that in Canada and the USA, type B has replaced type A. In old houses, of course, the old type A is still common, without a “grounding” contact in the middle, and in new buildings you are unlikely to see anything other than type B. The industry has long produced electrical appliances only with a modern type B plug, so it is not uncommon to see a modern electrical appliance in an old house, but with the third terminal cut off so that it can be connected to an old electrical outlet.
Type C
Type C, or according to the international designation type CEE 7/16, plugs and sockets have become widespread throughout almost all of Europe, with minor exceptions, which we will consider further. Such electrical sockets and plugs were standard, including throughout the USSR. Many of our compatriots still call them “Soviet”. Type C has been replaced in European countries by new designs of sockets and plugs that meet modern requirements for grounding electrical appliances. These are types such as E, F, J, K and L. When moving to the new standard, the possibility of using type C plugs was taken into account for inclusion in new versions of sockets, but, to the great regret of the majority of residents of old houses, not vice versa.
Type D
D-type plugs are still common in the former British colonies of India, Nepal, Namibia and Sri Lanka, although they are actually an outdated British-made design used in Great Britain until the middle of the last century. This type is also designated BS 546.
Type E
In France, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Tunisia and Morocco, plugs and sockets of type E or CEE 7/7 according to the international standard have become widespread. Connecting an outdated type C plug to such an outlet, as already mentioned, is not difficult.
Type F
F-type plugs and plugs (CEE 7/4 or GOST 7396 in the USSR) have become widespread mainly in Austria, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Finland and Eastern European countries. Recently, this type has become increasingly widespread in all countries of the former USSR. You can freely plug a “Soviet” C-type plug into an F-type socket. But since the diameter of the pins of a type C plug is 0.8 mm smaller than that of a type F, this compatibility must be used with extreme caution. Since the contact may not be sufficient, and as a result, heating at the point of contact and ignition is possible.
Type G
This type is used in the UK, Hong Kong, Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, Cyprus and Malta. The international designation for type G plugs and sockets is BS 1363. By the appearance of plugs of this type, it is immediately clear that these are power connectors, because they are capable of passing current up to 32 A. If, when traveling to Cyprus, you come across exactly this type of plug in a hotel, then You will be offered an adapter so you can connect your phone charger or laptop.
Type H
You will find plugs and sockets of type H (SI 32) only in Israel. But the developers of this standard took care of tourists in advance and provided for the possibility of including “Soviet” plugs, type C, in this type of sockets.
Type I
In Australia, Argentina, China, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, I-type plugs and sockets are common, which are also designated according to the international standard AS 3112. Visually quite similar, types I and H are in fact completely incompatible.
Type J
Switzerland and Liechtenstein have their own special standard - this is type J or SEC 1011 according to the international standard. If you find yourself in one of these countries, you can freely plug your Type C mobile phone into local sockets.
Type K
In Denmark and Greenland, type K plugs and sockets (international designation 107-2-D1) have become widespread. In this socket you can plug in type E and F plugs, as well as type C without much difficulty.
Type L
Type L is found exclusively in Italy. But it should be noted that the likelihood of meeting them in some North African countries is also very high. Type C plugs are compatible with type L or CEI 23-16/BII sockets, as designated by international standards.
Type M
The penultimate type in our review is M. These plugs with sockets are widespread in Lesotho, Swaziland and South Africa. The similarity between type M and type D is clearly visible. Type D plugs can be freely plugged into an M-type socket.
Type N
And finally, the last of the types under consideration is N. Used in Brazil and South Africa. Type N plugs actually come in two versions with 4mm pins rated up to 10A and 4.8mm pins rated up to 20A. The middle pin is designed for grounding electrical appliances. Type N sockets completely freely accept type C plugs. But with type J, despite the visual similarity, they are completely incompatible, since the middle contact is located closer to the central axis.
It so happened historically that different countries mainly use their own specific sockets and plugs that meet their own standards, although some types are still compatible with each other.
Will unification be achieved throughout the world and one common standard be adopted? Most likely, yes, but not as soon as many would like. Initially, it is necessary to come to one voltage standard, and this means enormous costs for the re-equipment and re-equipment of transformer substations, not to mention the adaptation of household electrical appliances.
In the 60s of the last century, in the territory of the Soviet Union they switched from the 127 V standard to 220 V. All new household appliances were specially equipped with switches that made it possible to select the operating voltage of the electrical appliance, which essentially turned off part of the primary winding of the power supply transformer when the switch was moved to position 127 Q. And how many electric shavers were burned when, for example, a person came on a business trip to another city, where the sockets already had 220 V, and forgot to switch the razor switch from 127 V to 220 V. But that, as they say, is a completely different story...
Most often, electrical appliances are supplied with a ready-made system for connecting them to the network. However, there are situations when it is necessary to replace an element such as an electrical plug. Choosing the right option is very important, as is connecting it correctly. In order to avoid unpleasant situations in the future, you should study the technology for repairing equipment.
Types of electrical plugs
There are only three types of electrical plugs. These are collapsible and non-dismountable (cast) types of equipment.
Each of them performs the same function. An electrical plug of any type serves as a connection between the network and the current conductor.
Molded plugs have gained great popularity in the world of modern household appliances. They are reliable, aesthetic and also comfortable. The wire is attached to the pins by spot welding. The system in this case resembles a single wire. In this case there is no contact. This method of fastening ensures that there is no oxidation or weakening at the junction of the wire with the pins of the plug.
The cause of failure of a cast plug is a fracture of the conductor at the base. Typically, such devices are not repaired.
A removable plug will help bring the device back to life. The electrical cord and plug are connected very tightly. The better the contact, the better the equipment works.
World fork markings
Depending on the state that produces the equipment presented, there are 13 types of gifts and plugs for them. They are marked with Latin letters.
Types A and B of electrical plugs are assigned to American plugs. Type A does not have a ground connection, and Type B already contains a place for its connection. Their pins are flat.
Type C belongs to European plugs with round pins without grounding. English sockets are marked D. The pins are round, two thin and one thick.
French electrical plugs with a grounding point have two round prongs. The third is in the socket.
An F type grounding plug is similar to a C. It only has two grounding plates.
English plugs include types M and G. Other European varieties include sockets J, K, L. Australian plugs for electrical cords are marked with the letter I, and Israeli ones - H.
Adapters are used to connect the plug to incompatible sockets.
Electric plugs in our country
In our country there are 4 types of trailed and cast forks.
Type C is a non-separable plug. They most often come with household appliances and are connected to a cord.
Type C5 has round pins with a diameter of 4 mm, without ground contacts. The power of the equipment connected to such a plug does not exceed 1.3 kW (6 A).
Type C6 belongs to equipment such as an electrical plug, which may not have a grounding connection. In some versions they have a grounding pin. The diameter of the pins is 4.8 mm. The plug is designed for power up to 2 kW (10 A).
Type C1-b includes collapsible varieties designed for a power of 1.3 kW (6 A).
Which fork is better?
There is an opinion among professional electricians that a cast plug is still more reliable. This applies to quality products from well-known manufacturers.
The connection of the wire to the pins occurs in production by soldering or, in very rare cases, crimping. Subsequent hermetic casting of the housing reliably protects the connection point and also prevents oxidation processes in this section.
The only weak point of such a product is the connection of the conductor to the plug. If a break occurs, it is better not to try to disassemble the cast version of the product. If you decide to repair the device, you should connect a detachable plug to the wire.
Rules for connecting plug C1-b
Different types of electrical plugs will require certain installation rules to be followed for each one.
For dismountable plugs C1-b, ensure good contact of the wire with the pins. The ends of the conductors should be tinned.
The insulation from the cable is removed by 20-25 mm without touching the cores. Rings should be formed around the crimp screws of the fork. The remaining overlap is wound around the stripped base.
The finished ring is removed and carefully tinned so as not to put pressure on the insulation. Then they are put back on the screws and clamped until they stop. You need to be careful not to break the thread.
The pins with wires are inserted into the mounting recesses. The outgoing wire is pressed with an insulating strip without damaging the outer sheath of the cable. Next, the plug halves are tightened with a bolt and nut.
Connecting the wire to plug C5 and C6
Here the process of connecting the wire is even simpler. The electric plug of type C5 and C6 already includes special pads. There is no need to form rings. Wire with a cross section of 2.5 mm square. envy up to 10 mm, and from 1.5 mm sq. - up to 20 mm. This is due to the connection technology.
Thin wires will need to be folded in half before fastening. The core is twisted and inserted into the terminal.
From time to time it is better to tighten the pads in order to ensure good quality of contact. It is quite good in such devices.
If the electrical network does not provide grounding, you should not connect an extra contact anywhere. The third conductor is left unstripped as a reserve. It can be useful if one of the wires breaks.
If you install a plug with a higher power rating on an electrical appliance, this will increase its safety margin. However, when installing a fork that is less capable of withstanding the load on equipment, one should expect it to overheat, fail and create an emergency situation. Be sure to pay attention to the marking of the plug and the power of the household appliance.
Having familiarized yourself with the types of electrical circuit element such as an electrical plug, you can choose the right option to replace the old plug. There are several types of such devices. Each is selected in accordance with the required load of the household appliance to which the wire and plug are connected. By making the connection in accordance with all the rules, you can have no doubt about the durability and safety of operation of the electrical plug.
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 specific 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 love to travel. Some people, when renovating an apartment or house, deliberately 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 socket and plug standards that are used in different countries around the world. Let's look at some of them.
Two frequency and voltage standards
It would seem, why do we need so many standards and types of electrical elements? But it should be taken into account that there are different network voltage standards. Many people do not know that the household electrical network in North America uses not traditional 220 V, as in Russia and the CIS, but 120 V. But this was not always the case. Until the 60s, throughout the Soviet Union, household voltage was 127 volts. Many will ask why this is so. 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 a power outlet every day - computers, televisions, microwaves, boilers - did not exist then and appeared much later. When the power increases, the voltage must be increased. Higher current entails overheating of the wires, and with them certain losses due to this heating. This is serious. In order to avoid this unnecessary loss of precious energy, it was necessary to increase the cross-section of the wire. But it is very difficult, time-consuming and expensive. Therefore, it was decided to increase the voltage in the networks.
The times of Edison and Tesla
Edison was a proponent of direct current. He believed that this particular current was convenient for work. Tesla believed in the advantages of variable frequency. Eventually the two scientists began to practically fight each other. By the way, this war ended only in 2007, when the United States switched to alternating current in household networks. But let's return to Edison. He created the production of incandescent light bulbs with carbon-based filaments. The voltage for optimal operation of these lamps was 100 V. He added another 10 V for losses in the conductors and at his power plants he accepted 110 V as the operating voltage. That is why the American outlet was designed for 110 V for a long time. Further in the States, and then in other countries that worked closely with the United States adopted 120 V as the 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 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 them, and more powerful ones were transferred to linear voltages.
60 Hz
This is entirely due to Tesla. This happened back in 1888. He worked closely with J. Westinghouse, including on 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 are lower costs in the manufacturing process of the electromagnetic system for transformers and generators. Therefore, equipment for this frequency is significantly smaller in size and weight. By the way, the lamps practically do not flicker. An American outlet in the States is much better suited for powering computers and other equipment that requires good power.
Sockets and standards
There are two main standards in frequency and voltage in the world.
One of them is American. This network voltage is 110-127 V at a frequency of 60 Hz. And standard A and B are used as plugs and sockets. The second type is European. Here the voltage is 220-240 V, frequency is 50 Hz. The European socket is predominantly S-M.
Type A
These species are widespread only in Northern 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 for it, accordingly, too. Here one pin is wider than the second. This is done to ensure that the correct polarity is always maintained when connecting electrical appliances. After all, previously the current in American networks was constant. These sockets were also called Class II. Tourists say that plugs from Japanese technology work without problems with American and Canadian sockets. But connecting these elements in reverse (if the plug is American) will not work. A suitable adapter for the socket is required. But usually people just file down the wide pin.
Type B
These types of devices are only used in Canada, the USA and Japan. And if type “A” devices were intended for low-power equipment, then such sockets are used mainly for powerful household appliances with consumption currents of up to 15 amperes.
In some catalogs, such an American plug or socket may be designated as Class I or NEMA 5-15 (this is already an international designation). Now they have almost completely replaced type “A”. In the USA, only "B" is used. But in old buildings you can still find the old American outlet. 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. In this case, resourceful Americans simply cut off or destroy the grounding contact so that it does not interfere and can be connected to the old type of outlet.
About appearance and differences
Anyone who purchased an iPhone from the USA knows very well what an American outlet looks like. It has its own characteristics. The socket consists of two flat holes or slits. New type devices have an additional grounding contact at the bottom.
Also, 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 contacts on the plug are not pins like a European socket. These are 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 encounter a problem - the socket does not fit the plug. So what should we do? You can replace the cord with a standard European one, but this is not an option for everyone. For those who are not technically savvy and have never held a soldering iron in their hands, it is recommended to purchase an adapter for a socket. There are quite a lot 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 from an online store, you can save up to half the cost. It should also be taken into account that even in US hotels, all sockets meet the American standard - and it doesn’t 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 USA. If you don’t want to solder, you can buy an inexpensive Chinese-made adapter and fully use electrical appliances, charge your phone or tablet on a non-standard socket. There are no other options here.
Summary
They say that you can’t understand Russia with your mind, but in the USA everything is not so simple either. You can't just show up 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.
Try to imagine homo modernus without mobile phones, cameras, laptops, navigation systems and other gadgets? The answer is simple: it is impossible. Well, all these benefits of civilization cannot exist without “food”; they need recharging.
Therefore, beaches, parks, museums fade into the background, and the first thing a traveler should think about is what kind of sockets and what kind of voltage there will be in the country where he is heading.
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, you’ll burn your device.
Let's try to understand the intricacies of electrical engineering.
Voltage and frequency
By and large, only two levels of electrical voltage are used in the household network in the world:
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, partially, South America, Japan, etc.
However, 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 of Brazil , Japan, Saudi Arabia, the Maldives.
Therefore, before you set off, collect as much information as possible about 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 don’t be alarmed, there is no need to deal with everyone and look for an adapter for each.
You need to remember (save, sketch, photograph) the 13 most used types of sockets, which are designated in Latin letters from A to M:
Type A - American electrical socket and plug: two flat parallel contacts. 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 Type A connector, with an additional round ground pin. Typically 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 socket in Europe, excluding England, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus. Used where the voltage is 220V.
Type D is the 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 is a plug with two round pins and a hole for the ground pin, which is located in the socket of the socket. This type is now almost universally used in Poland, France and Belgium.
Type F - The standard is similar to Type E, but instead of a round ground pin there are two metal clamps on both sides of the connector. You will find such sockets in Germany, Austria, Holland, Norway, and Sweden.
Type G - British socket with three flat contacts. Used in England, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Note. This type of outlet 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 check the condition of the fuse in the outlet.
Type H - has three flat contacts or, in an earlier version, round contacts arranged in a V shape. Used only in Israel and the Gaza Strip. Not compatible with any other plug, designed for voltage values of 220 V and current up to 16 A.
Type I - Australian socket: two flat contacts, as in the American type A connector, but they are located at an angle to each other - in the shape of the letter 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 is similar to the Type C plug, but has an additional grounding 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 European Type C, but with a ground pin 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 is an African socket and plug with three round pins arranged in a triangle shape, with the ground pin being clearly thicker than the other two. It is similar to the D-type connector, but has much thicker pins. The 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 types of adapters.
The easiest way to be ready to put the plug into the socket is to purchase an adapter, converter or transformer in advance (it depends on what your needs are). In most hotels, if you contact them, they will select the device you need at the reception.
Adapters - combine your plug with someone else's socket without affecting the voltage, the most versatile device.
Converters - provide conversion of local power grid parameters, but for a short time, up to 2 hours. Suitable for small (camping) household appliances: hair dryer, razor, kettle, iron. Convenient on the road due to its small size and weight.
Transformers are more powerful, larger and more 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.
Loading...