Electric sockets in the world. Types and types of sockets: from classic designs to modern multifunctional models Types of plugs for sockets

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 different countries of the world.

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 various types and countries for their devices.

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 are found both from one type of electrical outlet to another, and universal - from any to a specific one.

It's really very inconvenient. Okay, before people traveled a little around the world, now it's practically not a luxury. Remember, when household appliances assembled in Europe began to arrive in Russia, how many problems there were with our Soviet sockets. Bought adapters, they burned. Only not so long ago finally got rid of this problem.

I was in Cyprus in the spring - there are quite unusual British sockets. In a small town in Russia, you can’t buy adapters; upon arrival, you had to run around there, look for them, overpay. Soon I'm going to the Dominican Republic - and there again there are other sockets, American ones (sort of). Adapters will again have to be bought on the spot and not in 1 copy.

And all why...

In the era of electrification, inventors from different countries offered their own options for optimal sockets; different types of electric generators were built around the world.

First, the struggle of technologies at the dawn of the development of electricity left its mark. We are talking about the opposition of Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla in the creation of DC and AC networks, respectively. Although we know that AC power plants eventually won out, the DC infrastructure built in the US up to the 1920s (and in Stockholm up to the 1950s) has to be maintained and used up to the present day. .

Secondly, many inventors offered their own options for optimal (in their opinion) sockets. For example, in 1904, the American inventor Harvey Hubbel received a patent for the first electrical outlet. By its design, it was a kind of adapter for an electric chuck-plug. The adapter was screwed into the cartridge instead of a light bulb, and some electrical appliance was connected to it.

The German engineer Albert Büttner created the "Euro socket" known to us today in 1926. And the first socket with grounding was created by Philippe Labre in 1927.

And the national companies involved in the installation of electrical networks supplied their devices suitable for these networks. Accordingly, different types of plug connectors and sockets were introduced and their own networks were designed. The developments of other countries were completely ignored.

Influenced the development of sockets and the availability of materials. For example, during the Second World War in Great Britain they came up with a three-prong plug with a short copper fuse. This design made it possible to save copper reserves for military needs. Curiously, the use of the 3-pin plug in the UK was in stark contrast to the rest of Europe and even North America, where 2-pin plugs were widely used and also differed in design, all because of the lack of communication in the early days. power supply development.

Now, according to one classification, 12 types of sockets are distinguished, according to another - 15. Moreover, sockets of one type sometimes accept plugs of another. However, having learned that in the country where you are going, the same type of outlet as at home, do not rush to rejoice! This solution is only half the problem. In different parts of the world, the voltage and frequency of the current may vary.

Classification of types of sockets and plugs in different countries of the world

The most common are two standards: European - 220-240 V at a frequency of 50 Hz and American - 100-127 V at a frequency of 60 Hz. You should not check what will happen if an electrical appliance operating from 100-127 V is plugged into a socket with 220-240 V.

In some countries, you have to keep your eyes open at all. For example, in most parts of Brazil 127 V is used, but 220 V is found in the north of the country. And in Japan, the voltage is the same everywhere - 110 V, the frequency is different: 50 Hz is used in the east, 60 Hz in the west. The reason is simple: first, German-made generators with a frequency of 50 Hz were purchased for Tokyo, and shortly after that, American generators with a frequency of 60 Hz were supplied to Osaka.

Perhaps someday a single standard will be adopted. A universal socket for all types of plugs has already been developed. But for now it's up to everyone whether to install it or not. In addition, you first need to come to a single voltage standard. And this rests on the huge financial costs of re-equipment and re-equipment of transformer substations, replacement of sockets and plugs.

* Voltage 100-127V @ 60Hz is used by USA, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, part of Brazil and other countries.

* Voltage 220-240 V with a frequency of 50 Hz is used in most other countries, but even with the same parameters, the type of sockets can vary greatly.

Here is a brief description of some of them:

Types A and B - American socket

Type B differs from A in that it has a third hole, which is for the ground pin. Such sockets, as you might guess from the name, were invented in the USA and distributed in North, Central and partly South America, as well as Japan and some other countries.

Types C and F - European socket

Just like A and B, types C and F differ only in the presence of grounding - F has it. The European socket is used in most EU countries, as well as in Russia and the CIS, Algeria, Egypt and many other countries.

Type G - UK socket

In the UK, the socket has three flat holes, and this design appeared for a reason. The fact is that during the Second World War the country experienced a shortage of copper. Therefore, a plug with a short copper fuse and three plugs was developed. In addition to Great Britain, the same socket is used in Cyprus, Malta, Singapore and other countries that have experienced the influence of the British Empire.

Type I - Australian socket

This type of outlet can be found not only in Australia, but also in New Zealand, Fiji, the Cook Islands, Kiribati, New Guinea, Samoa and sometimes in China, where types A and C are also common.

Type H - Israeli socket

Type H is used only in Israel and Palestine, and the pins of the plug can be either round or flat, depending on when the device was manufactured. The flat shape of the outlet was in the old technique, but the new outlets fit two options.

Type K - Danish socket

This outlet can easily claim to be the "friendliest" in the world - its design resembles a smiling face. In addition to Denmark and Greenland, which is part of it, type K is used in Bangladesh and the Maldives - however, several types of sockets are common there at once.

Fortunately, all these differences will not spoil your vacation or business trip - you just need to purchase a suitable adapter in advance.

A map showing the distribution of different types of sockets in use around the world.(link to interactive map)

The world map shows the distribution of different types of sockets in use around the world. Countries in red are using Type A and B, dark blue are using types C and E/F (which are 100% compatible with each other), brown are countries using Type D, cyan is British type G, pink is Israeli types C and H , countries in yellow are using Australian type I, black are countries using type C and J, gray are types C and K, orange are types C and L, purple in South Africa is type M, pale blue is countries using type N, and dark green is Thailand types C and O. Please note that this simplified overview only shows the most common plug type, and sometimes multiple systems in the same country.

For a complete and thorough overview of the electrical plugs used in each country, click .

List of countries in the world with their respective plug and socket types, voltages and frequencies. link worldstandards.eu/electrici...

A complete overview of all countries in the world and their respective plugs/sockets and voltages/frequencies used for home appliances. The table shows that in most countries the electricity supply is between 220 and 240 volts (50 or 60 Hz), far exceeding countries operating on 100-127 volts. The list also shows that types A and C are the most commonly used electrical plugs worldwide.

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But for a long, long time we discussed . And here is the specifics of the American temperature:

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 plugs are used in South Korea for all non-earthed devices 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. It is also found in Africa (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria), the Middle East (Kuwait, Qatar) and in those parts of Asia and the 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.
As of 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 of Brazil , Japan, Saudi Arabia, 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 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 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.

Note to tourists, migrants and hunters for seasonal discounts in foreign shopping glasses. Having curbed the power of electricity a long time ago, contented humanity could not really agree on uniform standards for its operation - in the 21st century it would be reckless to travel without a set of adapters.

Ordinary electrical sockets in different countries have different designs. If you happened to travel outside your country, then you probably noticed this feature. This difference is due to many factors, some of which we will reveal below.

Why are socket types different?

First of all, the process of development of electrical networks was not uniform throughout the world, which naturally affected the shape of the outlets produced. Also, do not lose sight of the fact that in different parts of our planet people used various types of power generators to generate energy, and this also had its impact on the design of the connectors. In addition, the shape of the sockets also depended on the companies involved in the installation of electrical networks in a particular region, since these companies supplied equipment created by them and compatible with their networks.

Some of the old connectors in the corrected form are still used in some countries, but over time they decided to abandon many, as they did not meet safety standards. Moreover, there are no uniform standards even within the power grids - in different regions, the frequency of current and voltage may be different.

For example, in the USA, Canada, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Jamaica, Cuba and a number of other countries, a voltage of 100-127 V at a frequency of 60 Hz is used, while the rest use a voltage of 220-240 V at a frequency of 50 Hz. At the same time, the design of the connectors is different even if the parameters are the same.

Basically, there are 12 types of sockets (another classification has 15). Consider their characteristic features:

American connectors: types A and B

From the name itself, you can understand that these sockets were developed in the USA. Accordingly, they are distributed in Central, North and South (partly) America, as well as in Japan. Connector B differs from A in having an additional hole for a grounding pin.

European connector: types C and F

The most familiar options for sockets. As in the previous case, they differ in the presence of a separate hole for grounding. Distributed in the CIS, in many EU countries, in Algeria and Egypt.

British plug: type G

The peculiarity of the device of sockets in the UK was due to the fact that during the Second World War the country experienced a shortage of copper. For this reason, a plug had to be developed with three plugs and a small copper contact.

In addition to Great Britain, type G was also common in countries previously under the influence of the British Empire (Singapore, Cyprus, Malta, etc.).

Australian connector: type I

This socket design can be found in Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, Kiribati and the Cook Islands. Also, the connector is used in some regions of China.

Israeli connector: type H

This type of outlet is common only in Israel and Palestine. The plugs on the plugs may differ - be round or flat - but both options are compatible with this connector.

Danish connector: type K

Used in Denmark, Maldives and Bangladesh. It has the most "friendly" design.

All the presented variety of connectors is overcome by pre-purchased corresponding adapters. This will protect the traveler from unnecessary hassle while visiting another country.

It's no surprise that universal chargers are held in high esteem by startup fans. Major manufacturers of consumer electronics have their own answer to the age-old question - Apple, for example, releases its own World Travel Adapter Kit. At the same time, in the vastness of AliExpress you can find.

According to yablyk