We buy a lot of electrical household appliances different power made in EU countries where power cords ends with European-type electrical plugs. It is known that they differ not only in the diameter of the metal part from our domestic ones, but also in their shape, greater potential power and the presence of one or two grounding 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 past times, so we’ll start with them brief overview electrical plugs European type from them.
One of the most common plug designs in the USSR, designed for 220V, 6A
This type, called Soviet C1/B, is still produced in our homeland and in terms of its qualities it can be equated to the European type CEE 7/16 Europlug. Electrical 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 grounding terminals, but they have 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 without 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 widespread in European countries except England, Ireland and Malta, belongs to the CEE 7/16 Europlug class. Used when operating household electrical appliances low power, without grounding contacts and is designed for current up to 2.5 A at a voltage of 1100 - 220 V. Compatible with classes 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 with a diameter of 4.8 mm and one grounding contact. Widely used in France, Poland and Belgium. Used for medium-power appliances 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 of type C, E, F, but with Soviet type C1 /B are incompatible and can only be used with an adapter.
For electrical appliances of medium and high power consumption used European German type Schuko CEE 7/4 forks, which is widely used in Germany, Sweden, Norway and Holland.
CEE 7/4 Schuko plug and Schuko socket
Designed for a current of 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 Suitable for French type E CEE 7/5 plugs.
There is also a hybrid type of E/F electrical plugs - CTT 7|7, combining German and French quality. Very common in European Union countries when using medium and high power consumption. They have a grounding contact and are suitable for sockets of type C, E and F with a metal pin diameter of 4.8 mm.
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 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? 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 territory Soviet Union household voltage was 127 volts. Many will ask why this is so. As is known, the amount consumed electrical energy growing constantly. Previously, apart from light bulbs in apartments and houses, there were simply no other consumers.
Everything that each of us plugs in 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 supporter DC. 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. Voltage for optimal performance these lamps were 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, which collaborated closely with the USA, 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 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 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 has significantly smaller sizes 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 same sizes. 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 mainly powerful ones are plugged into such sockets household appliances with consumption currents 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, US industry has long been producing devices with modern forks. 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 an old-style 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 adapter made in China and take full advantage electrical appliances, charge your phone or tablet on a non-standard outlet. There are no other options here.
Resume
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.
Network adapters for plugs and sockets are divided into two main types:
- for equipment brought from abroad, the plugs of which do not fit into Russian standard sockets;
- for sockets that will be needed in another country to connect devices with Russian standard plugs.
Almost all adapters are manufactured by ANTEL. Available in any quantity!
We sell socket adapters to organizations and individuals - we work for cash and also by bank transfer.
Those who travel different countries, often encounter incompatibility between plugs on electrical appliances and sockets. Therefore, more experienced tourists foresee such a situation in advance and put one or two adapters into the socket in their traveling suitcase - a simple device into which our plug is inserted, and the device itself is inserted into a “foreign” socket. And often the opposite happens: equipment brought from abroad does not want to be plugged into our outlet. And the voltage is suitable, and everything else is fine, but the pins on the plug are not the same or are not positioned correctly. There are more than a dozen different standards for household sockets in the world, some of them fit together without anything, but mostly for such cases adapters are needed. The ANTEL company has carefully studied this issue and produces adapters for sockets for almost all occasions.
A little information on the types of socket adapters:
- 2 flat parallel pins, used in North America, Canada, Japan, Cuba, etc.,
- 2 flat parallel pins and a third round pin in the middle,
- 2 round pins ( Russian standard),
adapter type “D” - “old British” - three round pins,
adapter type “E” - there are two round pins on the plug and a hole for grounding,
adapter type “F” - a usual socket for us with grounding spring contacts,
- three thick flat pins, used in England, Singapore, Cyprus, etc.,
adapter type “H” - three flat pins diverging from the center at an angle of 120 degrees,
- two flat pins rotated 60 degrees, or three pins (Australian standard);
- three round thin pins, the central pin is slightly offset, used in Switzerland, etc.,
adapter type “K” - there are two round pins on the plug and a thick grounding socket,
- three round thin pins in one line, used in Italy, etc.,
— two thick pins and a third central one even thicker, used in India, South Africa, etc.,
adapter type “N” - two flat pins at an angle of 120 degrees.
Socket adapters can be simple, designed to connect one type of connector to another. And there are also combined universal adapters (for example, the so-called) designed for compatibility of several combinations of sockets and plugs at once. When choosing an adapter for a socket, you need to pay attention to the quality of the contact group: the plug should fit into the connector with force, sit tightly in the socket and be pulled out with force. You also need to pay attention to the permissible current load. If you have any doubts about whether the plug adapter will withstand your load, contact our specialists for advice; all contact information can be found on our page “”.
This article lists all types of electrical plugs and sockets accepted for use in countries around the world.
This is the so-called American type and plugs. The plug has two flat contacts parallel to each other. Used in most countries of North and Central America, particularly in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela and Guatemala, and also in Japan. And also in countries where the network voltage is 110 Volts.
Type B
Similar to type A connector, but with an additional round pin. Used in everyday life in the same regions of the world as Type A plugs and sockets. 
Type C
This is our native European type of socket and plug. The plug has two round contacts parallel to each other. There is no third grounding contact in its design. This is the most popular type and sockets in European countries, except the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus. It is used in everyday life where the mains voltage is 220 Volts. 
Type D
This is the old British type with three round pins mounted in a triangle shape. In this case, one of the contacts is thicker than the other two. This type of sockets and plugs is used to maximize current in electrical networks in countries such as India, Nepal, Namibia and the island of Sri Lanka. 
Type E
This type has an electrical plug with two round pins and a hole for a grounding contact, which is located in the socket of the socket. This type of socket plugs is currently used in Poland, France and Belgium. 
Type F
Models of this type similar to Type E socket and plug models. Only instead of a round ground pin, two metal clips are used here on both sides of the connector. This type of sockets and plugs is generally used in Germany, Austria, Holland, Norway and Sweden. 
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Type G
This is typical British socket and her friend is a plug with three flat contacts. Used in apartments and private houses in the UK, Ireland, Malta, Cyprus, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong. Note - sockets of this type of design are often available with a built-in internal fuse. Therefore, if after connecting the device it does not work, then the first thing you need to do is check the condition of the fuse in the socket, perhaps this is the problem. 
Type H
This design of socket and plug connectors is used only in the State of Israel and the Gaza Strip. The socket and plug have three flat pins, or in the earlier version, round pins arranged in a B shape. Not compatible with any other plug. It is intended for networks with a voltage of 220 V and a current of up to 16 A. 
Type I
This is the so-called Australian outlet. It, like an electrical plug, has two flat contacts, as in an American type A connector, but they are located at an angle to each other - in the shape of the letter B. There are such sockets and plugs with a grounding contact. These models are used in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Argentina. 
Type J
Swiss type electrical plugs and sockets. The plug is very similar to its Type C cousin, but has an additional ground pin in the middle and two round power pins. They are used not only in Switzerland, but also abroad - in Liechtenstein, Ethiopia, Rwanda and the Maldives. 
Type K
Danish electrical sockets and plugs. The type is similar to the popular European Type C socket, but additionally has a ground pin located at the bottom of the connector. It is the basic standard in the countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as in Bangladesh, Senegal and the Maldives. 
Type L
Italian plug and socket. The model is similar to the popular European Type C, but has an additional round ground pin located in the center, the two round power pins are unusually arranged in a line. Such sockets and plugs are used in Italy, as well as Chile, Ethiopia, Tunisia and Cuba. 
Type M
This 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 electrical devices with a current of up to 15 A. Widely used in South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho. 
