Tuxgraphics travel: power sockets around the world
It's vacation time. Digital camera and laptop are
just the basic electronic devices you want
to take with you.
All these electronic things need power.... Which one is the right plug adapter??
German socket (a.k.a Schuko socket)
In Germany the earth pins are the clips on both sides.
Voltage: 230V AC
The Soviet Republics use a standard plug
Contacts are also on 19 mm apart
but the diameter of this contact is 4.0 mm compared to 4.8 mm which is
standard in Continental Europe.
French socket
In France the power socket is similar to the German type except that the earth pin
is coming out of the socket.
Voltage: 230V AC
You can get plugs which will fit in Germany and France and still
have a proper earth connection. They have contacts on the sides
for the clamps and also take the French earth pin:
Denmark, Greenland
Similar to the French connector but the earth pin goes in.
Voltage: 230V AC
Switzerland
Earth is the pin in the middle, slightly off center.
Voltage: 230V AC
Italy
Earth is the pin in the middle.
Voltage: 230V AC
Most of Europe
The main difference between all the European plugs is the earth pin. The voltage
is everywhere 230V AC. It is therefore possible to build a travel adapter which will
fit in all those counties in mainland Europe as long as no earth connection
is needed.
There is even a plug called "Euro Plug" which will fit in all the European
wall outlets except UK:
Laptops can usually work without earth connected. Most laptop power supply blocks do however use the earth pin for ESD protection. The will have a capacitor
(about 1uF) connected between the minus DC output pin and the Earth pin.
Counties where such a generic European adapter without earth pin will fit are:
Algiers,
Angola,
Aruba,
Austria,
Bangladesh,
Belgium,
Bolivian,
Bosnian,
Brazil,
Cameroon,
Chile,
Colombia,
Croatia,
Czech Republic,
Denmark,
Ecuador,
Egypt,
Finland,
France,
Germany,
Gibraltar,
Greece,
Greenland,
Hungary,
Iceland,
India,
Indonesia,
Iraq,
Iran,
Italy,
Jordan,
Kongo,
Lichtenstein,
Luxembourg,
Madagascar,
Mallorca,
Marocco,
Martinique,
Mauritius,
Namibia,
Nepal,
Netherlands,
Norway,
Pakistan,
Philippines,
Poland,
Portugal,
Rumania,
Russia,
Sweden,
Serbia,
Slowakia,
Slowenia,
Spain,
Sri Lanka,
Sudan,
Switzerland,
Syria,
Tahiti,
Thailand,
Togo,
Tschad,
Tschechenia,
Tunisia,
Turkey,
Urugay,
Vietnam,
Zaire
High power connections in Europe
Most houses in Europe connect high power devices such as sauna, oven, etc... to
"high power outlets". Those have 380V/400V @ 50Hz with 3 phases. The voltage between
phase and neutral is 220/230V. Domestic appliances have usually no connector for this. Cables
are screwed directly to the wall outlet.
United Kingdom, British 3-pin (Commonwealth)
In the UK the pins are square and there might be a locking mechanism which
locks the power pins unless something is inserted into the earth
connector.
You can usually switch on and off the socket with the little switch
next to the socket.
Voltage: 240V AC
Counties which have this type of power socket are:
Bermuda,
England,
Ghana,
Great Britain,
Honkong,
Ireland,
Isle of Man,
Katar,
Kenia,
Kuwait,
Malta,
Malaysia,
Oman,
Saudi Arabia,
Scotland,
Seychellen,
Singapore,
Uganda,
Wales,
Cypus
Australia and New Zealand
This is a power socket with flat pins and they have an angle.
Voltage: 240V AC
Counties which have this type of power socket are:
Argentina,
Australia,
New Zealand,
Papua New Guinea,
Mainland China
The connector is almost idential to the Australian connector. The pins are just
slightly longer (about 1mm) and there is normally no switch.
Voltage: 230V AC @ 50Hz
There is a quite common multiplug socket which will take the mainland china plug
(at the bottom) and US/European two pin connectors (at the top). People from
Japan or North America should be aware that the voltage is 230V even if their
connector fits into such a multiplug socket.
USA/Canada
The pins of the US power socket are flat and parallel. Earth is half round.
Voltage: 120V AC
Counties which have this type of power socket are:
Dubai,
Hawaii,
Japan,
USA,
Mexico,
Philippines
The Japanese plug has two identical flat prongs, whereas the US plug has one
prong which is slightly larger. US plugs will normally not fit into Japanese
sockets.
High power connections in North America
High power connections are used with ovens in the kitchen and dryers for clothes.
They have 2 phases and 240V/250V @ 60Hz between the phases (120V/125V phase to neutral).
Most European washing
machines are able to connect there with no problem (no need for a transformer).
A small number of European washing machines might have problems with the 60Hz if they have an
asynchronous motor, e.g for the pump, built to work only at 50Hz. Note
that there are no ready made adapters available for this. Most
Americans or Canadians will not even know that they have voltages
suitable for European appliances in their houses. You can get the plug
(dryer replacement cords) in many shops. Those are heavy cables with
copper wires of about 2mm diameter. To build an adapter you would need
to bring a socket from your home country that is capable of taking such
heavy wires. For the connection use pins marked P1 and P2 in the below
picture. The earth pin connects to the earth pin of your socket. Neutral
is not connected. Be careful! Playing with high power connections can
fatal if you don't know what you are doing.
High power wall socket USA/Canada
The corresponding high power plug (it's large and heavy).
Disclaimer
There is no guarantee that the information on this page is correct.
Some countries might also have two types of wall sockets for historic reasons.
You can send suggestions for improvements or corrections via email
to "guido at tuxgraphics dot org".
