Where There’s an AC Electrical Plug,
There’s a Pattern

Making Your Electrical Design Universal

The assumption is that your country-specific plug and the cable attached to it conforms to your country’s plug and cord set rating via a country-approved safety agency, which has standardized the rating. Agencies are numerous worldwide, and UL, VDE, and CSA are among them. For North American plugs molded on North American cable, those standards are found in the UL 498 and UL 62 standards respectively. IEC connector and plug connector tolerances are found in the UL 60320 standard. Also, part of the “basics,” is knowing North American cable is measured in AWG while international is measured in mm².

Though initially it may sound complicated, incorporating IEC 60320 connectors and plug connectors in electrical designs make the process of exporting much easier. Once you know the correct plug and the country-specific requirements it must conform to, you can begin to mold your country-specific plugs having researched the country-specific +/- tolerances found in the published standards of safety agencies for testing and eventual certification—your plug must fall within those tolerances as published in that country’s standards. As previously mentioned, larger agencies such as UL also publish IEC standards (UL 60320). IEC 60320 connectors and plug connectors are often molded onto the opposite end of the country-specific power cord set for universal connectivity worldwide.

Now you’re ready to export overseas, knowing that today’s customers—now tapping tablet keys or phone screens to place orders—expect to unbox finished electrical products and immediately integrate them into their electrical designs rather than having the cord set reconfigured.

“Manufacturers designing for global markets need to be aware of all the standards required of a cord set. We encourage people to reach out to other cord manufacturers at the start of any electrical product design to ask questions and know what is expected,” said Dan Ford, Interpower Technical Support Specialist. “It will often produce valuable insights that can save a lot of R&D cost.”

Determine the Correct Pattern

Mains powers and codified electrical cord standards will likely differ in voltage and amperage from continent to continent, or even country to country. Frequency is far less a concern. North American frequency (60 Hz) is different than the rest of the world which is 50 Hz. Japan uses both 50 and 60 Hz frequencies, depending on which part of Japan you are in. And you will find North American and international cable differing in the colors of the ground, line, and neutral conductors; and while most plugs of higher amperages may contain a grounding pin, some European plugs do not have grounding pins, e.g., the France/Belgium CEE plug does not contain a grounding pin but the socket it plugs into has a grounding pin fitting that plug.

“Additionally,” Ford said, “plug selections may be determined by cable size requirements, and from plug and power cord set standards as well as requirements when used with specific connectors, as outlined by the cord set,” Ford said. “Cord set safety requirements can also affect the choice of plug as well as equipment design.”

Plugs can be molded or rewirable. Molded plugs cannot be modified once they are manufactured. A rewirable plug, however, can be disassembled by removing its screws as to be rewired to cable sizes from 14 to 18 AWG. Interpower offers both molded power cords and cord sets. 

Common Plug Patterns Available at Interpower

Interpower carries country-specific plugs which are designed to meet every safety agency standard worldwide. To help with choosing the correct plug pattern, Interpower offers the Guide to Worldwide Plug and Socket Patterns and Power Mains (Single-Phase). This guide gives the most frequently specified plug patterns for electrical or electronic equipment used in individual countries.