Why Download the Interpower^® IEC 60320 Appliance & Interconnection Couplers Sheet?

Nomenclature. One customer calls an electrical component one thing, and another calls it something else. Natural, since the U.S. alone has multiple geographic and demographic dialects, jargon, and slang. Add international ordering into the equation and now you have an ocean of alphabet soup. This is especially true when ordering IEC 60320 products. For example, a customer orders a C14. But after conversing with customer service, what they really want is a Sheet E; or an order is initially placed for a C20 when they actually want a Sheet I.

A customer recently asked Interpower technical support if a C14 could mate with a C15. Technically, the answer is yes, but not without the C15 losing its higher temperature rating. Using this combination negates the “hot” rating (120°C) of the C15 connector. The usable rating of the connector derates down to the 70°C rating of the C14 inlet as the union between the two is set by the lowest value. If the 120°C rating is needed, the appropriate inlet to use would be the C16 which is meant to pair with the C15 connector—the C14 is Class I “cold” while the C15 is rated Class I “hot.” Having the IEC 60320 Appliance and Interconnection Couplers sheet at the ready is an invaluable tool whether you’re putting together an electrical design or placing an order.

IEC 60320 101

Designing an accessory power system using IEC 60320 components eliminates the need for end users worldwide to reconfigure cords once they arrive. IEC 60320 products create a common connector interface making it possible to build entire designs around them. It’s like having a passport at the ready for traveling abroad: IEC 60320 products complement any country-specific plug if the opposite end of the cord is terminated with an IEC connector to plug into an accessory power strip or a power distribution unit (or directly into a machine). It also saves on warehousing shelves of country-specific plugs.

How Does it Work?

An accessory power system combines with a country-specific plug, the latter tapping into the mains power at the wall socket. The opposite end of the cord, made of either North American or international cable, is terminated with an IEC molded or hand-wired IEC connector which plugs into the inlet housed in the accessory power strip (APS) or power distribution unit (PDU). The APS/PDU houses multiple IEC 60320 outlets that can now accept IEC 60320 jumper cords, e.g., Sheet E or I plug connectors into the APS. Most commonly, the other end of this sheet appliance coupler is terminated with a C13 or C19.

Cord Clips

While cord clips aren’t considered accessory power components, they do complement accessory power since multiple cords may often run from the wall several feet before entering an APS or PDU. Cord clips help prevent injuries such as tripping over excess cord. It also extends cord life by keeping it away from machinery and tools, and preserves the jacketing by allowing less drag. It also minimizes the chance of excess cord catching on objects and surfaces, which may cause disconnections or bent plug blades.

Despite the universe of resin compounds listed on UL’s website, sometimes finding the perfect resin with the right additives is challenging, especially when mixing resin compounds with nonresinous material. Interpower’s cord clip can be molded onto 3 x 16 and 3 x 18 AWG cords as well as the 3 x 18 VCT-F Japanese cords, and is constructed of a glass-reinforced Polypropylene resin compound to ensure molding consistency and optimal retention.

The clip is set at a convenient 4.75 inches behind the plug as an optimal distance after experimentation and testing. The clips come in gray and black and are made in the U.S.A.

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