AC or DC outlet

When conducting electricity in new house owners have to buy sockets. But how do you choose the right ones to ensure normal work of all electrical appliances, not everyone knows. Indeed, for this it is necessary to take into account not only how many volts are in the outlet, but also the number of amperes, because more powerful equipment delivers increased overloads to the network.

GOSTs for modern apartments

Why is it important to know how many amps are in the outlet

Under the Soviet Union, the apartment was subject to a load limit of up to 6 amperes and a voltage of 220V. But gradually the increase in the number of home appliances and its power consumption led to a revision of GOSTs, and today 16 amperes is considered the standard load for apartments.

Let's explain the difference. If you install a 6 amp outlet, then you can connect equipment to it, the power of which does not exceed 1.5 kW. Even small appliances, for example, electric kettles today have already exceeded this figure, and many of the models have a power of about 2 kW. And if you plug such a kettle into this outlet, it will knock out traffic jams. That's why best option sockets for household appliances- at 16 amps. They will pull the load up to 3.5 kW per point.

On sale you can also find sockets with a load of 25 amperes. Such models are in demand in houses where there are not gas, but electric stoves. When all hotplates are switched on, they consume big number electricity, so they require a powerful outlet.

If electrical networks are laid in workshops with woodworking machines and other similar equipment, then the voltage of 220V is already not enough. In this case, installation of a three-phase network with a voltage of 380V is required. For such an electrical network, special three-phase sockets are produced, designed for a load of 32 amperes. By the way, in private houses such connectors are also found if the building is heated using electricity. True, you will have to strengthen the wiring.

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Does it matter how many hertz are in the socket

Another indicator that affects the operation of equipment is the frequency of the current. For people who live in one country and do not travel anywhere, this indicator does not affect anything, since according to generally accepted standards, the Russian power grid uses a voltage of 50 Hertz with a frequency. And all devices are “sharpened” precisely for this indicator.

Another thing is if a person by occupation often travels abroad and carries with him the necessary equipment (laptop, telephone, etc.). He may face the problem that where he arrived, a different indicator of frequency and voltage is provided. For example, in the USA, a voltage of 120V with a frequency of 60 Hertz is used. And in order to use imported equipment in this country, you will need an adapter, and sometimes an adapter if the type of outlet does not fit your plugs. Exactly such an incident can happen if you buy equipment abroad. Therefore, it is better to find out in advance what voltage and current strength the devices that you are going to purchase are designed for.

Among the electrical installation products, the leading place is occupied by various types of sockets, without which it is impossible for the consumer to receive electric current. These devices can be seen in almost all living and working areas. When performing work for a more accurate calculation of the load electrical network, the question often arises, how many amperes are in a 220v outlet.

Use of sockets of different power

IN modern conditions used at home and at work electrical devices with different power. Therefore, electrical outlets for them should be selected in accordance with these parameters. It must be borne in mind that modern household appliances have higher power than before.

If in the past a socket at a voltage of 220 volts was limited to a load of 6 amperes, now this value has increased to 16 amperes. For heavy loads, use three-phase networks, the voltage of which is 380 volts. It also uses electrical outlets designed for loads up to 32 amperes. These connectors are most often used in workshops, public facilities or private homes where available. a large number heating appliances. Along with reinforced electrical fittings, high-power wiring is installed.

Socket parameters for calculations

Every person knows about the value of voltage in sockets. The standard voltage for Russian electrical networks is 220 volts. Therefore, almost all modern technology corresponds to these parameters.

At installation work not only the voltage is taken into account, but also how many amperes are in the outlet, as well as the intended consumers. Most modern outlets are designed for loads of 16 and 25 amps. Thus, the current strength of the electrical outlet is in a straight line proportional dependence with the power of connected devices and equipment.

Power outlet has great importance, because even Electric kettle with standard parameters, it can consume from 1 to 2.5 kilowatts. With the simultaneous inclusion of several powerful household appliances at once, a conventional electrical outlet may not be able to withstand the load. When installing electrical networks in a house or apartment, it is recommended to allocate a separate line with its own socket to connect the most powerful household appliances. To ensure safety, a residual current device is also easily connected here.

How to measure voltage and current

Electricity is one of the main components of providing Everyday life modern man, but not every layman has an idea at least what kind of current in the outlet is direct or alternating, not to mention its other main parameters and properties that you need to know about.

The minimum amount of knowledge does not provide for the development of the basics of theoretical electrical engineering, ideas about the electricity around us should be sufficient to ensure the trouble-free operation of the home electrical network, and most importantly, the requirements that guarantee safety.

• Types of current

Types of current

In order to have an idea of ​​what current is in the outlet of your home, you should not dwell on studying the physical concept of this phenomenon, these data can be obtained from various reference books or from school textbooks. It is enough to confine ourselves to the knowledge that humanity uses its two types:

1. Direct current, which is usually supplied by batteries, galvanic cells(electric batteries various kinds), solar panels, thermocouples. It finds wide application in on-board networks of automobile and air transport, electronic circuits computers, automation systems, radio and television equipment. Contact networks are powered by direct current railways, it ensures the operation of the power plants of a number of ships and vessels.
2. Alternating current. More than 90% of all electricity that is generated for the needs of mankind is generated by alternating current generators. This widespread use is due to the fact that alternating current, unlike constant, has the ability to be transmitted over long distances, and transformer substations change the magnitude of its voltage up to required values without appreciable loss.

The above property of alternating current gives an answer to the question why the main energy supply option was chosen in its favor. At the same time, the value of direct current cannot be underestimated, it performs other, but no less significant functions, the main of which is ensuring the operation of electronics.

Home electrical network parameters

After finding out that the current in the socket of our houses is alternating, it is necessary to know its main parameters, which include the magnitude of the voltage and frequency. The voltage of home electrical networks is 220v. The whole world uses electricity at a frequency of 50 Hz, with the exception of the United States, where this parameter is set to 60 Hz.

On the wire of the actual values ​​​​of voltage and frequency, you need to know:

1. The frequency of 50 Hz is set by the generator of the power plant and always corresponds to the set value.
2. The voltage in a single house or apartment may differ from the nominal value of 220 V. This may be influenced by the technical condition, magnitude and distribution of the load of the network supplying apartment house or a residential area, the degree of congestion of its transformer substation. These deviations can be very significant and reach 20-25 volts. In this case, it is advisable to connect the home electrical network through a voltage stabilizer.

To save on electricity bills, our readers recommend the Electricity Saving Box. Monthly payments will be 30-50% less than they were before using the saver. It removes the reactive component from the network, as a result of which the load and, as a result, the current consumption are reduced. Electrical appliances consume less electricity, reducing the cost of its payment.

Each electrical outlet is labeled to limit its current load. For example, "5 A" means that the current strength resulting from the operation of the connected consumer should not exceed 5 amperes. This is very important, because failure to comply with these conditions may prematurely disable the outlet or cause it to ignite.

Electrical appliances manufactured by industry are supplied with a passport indicating the power consumption, or the rated current load. The most energy-intensive household consumers include microwave ovens, split systems, automated washing machines, electrical cookers And ovens, the connection of these devices must be made to sockets that provide operation with a load of at least 16 Amperes.

What if some electrical products are provided only with data on power, and the manufacturer does not indicate information about the consumed amperes. Determine approximate values current values very simple with the help of the electric power formula

Where W is power, U is voltage, I is current.

The power (indicated in the passport) and the mains voltage are known, in order to find the consumed current, it is necessary to divide the power value in watts (not in kilowatts) by the voltage value of 220v.

How three-phase current is converted to single-phase

It remains to figure out why we use a single-phase current with a voltage, the value of which is exactly 220 volts. To do this, it is necessary to trace the path and transformation of electricity from the power plant to the outlet in the consumer's house.

Powerful power plants generate a voltage of about 200 - 300 thousand volts, then this electricity is transmitted via high-voltage power lines to group distribution substations serving cities, districts, large industrial enterprises. Here the voltage is reduced, as a rule, to 6000 volts and further electricity is supplied to step-down substations, the transformers of which reduce the high voltage to 380 volts.

The low voltage side of the 6000/380 step down transformer substation outputs three phases and a neutral or as they say neutral wire. The voltage measured between the phases is called linear (Ul), in this case it has a value of 380 V. The connection of individual consumers is made from one phase and neutral wire, as a result of which a variable enters the house single-phase current With phase voltage 220v.

This is practically the entire amount of knowledge that the average layman should have, explaining the meaning and origin of the parameters of the electrical network of his home.

The complexity of the simple

For a person familiar with electrical engineering, the question of how much current is in the outlet will seem very simple. And at the same time, one of the most difficult, if it becomes necessary to explain their answers to beginners who have only a distant idea of ​​\u200b\u200b electrical processes. Why is this happening? In fact, everything is explained quite simply: you can answer the question of what current is in the outlet in different ways (depending on which characteristic to consider).

Characteristic one - power

As you know, the unit for measuring the strength of an electric current is the ampere. You can determine the numerical value using special device- an ammeter connected in series in the circuit. Theoretically, the maximum value can be equal to the capabilities of the step-down transformer from which the outlet under study is powered, minus the energy transmission losses associated with the resistance of the wires and the number of consumers simultaneously involved. In practice, things are a little different.

Considering the current strength in the outlet, you need to remember that until an electrical load is connected to the contacts, forming a closed circuit, the ammeter will show zero. In other words, if there is no connection to the outlet, then there is no current. Instead, there is a potential (voltage) on the contacts. But as soon as the load is connected, a circuit will appear, and the charged particles will rush back to the generator, forming a current. The flow strength will be recorded by an ammeter connected in series with the load. It will be the greater, the higher the voltage and power of the switched on device. For household needs the maximum current is usually limited to 16 or 25 amperes by installing appropriate circuit breakers. The value of the current consumed by one or another household appliance, can be calculated by the formula I \u003d P / U, where U is 220 V, and P is passport active power connected load in watts.

Characteristic two - genus

Speaking about what kind of current is in the outlet, it is impossible not to mention such a thing as its kind. There are only two varieties - constant and variable. Since the losses associated with the transmission of electrical energy over distances are much less when using alternating current, it is he who has become most widespread.

If necessary, the conversion is performed by the circuits of the consumer devices themselves. Thus, the next answer to the question of what current is in the outlet is: alternating. In such networks, one wire is phase (touching it can cause injury), and the other neutral (grounded on the generator side). When a circuit appears, the current periodically changes the direction of its movement to the opposite. The speed of this change depends on design features generator. IN different countries The world uses different frequencies of alternating current: from 50 to 60 hertz (this is how many times a change occurs per second). An oscilloscope is used to numerically determine and graphically display the sinusoid of a given parameter of an electrical network. In addition, if we talk about what kind of current is in the outlet, then you should definitely indicate the possibility of modulating it: it is on this principle that a wired radio works. Also, one should not forget about the number of phases and a number of other characteristics.

In this article, I would like to speculate, of course, together with you, about the various currents that flow in electrical sockets.

Current in the socket can be of two types - constant (+ and -) and variable (between phase and zero or between phase and phase).

DC sockets - These are usually low-voltage sockets. A current of 12, 24, 36 volts flows through them, etc. We will not dwell on these sockets, since they very rarely find application in our apartments and private houses. The only exception is telephone sockets, in which D.C. at 36 volts.

Low-voltage sockets with direct current do not pose a big threat to our life and health, but as they say: "God saves the safe." So you need to be very careful with direct current in sockets.

As a rule, in our apartments, alternating current with a voltage of 220 and 380 volts flows in electrical outlets. A current of 220 V is formed between phase and zero, and a voltage of 380 V is formed between two phases.

To date, in modern sockets There is one more contact - this is grounding. Can there be electricity between phase and ground? Yes, grounding can perfectly act as a neutral conductor. Zero - this is the ground coming from the substation ... But more on that another time.

How to check the presence of current in the outlet?

To do this, there are many ways and various electrical tools.

The easiest way - this is to connect an electrical appliance of the appropriate voltage to the outlet being tested. If there is current in the socket, the appliance will start working.