Plugs and sockets. Types of plug connectors. Electric plug

An electrical socket is used to turn on portable lighting or connecting cords of various electrical appliances using plugs. Electrical sockets and plugs for connecting household appliances to electrical networks constitute a group of products called electrical connectors (formerly called plug connectors). Plug sockets are installed at a height of 50 ... 90 cm from the floor. DO NOT place outlets near grounded plumbing or gas pipes, batteries central heating, sinks, gas and electric stoves. Sockets must be at least 50 cm from these devices. There are electrical sockets for external and internal wiring. Plug sockets are made of porcelain or plastic. Electric outlet usually contains two sockets for turning on the legs of the fork, holes for screws and screws with a nut for attaching the cover. The distance between sockets in electrical outlets is usually 19 mm. Some socket designs have fuse clips. The wiring cord, during electrical installation, suitable for the socket, is closed with eyelets and connected to the corresponding contacts with screws. At open wiring, the socket is fixed with two screws on a wooden socket, fixed on the wall of the apartment (Fig. 1.65). In the case of internal wiring, sockets are mounted in metal or plastic boxes. The socket is closed with a porcelain or plastic cover and screwed on. The socket cover has two, and sometimes three holes, through which the legs of the plug are inserted into the sockets.

If there are small children in the house, then a safe outlet should be made to prevent them from accidentally touching the outlet sockets. For the device of such an outlet, a small circle of plywood or plastic is taken with two holes for the plug (Fig. 1.66). The screw that secures the socket body to the armature is carefully unscrewed, passed through the hole in the circle, and the screw is screwed again. The force of pressing the head of the screw to the circle should be such that it rotates with little friction. In the case when the socket is not in use, the circle is rotated to the position of closing the openings of the socket.

Every electrical appliance starts with electrical plug or just a plug. There are collapsible and non-collapsible plugs (Fig. 1.67). One of the designs of a collapsible plug consists of contact legs, which are fixed in a plastic case (Fig. 1.68). The body consists of two halves fastened with a screw and a nut. Inside the case, a part of the length of the contact legs of the plug with wires attached to them is fixed.

Rice. 1.65. Fastening the socket outlet of exposed electrical wiring

Rice. 1.66. The design of a safe outlet: 1 - holes in the outlet; 2 - holes for the plug; 3 - circle; 4 - screw

Rice. 1.67. General form some types of slave (a, b) and non-separable (c) forks

Rice. 1.68. Collapsible plug device: 1 - housing; 2 - contact legs; 3 - wire; 4 - screws for fastening the ends of the wire to the contact legs, 5 - screw for fastening the halves of the case

Plug replacement

Replacing the plug on the cord or installing the plug is as follows (Fig. 1.69).

1. First, they clean the ends of the wire going to the plug with a knife, solder them and make rings.

2. Unscrew the screws on the contact legs of the plug.

3. Screw the ends of the wire, sealed with a ring, to the contact legs of the plug.

Rice. 1.69. Technology for connecting an electric cord to a plug: 1 - screws of the plug legs; 2 - contact legs; 3 - bracket; 4 - half of the body with depressions (base), 5 - half of the body; 6 - screw and nut for fastening halves of the body

4. Unscrew one screw of the bracket attached to one half of the housing, and move the bracket to the side.

5. Insert the body halves with a bracket into the hollows, and the ends of the wire with contact legs, turn the bracket and press the wire with it. Screw the screw into the hole in the bracket.

6. Close the assembled part of the plug with the other half of the body, insert a screw into the hole in the body and twist it on the other side of the body with a nut.

Replacing a non-separable plug

Non-separable plugs are an electrical cord made of rubber or plastic, which is molded along with the plug. In the event of failure of a non-separable fork, proceed as follows. The unusable plug is cut off, and the connecting ends of the cord, after being sealed with a loop, are attached to the collapsible plug according to the above method.

Repairing a broken cord

If for some reason the electrical appliance plugged into the outlet does not work, then first of all you should check whether the cord is damaged. What is the easiest way to find the broken cord? It is necessary to bend the wire along the entire length. At the break point, the wire has less resistance. If only one wire of a two-wire patch cord is broken and this location is closer to the plug, it is easiest to cut the second wire in the same place and connect the plug to the shorter cord. If the cord is broken in the middle, then you need to strip only one wire from the insulation and try to connect it. If this cannot be done, then cut the second wire, and then connect both wires of the cord.

Plug connectors (from German Stöpsel - plug) are devices for detachable connection of electrical appliances to electrical network. The plug connection consists of two parts: socket and plug

A socket outlet is the part of a connector that is connected to Electric Energy from the source. The Russian name comes from a common decoration. To prevent contact with foreign objects the socket is executed as a female connector.

Plug - part of the connector for connecting the consumer of electricity to the outlet. The electrical contacts of the plug are usually in the form of pins, which give it some resemblance to a dinner plug, hence the Russian name. It can be connected to an electrical appliance with a flexible cable (cord), or be fixed to it.

Distribution of standards

The widespread use of electricity in everyday life is impossible without the development of appropriate standards. The standardization of electrical installation products made it possible to make the use of electricity safer, devices more reliable, inexpensive and mass-produced. However, often the standards different countries were developed independently of each other, which led to their great diversity and incompatibility with each other. Some standards were not widely adopted and disappeared. As a result of the influence of economic and political factors, some countries have changed their standards. Hotels and airports may have foreign-standard sockets for the convenience of travelers. In some countries, several connection, voltage and frequency standards may be used at the same time, which often leads to problems.

Standards of different countries

In the world, the two main standards of voltage and frequency are most common. One of them - american standard 110-127 Volt 60 Hertz, shared with plugs A and B. Other standard is European, 220-240 Volt 50 Hertz, plug types C - M.

Most countries have adopted one of these two standards, although sometimes there are transitional or unique standards.

Types currently in use

Electrical plugs and sockets vary from country to country in shape, size, maximum current, and other features. The type used in each country is fixed by law, by the adoption national standards. In this table, each type is identified by a letter, according to the publication of the International Electrotechnical Commission.

On the drawings in green the ground contact is indicated, gray - phase, white - zero.

The table shows only the most common types. In addition to them, there are many non-standard plugs and sockets. The reasons for their use are different: sometimes manufacturers developed their own connector designs that were incompatible with other standards, which for some reason gained popularity for a certain time, but were never included in the standards. In old houses, there are still obsolete types of sockets that have already been abandoned. Sometimes sockets that are incompatible with popular ones were specially developed in order to exclude the connection of devices to them. general purpose, or vice versa - plugs installed on appliances that require a special power supply. Examples of when this might be needed:

• "clean" land for use in computer systems;
• emergency power supplies;
• sources uninterruptible power supply for critical systems or life support devices;
• isolated food medical instruments;
• “balanced” noise-proof power supply for connecting studio equipment;
• theater lighting;
• low voltage supply in places of increased danger, kindergartens, schools, etc.

Connectors for connecting electric stoves stand apart. The electric stove is usually one of the most powerful household electrical appliances, to the standard household socket only electric stoves can be connected low power(usually one- and two-burner without oven). Installing a powerful electric stove requires a special connector. And if in the USA a NEMA 14-50 connector has been developed for electric stoves, then in most other countries there are no standards for them. In these cases, industrial connectors can be used, or non-standard connectors various manufacturers. Connectors for connecting electric stoves from different manufacturers are often incompatible with each other and are sold in pairs of socket-plug.

Hello dear readers! Today I would like to talk about such an element as a plug, what it is, what it consists of, varieties, and how to quickly fix it.

What is a power plug

You all know very well and have seen the plug and probably understand what it is for. How could you tell what a power plug is? Do not know? So, the plug is an electrical connector. Together with the socket, they make up the plug connection. They allow you to quickly connect to the network and disconnect an electrical appliance using plug-in contacts.

Plug application

It is used to connect household electrical appliances (one- and three-phase) to the network. Electrical appliances with a nominal current of up to 10 A are connected to a network with a voltage of 220 V, and up to 25 A to a network with a voltage of 380 V.

Plug design

The design of the plug is quite simple. It consists of metal pins (the number of pins depends on phase voltage) and any dielectric material.

Types of plugs

I want to focus particular attention on the varieties of the plug. There are several types, depending on the contact pins:

1. Plug with cylindrical pins that are used with hose wire;
2. Fork with flat pins. This plug is used for low voltage networks.

They also differ from the presence of insulation on the contact pins:

1. Plug with non-insulated pins;
2. Plug with 1/4 length insulated pins, usually cast body.

Finally, depending on the presence of grounding contacts, there are:

1. Plug without grounding contacts;
2. Plug with lateral spring-loaded and flat grounding contacts.

Plug with flat pins, most likely made abroad. The domestic plug may not fit into the Euro socket, so check ahead of time whether the plug is included in the socket and if not, then purchase a special adapter. There is one more nuance, check also whether the plug fits the adapter.

Before installing the power plug, it must be disassembled. First, rings are made on the wires, then they are connected to the pins of the plug. The pins after assembling the plug must be exactly in place. On some models of the plug, special brackets are made to secure the wires.

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For connection electrical appliance there must be a pair with the power supply network: a plug and a socket. Thus, switching is carried out with the network alternating current, and with a constant source. IN modern stores household appliances are presented, designed for operation in conditions of current strength from 6 to 10 amperes, subject to voltage power up to 250 volts. In order to install switching in a network with high current rates, you must purchase a special plug.

What is the power plug made of?

The device must include:

• contacts;
• inner insert;
• frame.

Contacts can be made of stainless steel or brass. The cases vary, but you can often see plastic specimens. There are three pins in the plug: one is used to ground the device, one provides a connection with the phase, one is needed to connect neutral wire. The plug device necessarily implies a special place for supplying an electrical cord. The anchor must be secure and strong. It guarantees the supply of current to the consumer device.

Variety of plugs

Modern plugs, presented in hardware stores, are devices that have changed significantly over the past decades. Back in the days Soviet Union they looked completely different. These days, there are several manufacturing standards that affect how a device looks. Each country independently develops internal rules production and operation of plugs, from which numerous differences follow. However, they are predominantly confined to appearance, while the essence of the design remains the same.

The most common variations in internal structure plugs:

• body features (the system can be collapsible or integral);
• the presence of grounding (some plugs are designed without it).

When the plug is assembled, the ends of the wires are attached to the brass contacts. Then the connection is made to the contacts. Sequence doesn't matter, only correct connection grounding, if any, in the system.

Power plug and everything that comes with it

Inside the device contains wires, which are most often made of aluminum or copper. However, you can never be sure what a cheap Chinese plug is made of. Practice shows that such devices often catch fire, that is, unreliable, flammable materials were used in their manufacture. Therefore, it is better to purchase a proven model, albeit more expensive, but from a reliable manufacturer.

Among jacks of all trades and those who like to solder electronics at home, the power plug is of particular interest. table lamp, since the ability to handle it, replace and repair it as needed is useful on the farm. To deal with this, it is first worth delving into what the lamp circuit is in in general terms. Simplified, this drawing should reflect all the elements included in a particular device. The diagram should show the real position relative to each other of the system components, as well as the presence of electrical connection.

Varieties of devices

An ordinary plug is designed for operation in a conventional network, that is, at home. If the network differs in its performance, the unit must be chosen one that would be suitable.

In some networks, the voltage is low and does not exceed 42 volts. For such cases, special plugs have been developed, and there are several configurations, so you can choose the best one in specific case option. A special plug differs significantly from a household electric plug; it cannot even be plugged into a classic socket. Yes, even if it were possible, such a plug from a 220 volt network would not work.

If you need to connect a portable electrical device that requires voltage up to 50 volts, you should use a plug that does not have a ground connection. This is stipulated by the rules of the PUE. Under the old standards, the limit applied to voltages up to 42 volts. However, ungrounded plugs can also be used when working with a conventional home network, but only if the space is classified as safe.

Grounding experts call "grounding knife". The plug plug (Euro) is equipped with a slightly protruding contact. The second design option is the inlet, where the “knife” of the outlet will enter. Household appliance It happens:

• bipolar;
• tripolar.

Plug Features

Today everyone knows what this design is used for, but few people imagine what material the plug is made of or where the term “plug” came from. And it's all in the specifics of the design of the device. The socket has holes deepened specifically so that the user does not touch the pins of the plug, which is not completely removed. This constructive solution regulated by the binding standard CEE 7/16. This is where the name of the device came from.

If the plug is designed to be grounded and there is a third pole, remember that this is done to increase the safety of the case.

How to install the plug?

The process of replacing the power plug is simple, but requires safety precautions. The sequence of work is as follows:

• with a knife, it is necessary to clean the ends of the wires, then solder them and make small rings;
• on the plug, on the contact legs, twist the screws;
• attach wire rings to the contact knives with screws;
• remove the screw of one of the brackets, remove the bracket;
• insert into the wires intended for this place, turn the bracket, press the wire with the case and tighten the screw into place;
• close the assembled fork with a nut.

Repair of an electrical device must be carried out only in a state disconnected from the power source. Increasingly, modern plugs can be seen with wires soldered into the housing. Such repairs are not subject to, if the device breaks down, it can only be replaced with a new one.

The manufacturer guarantees reliable work plugs, provided that the consumer observes the rules of transportation, storage, installation and operation.

Warranty period of operation is 18 months.

Climatic version - types climatic design machines, devices and other technical products. In the territory Russian Federation defined in GOST 15150-69.

The letter part indicates the climate zone:

U - temperate climate (-45 ... + 40 С °);

HL - cold climate(–60…+40 С°);

UHL - temperate and cold climate (-60 ... + 40 С °);

Т - tropical climate (+1…+40 С°);

M - maritime temperate cold climate (-40 ... + 40 C °);

O - general climatic version (except for marine) (-60 ... + 50 С °);

OM - general climatic marine version (-40 ... + 45 С °);

В - all-climatic version (-60…+50 С°).

The numeric part following the alphabetic part indicates the placement category:

1 - on outdoors;

2 - under a canopy or indoors, where conditions are the same as outdoors, with the exception of solar radiation, atmospheric precipitation;

3 - in indoors without artificial regulation climatic conditions;

4 - indoors with artificial regulation of climatic conditions (ventilation, heating);

5 - in rooms with high humidity, without artificial regulation of climatic conditions.

IP - the degree of protection against dust and water, the higher the number - the higher the protection.

The first digit in the code indicates the degree of protection against solid objects. different size, as well as the degree of protection against penetration into the housing.

0 - no protection;

1 - protects against the penetration of objects with a diameter of more than 50 mm (just covers from contact with the electrically conductive part);

2 - protection from objects with a diameter of 12 mm or more (from fingers, branches, etc.);

3 - objects larger than 2.5 mm cannot penetrate (some tools, cables, etc.);

4 - only objects smaller than 1 mm can be hit (very small fasteners, thin wires etc.);

5 - full protection against contact, dustproof shell (a small amount of dust can get inside, but it does not affect the work);

6 - the highest degree of protection against dust, dust-tight shell (even dust does not penetrate).

The second digit of the IP rating indicates how well the enclosure protects the contents from moisture.

0 - no moisture protection;

1 - hit on the body of vertically falling drops does not disrupt the operation of the device;

2 - if the body is tilted at an angle of 15°, vertically falling drops do not interfere with the operation of the device;

3 - protection against splashes falling at an angle of up to 60 ° (from rain);

4 - splashes of water of any direction are not terrible (can be placed in bathrooms at a distance of 20 cm from the water source and closer);

5 - hit by water jets does no harm (any angle of inclination);

6 - the case is able to withstand waves and jets of water (water that has entered does not interfere with the operation of the equipment);

7 - with a short-term immersion of 1 meter in water, the device continues to work;

8 - when staying at a depth of 1 meter for a long time, the device works;

9 - full water resistance, the device works under water for a long time.