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IEC 60320
IEC 60320, entitled "Appliance couplers for household and similar general purposes", is a set of standards published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) that defines non-locking appliance couplers for connecting power supply cords to electrical appliances. These couplers are intended for use with devices operating at voltages up to 250 V (AC) and currents up to 16 A. The standard specifies various types of connectors, differentiated by shape and size, to accommodate different combinations of current ratings, temperature tolerances, and earthing requirements.
Unlike IEC 60309 connectors, IEC 60320 couplers are not keyed or color-coded to indicate voltage; it is the responsibility of the user to ensure that the appliance's voltage rating is compatible with the local mains supply. The standard uses the term coupler to refer collectively to both the appliance inlets and outlets, as well as the connectors on power supply cords.
The first edition of the standard was published in 1970 under the designation IEC 320. It was renumbered to IEC 60320 in 1994 as part of the IEC's revision and reorganization of its numbering system.
Appliance couplers enable the use of standard inlets and country-specific cord sets which allow manufacturers to produce the same appliance for many markets, where only the cord set has to be changed for a particular market. Interconnection couplers allow a power supply from a piece of equipment or an appliance to be made available to other equipment or appliances. Couplers described under these standards have standardized current and temperature ratings.
The parts of the couplers are defined in the standard as follows.
Non-rewirable plugs and connectors are typically permanently molded onto cords and cannot be removed or rewired without cutting the cords.
The standard uses the terms "male" and "female" only for individual pins and socket contacts, but in general usage they are also applied to the complete plugs and connectors. "Connectors" and "appliance outlets" are fitted with socket contacts, and "appliance inlets" and "plug connectors" are fitted with pin contacts.
Each type of coupler is identified by a standard sheet number. For appliance couplers this consists of the letter "C" followed by a number, where the standard sheet for the appliance inlet is 1 higher than the sheet for the corresponding cable connector. Many types of coupler also have common names. The most common ones are "IEC connector" for the common C13 and C14, the "figure-8 connector" for C7 and C8, and "cloverleaf connector" or "Mickey Mouse connector" for the C5/C6. "Kettle plug" (often "jug plug" in Australian or New Zealand English) is a colloquial term used for the high-temperature C16 appliance inlet (and sometimes for C15 connector that the plug goes into). “Kettle/jug plug” is also informally used to refer to regular temperature-rated C13 and C14 connectors. (A high-temperature-rated cord with a C15 connector can be used to power a computer with a C14 plug, but a cord with a low-temperature C13 connector will not fit a high-temperature appliance that has a C16 plug.)
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IEC 60320
IEC 60320, entitled "Appliance couplers for household and similar general purposes", is a set of standards published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) that defines non-locking appliance couplers for connecting power supply cords to electrical appliances. These couplers are intended for use with devices operating at voltages up to 250 V (AC) and currents up to 16 A. The standard specifies various types of connectors, differentiated by shape and size, to accommodate different combinations of current ratings, temperature tolerances, and earthing requirements.
Unlike IEC 60309 connectors, IEC 60320 couplers are not keyed or color-coded to indicate voltage; it is the responsibility of the user to ensure that the appliance's voltage rating is compatible with the local mains supply. The standard uses the term coupler to refer collectively to both the appliance inlets and outlets, as well as the connectors on power supply cords.
The first edition of the standard was published in 1970 under the designation IEC 320. It was renumbered to IEC 60320 in 1994 as part of the IEC's revision and reorganization of its numbering system.
Appliance couplers enable the use of standard inlets and country-specific cord sets which allow manufacturers to produce the same appliance for many markets, where only the cord set has to be changed for a particular market. Interconnection couplers allow a power supply from a piece of equipment or an appliance to be made available to other equipment or appliances. Couplers described under these standards have standardized current and temperature ratings.
The parts of the couplers are defined in the standard as follows.
Non-rewirable plugs and connectors are typically permanently molded onto cords and cannot be removed or rewired without cutting the cords.
The standard uses the terms "male" and "female" only for individual pins and socket contacts, but in general usage they are also applied to the complete plugs and connectors. "Connectors" and "appliance outlets" are fitted with socket contacts, and "appliance inlets" and "plug connectors" are fitted with pin contacts.
Each type of coupler is identified by a standard sheet number. For appliance couplers this consists of the letter "C" followed by a number, where the standard sheet for the appliance inlet is 1 higher than the sheet for the corresponding cable connector. Many types of coupler also have common names. The most common ones are "IEC connector" for the common C13 and C14, the "figure-8 connector" for C7 and C8, and "cloverleaf connector" or "Mickey Mouse connector" for the C5/C6. "Kettle plug" (often "jug plug" in Australian or New Zealand English) is a colloquial term used for the high-temperature C16 appliance inlet (and sometimes for C15 connector that the plug goes into). “Kettle/jug plug” is also informally used to refer to regular temperature-rated C13 and C14 connectors. (A high-temperature-rated cord with a C15 connector can be used to power a computer with a C14 plug, but a cord with a low-temperature C13 connector will not fit a high-temperature appliance that has a C16 plug.)