What kind of sockets are there in Canada? American socket and plug. Adapter from American to European outlet
Dear students! I have long wanted to write about one little thing, but very important when traveling to Ireland to study. As you might have guessed from the title of the article, we will talk about electrical outlets in Ireland. This element is of utmost importance in the modern world of all kinds of electronic gadgets. Especially considering the ever-increasing productivity of our devices with a proportional increase in appetite for electricity consumption. And with an eye on the flight time to Ireland from Eastern European countries, especially in light of possible transfers with a wait of several hours, the issue of recharging smartphones, tablets and laptops becomes more relevant than ever. And if at transfer airports you will most likely find European-type sockets (unless you are flying through London), then upon arrival in Ireland you will immediately be faced with the need to look for an adapter to connect your wearable device.
In Ireland, they use sockets that are classified according to connection type G. Such sockets have the main difference from the European plugs we use in the form of the presence of a third contact. In terms of current frequency and other indicators, electrical outlets in Ireland are no different from those in the countries of the former Soviet Union - the same 230 volts (220 volt devices work here without problems) and a current frequency of 50 hertz. Therefore, before traveling to Ireland to study English courses, I advise you to purchase an adapter in advance. And you can connect a small tee extension cord to this adapter to ensure simultaneous charging of your phone, laptop and MP3 player.
There are 12 types of electrical plugs and sockets in the world.
Letter classification - from A to X.
Before traveling abroad, especially to less visited countries, I check the information below.
Type A: North America, Japan
Countries: Canada, USA, Mexico, part of South America, Japan
Two flat parallel contacts without grounding.
In addition to the USA, this standard has been adopted in 38 other countries. Most common in North America and the east coast of South America. In 1962, the use of Type A sockets was prohibited by law. A Type B standard was developed to replace it. However, many older homes still have similar sockets because they are compatible with the new Type B plugs.
The Japanese standard is identical to American sockets, but has stricter requirements for the size of plug and socket housings.
Type B: Same as Type A, except Japan
Countries: Canada, USA, Mexico, Central America, Caribbean Islands, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, part of Brazil, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia
Two flat parallel contacts and one round for grounding.
The additional contact is longer, so when connected, the device is grounded before it is connected to the network.
In the socket, the neutral contact is on the left side, the phase is on the right, and the ground is at the bottom. On this type of plug, the neutral pin is made wider to prevent reverse polarity when connected in a non-standard manner.
Type C: Europe
Countries: all of Europe, Russia and the CIS, the Middle East, part of South America, Indonesia, South Korea
Two round contacts.
This is the European socket we are used to. There is no ground connection and the plug can fit into any socket that accepts 4mm diameter pins with 19mm spacing between them.
Type C is used throughout continental Europe, the Middle East, many African countries, as well as Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Bangladesh, Indonesia. Well, and of course, in all the republics of the former Soviet Union.
German and French plugs (type E) are very similar to this standard, but their contact diameter is increased to 4.8 mm, and the body is made in such a way as to prevent connection to European sockets. The same plugs are used in South Korea for all devices that do not require grounding and are found in Italy.
In the UK and Ireland, special sockets compatible with Type C plugs are sometimes installed in showers and bathrooms. These are designed to connect electric shavers. Therefore, the voltage in them is often reduced to 115 V.
Type D: India, Africa, Middle East
Three large round contacts arranged in a triangle.
This old English standard is supported mainly in India. It is also found in Africa (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria), the Middle East (Kuwait, Qatar) and in those parts of Asia and the Far East where the British were involved in electrification.
Compatible sockets are used in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Namibia. In Israel, Singapore and Malaysia, this type of socket is used to connect air conditioners and electric clothes dryers.
Type E: France
Two round prongs and a ground prong protruding from the top of the socket.
This type of connection is used in France, Belgium, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Denmark.
The diameter of the contacts is 4.8 mm, they are located at a distance of 19 mm from each other. The right contact is neutral, the left is phase.
Just like the German standard described below, sockets of this type allow the connection of type C plugs and some others. Sometimes the connection requires using force in such a way that you can damage the outlet.
Type F: Germany
Two round pins and two grounding clips at the top and bottom of the socket.
Often this type is called Schuko/Schuko, from the German schutzkontakt, which means “protected or grounded” contact. Sockets and plugs of this standard are symmetrical; the position of the contacts when connecting does not matter.
Despite the fact that the standard requires the use of contacts with a diameter of 4.8 mm, domestic plugs easily fit German sockets.
Many countries in Eastern Europe are gradually moving from the old Soviet standard to type F.
Often there are hybrid plugs that combine side clips of type F and a grounding contact of type E. Such plugs connect equally well to both “French” sockets and German Schuko.
Type G: Great Britain and former colonies
Countries: UK, Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, Cyprus, Malta
Three large flat contacts arranged in a triangle.
The massiveness of this type of fork is surprising. The reason lies not only in the large contacts, but also in the fact that there is a fuse inside the plug. It is necessary because British standards allow higher current levels in household electrical circuits. Pay attention to this! The adapter for the Euro plug must also be equipped with a fuse.
In addition to Great Britain, plugs and sockets of this type are also common in a number of former British colonies.
Type H: Israel
Three contacts arranged in a Y shape.
This type of connection is unique, found only in Israel and is incompatible with all other sockets and plugs.
Until 1989, the contacts were flat, then they decided to replace them with round ones, 4 mm in diameter, located in the same way. All modern sockets support plugs with both old flat and new round contacts.
Type I: Australia
Countries: Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji
Two flat contacts located “house”, and the third is a ground contact.
Almost all sockets in Australia have a switch for added safety.
Similar connections are found in China, only in comparison with the Australian ones they are turned upside down.
Argentina and Uruguay use sockets that are Type I compatible in shape but with reversed polarity.
Type J: Switzerland
Three round contacts.
Exclusive Swiss standard. Very similar to type C, only there is a third, grounding contact, which is located slightly to the side.
European plugs fit without adapters.
A similar connection is found in parts of Brazil.
Type K: Denmark and Greenland
Three round contacts.
The Danish standard is very similar to the French Type E, except that the protruding ground pin is in the plug rather than the socket.
From July 1, 2008, type E sockets will be installed in Denmark, but for now the most common European standard C plugs can be connected to existing sockets without any problems.
Type L: Italy and Chile
Three round contacts in a row.
European standard C plugs (ours) fit Italian sockets without any problems.
If you really want, you can plug E/F type plugs (France-Germany), which we have in chargers for MacBooks, into Italian sockets. In 50% of cases, Italian sockets break during the process of pulling out such a plug: the plug is removed from the wall along with the Italian socket strung on it.
Type X: Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia
A hybrid of type A and C sockets. Both American and European plugs are suitable for sockets of this type.
5 /5 (12 )More than once I have encountered the bewilderment of our tourists, and especially female tourists, who took with them equipment from Russia (a hair dryer, for example), but in the USA the device barely works. You shouldn’t immediately scold the manufacturer, it’s all about tension.
In America, the voltage in the network is 110 volts, so European equipment designed for voltage from 220 to 240 volts works here, frankly speaking, very poorly. Don't count on your favorite hairdryer or curling iron to help you out during your American trip. Either leave them at home and don’t take up space in your suitcase with them, or make sure in advance that the device is capable of working in full mode - there is equipment that can adapt to any voltage; information can be found in the instructions for the device. Many devices work without problems in any country in the world, but alas, not all.
There are such “stations” in many hotels, but sometimes even Apple owners can’t get anywhere without an adapter.
As for phones, cameras and cameras, you can charge them, but accordingly it will take a little longer than at home. Therefore, make sure in advance that your equipment is ready for use upon arrival; if you have a tour the next day, for example, it will not be pleasant if the camera is not charged within the usual 2 hours.
An important point is the adapter. If you can live without a hairdryer, and hotels usually have one, then such a number will not work with a telephone; without it, most people will get nowhere. Sockets in the USA are completely different from European ones. There is no way to do this without an adapter. Of course, you will find an adapter when you arrive in the USA, but it is not always easy. In many hotels, for some inexplicable reason, there are no adapters. And the “star rating” of a hotel doesn’t mean anything here - sometimes a hostel has an adapter, but a luxury hotel does not. And in the supermarket or pharmacy closest to the hotel (sounds strange, but more on that a little later) there may not be adapters, as we have seen more than once from the example of our tourists, with whom we were looking for adapters upon their arrival.
American outlet
Now imagine the situation - you have just arrived, you are tired, you are not very confident in your English, but you need to charge your devices so as not to be left without communication in the morning. Wandering around the city, not knowing where to get this adapter, is not a pleasant prospect. You can, of course, call the guide, but what if you don’t have a guide or the tour is a group one? In a word, to protect yourself from minor troubles like this, it is better to buy an adapter at the airport (they definitely exist there and are cheaper than in the USA - few people think of buying them upon departure) or in general in your city - nowadays you can find a complete set not a problem at any hardware store.
Returning to the topic of hair dryers and other styling equipment, if you did not bring one with you and purchased replacements from a local store, please ensure that they are rated for more than 110 volts before using them in Russia. Unlike the situation with European devices, which here, in the worst case, simply will not work as needed. Topical appliances can cause serious harm to you at home. My friend, who bought a straightener here, when she tried to use it at home, instead of ideal straight hair, she got volume, and what a volume. The iron exploded in her hands. You can, of course, sue the manufacturer, but it was clearly written on the box (though in English) that the device can ONLY operate at a voltage of 110 volts. Which is fair, considering the cost of the iron is $18.
In order not to repeat such an incident in your example, when you see equipment here, be it a toaster for $15 or a super hair dryer for $300, you should make sure that it is adapted for higher voltage and you can use it safely in your country. Those devices that are cheap are most likely designed to serve only in the USA, and even then not for long. The price-quality ratio has not been canceled in any corner of the planet. You shouldn’t sweep $20 coffee makers and waffle makers off the shelves - they are, of course, very nice, and just like in the movies, but they are completely useless in Russia. If you buy a phone or camera here, then there is no need to worry - this equipment is precisely designed to operate safely around the world. But with everything else (especially household appliances) you should be on alert. Especially if you are planning to give someone a gift. It’s unlikely that your boss, having received a mini-coffee maker as a souvenir, will thank you for the fire at home or in the office, and for his phobia of electronics. And then try to prove that you didn’t try to kill your boss. So, everything is like Hippocrates - do no harm.
Well, if you do acquire safe “adapted” equipment, then again, don’t forget about the adapter. It’s easy to purchase an adapter for a European socket here - everyone expects that Americans are traveling and will certainly buy an adapter at home, anticipating possible troubles. Why don't we follow their example?
In the USA and Canada, the voltage in the electrical network is 120 volts at an alternating current frequency of 60 hertz. In Europe and Russia, and accordingly in Moldova, the voltage in the network is 230 volts at a current frequency of 50 hertz. It is believed that lower voltage and higher frequency are less dangerous to human health and life, but higher voltage and lower frequency are less expensive to implement and easier to implement technically. It may seem that America has taken the path of security, and Europe has taken the path of ease of implementation, but this is not so.
A little history
Electricity pioneers were Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla. Edison is Native American. Tesla was born and raised in Austria-Hungary, Serbian by nationality, but became a US citizen in 1891. All modern parameters of the power grid in the USA and Canada are the result of the struggle of these two scientists. For example, 120 volts is the contribution of Edison, and 60 hertz, respectively, of Tesla. In the USSR, electrification of the entire country took place in the 20s of the last century. Initially, an alternating current of 127 volts with a frequency of 50 hertz was used, but in the early 60s this was no longer enough and they gradually switched to 220 volts. In Europe, electrification occurred later than everyone else and therefore many mistakes of the American continent and the USSR were taken into account. Now the majority of countries in the world, including Russia, are electrified at 230 volts and 50 hertz. In America, for some reason, they decided not to increase the voltage, but took the path of doubling the number of 120-volt cables, each of which has a phase.Types of electrical outlets and their plugs in the USA and Canada
Common plug sockets in the US and Canada come in two types - Type A (non-grounded) and Type B (grounded). If you see a type A socket in a house, you should know that this house was built before man’s flight into space, since the installation of such sockets in new buildings has been prohibited since 1962. Plugs for type A sockets will fit into type B sockets, but vice versa they will also work if you saw off the U-shaped ground pin on the type B plug, many people do this. An electrical appliance with a European plug, which is designed for Canadian electricity at 120 volts and 60 hertz, can be connected to any type of Canadian outlet through an appropriate adapter, but only if the appliance is capable of being powered by a US power source.Now in many Canadian homes, special large and round sockets that supply 240 volts are used to connect large household appliances (stoves, ovens, dryers, air conditioners, electric radiators). Physically, electricity is supplied to the house by three wires, one of which is simply grounding, and the second two are simultaneously an alternating current phase with a voltage of 120 volts and a frequency of 60 hertz. All large household appliances and radiators are connected linearly to two phases and operate on 240 volts. Everything low-power is connected to only one of two phases, no matter which. Typically, double sockets are installed in the house, each of which is powered by its own phase. Sometimes sockets are equipped with a switch.
Power parameters for electrical appliances
Today, manufacturers mainly equip their equipment with universal power supplies so that it works all over the world. Just look at the information sticker (usually the INPUT line) to find out in what voltage range and at what frequency your electrical appliance operates. The photo shows an electrical appliance sticker which says that this electrical appliance operates only in the voltage range from 220 to 240 volts and with frequencies of 50 and 60 hertz (see the line beginning with the word INPUT and which is one line above the red line), that is, it is not suitable for Canada:
Photo of a typical iPhone charging sticker:
The photo shows that this phone charger operates in a voltage range from 100 volts to 240 volts and with frequencies of 50 and 60 hertz, and is therefore suitable for Canada. There are stickers in Chinese, but you can still figure it out by analyzing the numbers and units of measurement (V - volts, Hz - hertz) and comparing them with possible voltages and frequencies:
Power supply for charging AA batteries of Turkish origin. It is clearly visible that this electrical appliance operates only on a voltage of 230 volts and a frequency of 50 hertz:
Thus, when analyzing the way you power your electrical appliances, it is not difficult to understand what you can take to Canada and what you can give to relatives and friends or sell before leaving. Many people are interested in whether a home computer or laptop will work in Canada. Almost every laptop comes with a universal power supply. If you plan to transport your computer to Canada, there may be problems with the power supply. High-quality power supplies for modern computers are equipped with a red switch that allows you to specify the supplied voltage of 230 volts for Europe or 115 volts for the USA and Canada.
If there is no such switch, your power supply will most likely not be useful in Canada. In any case, think about whether it’s worth taking your computer overseas at all. It cannot be carried out in a hand bag due to its size, but in luggage, only with complete dismantling of all components and subsequent assembly in Canada. This is an adventure for the specialist.
Try to imagine homo modernus without mobile phones, cameras, laptops, navigation systems and other gadgets? The answer is simple: it is impossible. Well, all these benefits of civilization cannot exist without “food”; they need recharging.
Therefore, beaches, parks, museums fade into the background, and the first thing a traveler should think about is what kind of sockets and what kind of voltage there will be in the country where he is going.
In most cases, the issue is resolved with the help of an adapter. But it can become useless if the voltage in the network is very different from the native, domestic one. For example, in Europe the voltage varies from 220 to 240 V; in the USA and Japan - from 100 to 127 V. If you don’t guess, you’ll burn your device.
Let's try to understand the intricacies of electrical engineering.
Voltage and frequency
By and large, only two levels of electrical voltage are used in the household network in the world:
European - 220 - 240 V and American - 100 - 127 V, and two AC frequencies - 50 and 60 Hz.
Voltage 220 - 240 V with a frequency of 50 Hz is used by most countries of the world.
Voltage 100 -127 V at a frequency of 60 Hz - in the USA, countries of North, Central and, partially, South America, Japan, etc.
However, there are variations, for example, in the Philippines, 220 V and 60 Hz, and in Madagascar, on the contrary, 100 V and 50 Hz, even within the same country, depending on the region, there may be different standards, for example, in different parts of Brazil , Japan, Saudi Arabia, the Maldives.
Therefore, before you set off, collect as much information as possible about circuits and signals, the types of sockets used in the country and the voltage in the network.
Electrical sockets
There are a lot of sockets, plugs and options for connecting to the electrical network. But don’t be alarmed, there is no need to deal with everyone and look for an adapter for each.
You need to remember (save, sketch, photograph) the 13 most used types of sockets, which are designated in Latin letters from A to M:
Type A - American electrical socket and plug: two flat parallel contacts. Used in most countries of North and Central America (USA, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Guatemala), in Japan, and almost everywhere where the mains voltage is 110 V.
Type B is a variation of the Type A connector, with an additional round ground pin. Typically used in the same countries as the Type A connector.
Type C - European socket and plug. It has two round parallel contacts (without grounding). This is the most popular socket in Europe, excluding England, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus. Used where the voltage is 220V.
Type D is the old British standard with three round contacts arranged in a triangle shape, with one of the contacts thicker than the other two, rated for maximum current. Used in India, Nepal, Namibia, Sri Lanka.
Type E is a plug with two round pins and a hole for the grounding pin, which is located in the socket of the socket. This type is now almost universally used in Poland, France and Belgium.
Type F - The standard is similar to Type E, but instead of a round ground pin there are two metal clamps on both sides of the connector. You will find such sockets in Germany, Austria, Holland, Norway, and Sweden.
Type G - British socket with three flat contacts. Used in England, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Note. This type of outlet often comes with a built-in internal fuse. Therefore, if after connecting the device it does not work, then the first thing to do is check the condition of the fuse in the outlet.
Type H - has three flat contacts or, in an earlier version, round contacts arranged in a V shape. Used only in Israel and the Gaza Strip. Not compatible with any other plug, designed for voltage values of 220 V and current up to 16 A.
Type I - Australian socket: two flat contacts, as in the American type A connector, but they are located at an angle to each other - in the shape of the letter V. Also available in a version with a ground contact. Used in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Argentina.
Type J - Swiss plug and socket. It is similar to the Type C plug, but has an additional grounding pin in the middle and two round power pins. Used in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Ethiopia, Rwanda and the Maldives.
Type K is a Danish socket and plug, similar to the European Type C, but with a ground pin located at the bottom of the connector. Used in Denmark, Greenland, Bangladesh, Senegal and the Maldives.
Type L - Italian plug and socket, similar to the European Type C socket, but with a round ground pin that is in the center, the two round power pins are arranged unusually in a line. Used in Italy, Chile, Ethiopia, Tunisia and Cuba.
Type M is an African socket and plug with three round pins arranged in a triangle shape, with the ground pin being clearly thicker than the other two. It is similar to the D-type connector, but has much thicker pins. The socket is designed to power devices with a current of up to 15 A. Used in South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho.
A few words about various types of adapters.
The easiest way to be ready to put the plug into the socket is to purchase an adapter, converter or transformer in advance (it depends on what your needs are). In most hotels, if you contact them, they will select the device you need at the reception.
Adapters - combine your plug with someone else's socket without affecting the voltage, the most versatile device.
Converters - provide conversion of local power grid parameters, but for a short time, up to 2 hours. Suitable for small (camping) household appliances: hair dryer, razor, kettle, iron. Convenient on the road due to its small size and weight.
Transformers are more powerful, larger and more expensive voltage converters designed for continuous operation. Used for complex electrical appliances: computers, TVs, etc.
And at the end, an easy life hack on how to use an English socket without an adapter
Happy travels!
Sources: wikimedia.org, travel.ru, enovator.ru, personal experience.
