NEMA connectors are power plugs and receptacles utilized for Air conditioning mains electricity in Northern America and other countries designed to use the standards set from the US National Electric Producers Connection. NEMA wires devices are made in current ratings from 15 to 60 amperes (A), with voltage ratings from 125 to 600 volts (V). Various combinations of contact blade widths, designs, orientations, and dimensions create non-interchangeable connectors that are unique for every combination of voltage, electric current carrying capacity, and grounding system.
NEMA 1-15P (two-pole, no ground) and NEMA 5-15P (two-pole with ground pin) plugs are utilized on common household electrical equipment, and NEMA 5-15R will be the standard 15-ampere electric receptacle (electric outlet) found in the United States, and below relevant national standards, in Canada (CSA C22.2 No. 42, Mexico (NMX-J-163-ANCE) and China (JIS C 8303).
Other plug and receptacle types are for special reasons or perhaps for heavy-duty applications.
NEMA connections are known as subsequent an alphanumeric code consisting of: prefix “L” (securing kinds), numerals, a hyphen, numerals, suffix “R” or “P” for “receptacle” or “plug”.
There are 2 basic classifications of NEMA connections: directly-blade and securing. The metal conductive cutting blades are often informally called “prongs” (as with “3-prong plug”). Numbers prefixed by ‘L’ are curved-blade, twist-locking connections. Perspective-locking types can be used as weighty industrial and industrial equipment, where increased safety towards unintentional disconnection is required.
The numerals previous the hyphen encode the number of poles (current-transporting terminals) and wires connected to it, the voltage, and single- or three-stage energy. A connector with ground terminal is described as having much more wires than poles, e.g. two-pole, three-wire; or 4-pole, five-cable; etc. A low-grounding device may be two-pole, two-wire; three-pole, three-cable; etc.
The numerals following the hyphen is the current rating in the gadget in amperes. This number is followed by the letter ‘R’ to suggest a receptacle or ‘P’ to suggest a plug.
As an example, the 5-15R will be the typical 125 V two-pole, three-cable receptacle ranked for 15 A. The L5-15R, while sharing the same electric rating, is a securing style that is certainly not physically appropriate for the directly-blade 5-15 design. The 5-30R provides the same two-pole, three-wire configuration and 125 V ranking, but is rated for 30 A.
Although there are numerous non-grounding gadget kinds in the NEMA specifications, only 3 of them are in widespread use nowadays. These are the basic two-pole 1-15, still used in millions of structures constructed before the 1960s, and the three-pole 10-30 and 10-50.
Other kinds of NEMA connections that do not stick to this nomenclature consist of: the ML series (so-called “Midget Locking” connections named for small size), TT (for connecting journey trailers as well as other recreational automobiles to external power sources), SS series (“deliver-to-shoreline” connections for connecting watercraft to shore power) and also the FSL collection (found in military services and airplane programs).
The little hole close to the finish in the energy (non-ground) blades of some NEMA plugs is used for comfort in manufacturing; if existing, it must be of specified size and position. Small specialized padlocks are for sale to fit these openings, allowing “lockout” of hazardous equipment, by physically preventing placement of locked plugs in to a energy receptacle. Because at least 1949, numerous receptacle devices have been created to use these holes to hold the prongs within the receptacle slots, skocrg a related latch or securing mechanism.
The blades of any NEMA connector are recognized within the dimensional standard as follows: ‘G’ identifies the grounding conductor, ‘W’ recognizes the (grounded) neutral conductor, and ‘X’, ‘Y’, and ‘Z’ would be the “hot” line conductors. Solitary-phase connectors just have a single terminal identified as ‘X’ or two terminals, ‘X’ and ‘Y’. 3-phase connectors uses ‘X’, ‘Y’ and ‘Z’.
Criticism has been targeted at the design leaving a space with exposed prongs. This safety defect continues to be exploited by a Jan 2020 Web trend called the Electric outlet challenge, in which conductive materials, generally coins or papers clips had been fallen in to the space, causing electric sparks, which once triggered a building evacuation in Westford Academy