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plugs and sockets |
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plugs and sockets |
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| Standard domestic sockets in Australia and New Zealand are rated for
10A. An example is shown at right. For heavy duty applications there are variants which are rated up to 32A. The significant details of the 10A, 16A, 25A and 32A types are shown in the images 1-5, below. Note that a plug can be inserted in a socket of the same or higher rate, but not in a socket with a lower rate. That means that a 10A plug fits in each of the four types of sockets, but a 32A plug can only be used with a 32A socket. An elegant and safe system. |
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| 1 | Essential parts of Australian / New Zealand sockets rated for respectively 10A, 16A, 25A and 32A (240V, single phase). |
| 2 | Pins of a 10A plug, the standard plug for domestic appliances. |
| 3 | Pins of a 16A plug. The earth pin (bottom, left) is wider than the 10A earth pin. 'GREEN' refers to the colour of the earth (E) wire, being green or green and yellow. |
| 4 | Pins of a 25A plug, with an L-shaped earth pin, and the power pins which are wider than the corresponding pins of 10A and 16A plugs (9.1 versus 6.4 mm). There also exists a 20A variant with comparable wide power pins; the earth pin is straight (I-shaped), rather than the L-shaped pin of the 25A model. |
| 5 | Pins of a 32A plug, characterized by an U-shaped earth pin. Power pins have a width identical to 25A plugs. |
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