If you’ve ever traveled to another country, chances are the first thing you noticed was the different outlets at your hotel. This observation is quite shocking for some tourists and raises many questions: “Why are outlets and plugs different internationally? Will they damage my electronics? How will I charge my phone?” In most situations, a universal converter should protect your electronics when traveling abroad.
However, it’s interesting to consider how and why plugs and outlets vary from country to country, especially if you run and operate a data center in North America. Your hardware is powered by NEMA cords, which are suitable for the grid set-up across this continent. Here is a helpful guide on NEMA PDU whips that explains naming conventions.
Background on NEMA
NEMA, or the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, was founded in 1926 by the Electric Power Club and the Associated Manufacturers of Electrical Supplies. This organization is in charge of classifying and organizing the standards for electrical equipment and how it’s manufactured.
Beforehand, there was no standard, which made business operations more difficult. After the creation of NEMA, industrious companies and individuals could rest assured that all electronics made in America were compatible with local power supplies.
NEMA Nomenclature
So, how does NEMA classify cords and whips? An example of a defined cable is “NEMA x5 15P.” The “x” indicates whether the device is locking (represented by an “L”) or straight blade (represented by a blank space). The “5” shows the voltage rating; in this instance, 5 means 125 VAC, ungrounded for Class II connections. The second number in our example is “15,” which relates to the amperage rating. The last letter classifies whether the device is a plug (P) or receptacle/socket (R).
Voltage and Amps
Here is the complete list of NEMA nomenclature relating to voltage rating:
- 1 – 125 VAC, ungrounded for Class II connections
- 2 – 250 VAC, ungrounded for Class II connections
- 5 – 125 VAC, grounded for Class I connections
- 6 – 250 VAC, grounded for Class I connections
- 7 – 277 VAC, grounded for Class I connections
- 8 – 480 VAC, grounded for Class I connections
- 9 – 600 VAC, grounded for Class I connections
- 14 – 125/250 VAC, single-phase, four-wire, three-pole
- 15 – 250 VAC, three-phase, four-wire, three-pole
- 16 – 480 VAC, three-phase, four-wire, three-pole
- 17 – 600 VAC, three-phase, four-wire, three-pole
- 21 – 120/208 VAC, three-phase, five-wire, four-pole
- 22 – 277/480 VAC, three-phase, five-wire, four-pole
- 23 – 347/600 VAC, three-phase, five-wire, four-pole
Here is the complete list of NEMA nomenclature relating to amperage rating:
- 15 amps
- 20 amps
- 30 amps
By understanding this guide on NEMA PDU whips that explains naming conventions, you can better power your electronics. For all your data center and hardware needs, consider our excellent selection of quality NEMA power whips.