Here’s Everything to Know About Types of Power Cords

A power cord is one of those items which we often take for granted. Even at the time of buying them, we never pay attention to its small details. But the truth is that you need to pay attention while considering it for the important connections of your office or work.

To help you out in selecting the right power supply cords for your business or home use, we are here with different types of power cords. These are good quality, cost-effective, and popular among users out there. So, if you are just powering up your garage, or office, or probably need more line for a video game console you will find a useful type from the list.

Different Types of Power Cords

NEMA Power Cord

The US National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) sets a standard for AC mains electricity in North America and other countries. The power cables whose power plugs are used for this are called NEMA power cords. Various types of NEMA power cords have various NEMA connectors.

Given below is a list of some of the different NEMA power cords:

NEMA 1-15 Power Cord

NEMA 1-15 power cords are 2-pronged plugs that fit into your typical 110V AC outlets. It is made of two flat blades, with no ground pin seen in other such power cords. The outlets for these 1-15 power cords are called 1-15-R (R stands for “receptacle”). In the present version of these cords, you’ll find that one blade is slightly wider than its companion.

NEMA 5-20 Power Cord

The NEMA 5-20 power cords consist of two poles and three wires—two blades and a grounding pin where one blade is wider than its mate. These power cords can be used with a maximum of 15A and 125V. NEMA 5 power cords are not suitable for outdoor use.

NEMA 6-20 Power Cord

A NEMA 6-20 power cord is made of a ground pin and two blades and is used for appliances having up to 250V AC and 20A. They are mostly used in extension cords found for commercial or industrial use. This particular cable has one horizontal and one vertical blade that prevents attachment to receptacles having a lower amperage rating.

NEMA L5-15 Locking Power Cord

NEMA L5-15 is a male plug power cord. It consists of two poles and a ground pin. These cords are capable of 15 Amps. They are primarily used in RV parks, campsites, and at marinas.

NEMA L5-20 Locking Power Cord

NEMA L5-20 is also a male plug power cord. It is made of two poles and a ground pin which is rated at 125V. It is efficient at a performance of up to 20 Amps. These cords can be found in technical equipment, computers, and servers.

NEMA L6-20 Locking Power Cord

NEMA L6-20 power cords have a two-pole and three-wire design, capable of working up to 20 Amps with a good 12 AWG cord. They are used for big everyday appliances like large air conditioner units and commercial ovens.

IEC Power Cord

The cords that meet the Internal Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) are commonly known as IEC power cords. These cables have a suitable power plug on one end and a connector on the other.

IEC C5 Power Cord

IEC C5 power cords are often described as inverted power sockets that can be found mostly on power supplies of notebook computers. It is made of a connector having three round prongs, which are arranged in a triangular manner. These are fondly called “Mickey Mouse ears” connectors within the tech circle.

IEC C7 Power Cord

IEC C7 power cords are made of two side-by-side prongs resembling the figure “8”. It is used on radios, different consumer electronic devices, like small home appliances and laptops, and power transformers.

IEC C13 Power Cord

IEC C13 power cords are called “kettle cords” and are the male connectors to IEC C14’s female connectors. These cords are commonly used for medical equipment, IT equipment, commercial appliances, home appliances, professional food equipment, and power distribution devices.

IEC C15 Power Cord

IEC C15 power cords are made to withstand scorching temperatures, which is why they are used in electric kettles, computer networking closets, ethernet switches, etc. They can handle temperature ratings of up to 120℃.

IEC C19 Power Cord

IEC C19 power cords are used to supply power to IT applications where high currents are a necessity. They are used in places like high-power workstations, servers, power distribution units, switches, blade enclosures, and the like. Their common usage is the same as IEC C13 power cords: medical equipment, test equipment, home appliances, commercial appliances, etc.

IEC C21 Power Cord

IEC C21 power cords are similar to the IEC C19 power cords; the only difference is that IEC C21 power cords are made to handle equipment with higher temperatures. The IEC C19 power cord can work up to 65℃, while the IEC C21 power cord can withstand temperatures up to 155℃.

The List of Various Types of Power Extension Cords

Red Extension Cords

Outdoor extension cords are a necessity. Ideally, they should be stronger and more resistant to the outdoor environment. When you consider an outdoor extension cord, you can choose the cords from the available 50ft and 100ft variants to ensure that it’s suitable for any situation. A vinyl covering would ensure that it won’t get too wet or heat up too much in direct sunlight. Plus, such power cords will have a 3-prong grounded plug to keep things extra safe. Due to their length and flexibility, you can even consider them for any of your important projects. Whenever buying it from an online shop, consider reading its reviews and usages to choose the right product.

Yellow Nema Power Cords

Nema power cords are a popular name in the market, known for quality and usability. This heavy-duty cable offers long bright yellow cord which you can use for anything you need. You can use it for gardening, setting up a toolshed, or maybe for powering up devices at home. It features a lighted LED socket which lights up when there is power in the cord and works as an indicator. Plus, its reinforced prongs would never break or bend. That would effectively render power. The major benefit is that many of them are water resistant. Some of its products come with a lifetime replacement warranty.

The Basic Black Cords

Suitable for all types of electronic use, they are incredibly cheap and reliable. They are available in various lengths, but you can choose the right one based on the requirement. For example, whether you want it for home or office use or maybe just to throw up Christmas decorations. Since they are durable, you can use them to declutter the cord mess in your space. But that’s just about all the small projects. When you need such extension power cords for the outdoor use they can certainly be the best product suitable from a technical point of view.

Small Extension Cords Pack

Sometimes you don’t need a lengthy extension cord. But multiple smaller ones. You would find various small pack power cords and they come with numerous outlets apiece. This way, it becomes easy to multi-task and power anything that you need. They come with this special loop to hang on the wall. It helps with keeping things neat and tidy.

You can apply the same philosophy in the flat plug extension cord. As you can save a bit of space when getting all things together, either indoors or outdoors. You can even get many of the small cords together so that they can work as a whole. It would encourage a convenience that is perfect for your home, garage, office, or anywhere else where you need a little more cord.

Long Power Cords

Mostly all the power cords come in full length. The important thing to consider is that it should feature a lit plug so that even from a distance you know when it’s powered. For more security and rough use, you can consider double insulated conductors surrounded by an outside jacket. These are sure to not break or crack even in extreme temperature.

It is important that you consider products which offer a lifetime warranty with purchase. It would be great for those looking to power their outdoor tools or electronics. Hence, look out for positive reviews and grab the right one for your use.

Out of all these types, one thing you need to consider is safety. Remember that a faulty installation of cables can easily lead to disastrous accidents here is safety guide to handle power cords. Therefore, before you carry out any electrical installation projects, make sure to check all the technical aspects of that environment.

SF Cable stocks all of these cords; you can understand them more from our website and blog. Please reach out to us if you have any questions.

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