They have this collection of non-interchangeable connections by design. The International Electrotechnical Commission ( EIC) is the standards body in charge of plugging things in. You’d be excused for not knowing what type of adapter to bring.

Some of the “standards” only apply to a single country. The A and B plugs/sockets are familiar in the USA and a few other countries. Image Credit: EIC - Shaded in Blue, places where the C style plug and socket are in common use. Meanwhile, you’d probably end up with USB, wireless or another form of connectivity on the device’s data side.įigure 1. The beauty of these power modules is that the potential heat and switching noise of the regulator is kept away from the rest of the electronics. The other goods get an in-line power supply in the form of a wall-wart that transforms the alternating current to direct current while stepping the voltage level down to a device-friendly level. If you were to say you wanted a NEMA cable, you would get the typical three-prong setup we see shipped with most of our electronic goods. The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) is setting local standards for the United States and others that wish to go along with those standards. Type A and B sockets (110VAC) are familiar in North America along with a few outliers such as Japan. That qualifies as deadly! The Mains Power, Where it All Starts Most of the time, the wall socket is energized with 220 volts of alternating current.

The voltage coming out of the wall outlet is often our first introduction to invisible dangers. In a lateral sense, there are connectors of some kind involved in bringing this story to you.

Connector for electrical circuit maker