Electrical Outlet Types of North America
From Free Knowledge Base- The DUCK Project: information for everyone
Most important in the classification of outlets is voltage and the amperage they are suited for. By these features there are four main types of outlets:
- 120 V, 15 Amp, NEMA 1-15
- 120 V, 20 Amp, NEMA 1-20
- 220-240 V, 15 Amp, NEMA 2-15
- 220-240 V, 20 Amp, NEMA 2-20
In the United States the most widely used type of outlets is 120 V, 15 Amp, although some electric devices require outlets for higher voltage and/or higher amperage. These requirements are usually linked with the power consumption of electrical devices. Since lights use little power, they can safely be on an 120V 15A outlet, while power-consuming devices such as an electrical heater may require outlets with higher amperage or/and voltage to work safely.
