science

IEC 60320

IEC 60320 is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand IEC 60320 rather than just read about it. In short: IEC 60320, entitled "Appliance couplers for household and similar general purposes", is a set of standards published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) that defines non-locking appliance couplers for connecting power supply cords to electrical appliances. These couplers are intended for use with devices operating at voltages up to 250 volts (AC) and currents up to 16 amperes.

Key takeaways

IEC 60320 belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect IEC 60320 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of IEC 60320 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

IEC 60320, entitled "Appliance couplers for household and similar general purposes", is a set of standards published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) that defines non-locking appliance couplers for connecting power supply cords to electrical appliances. These couplers are intended for use with devices operating at voltages up to 250 volts (AC) and currents up to 16 amperes. The standard specifies various types of connectors, differentiated by shape and size, to accommodate different combinations of current ratings, temperature tolerances, and earthing requirements. Unlike IEC 60309 connectors, IEC 60320 couplers are not keyed or colour-coded to indicate voltage; it is the responsibility of the user to ensure that the appliance's voltage rating is compatible with the local mains supply. The standard uses the term coupler to refer collectively to both the appliance inlets and outlets, as well as the connectors on power supply cords. The first edition of the standard was published in 1970 under the designation IEC 320. It was renumbered to IEC 60320 in 1994 as part of the IEC's revision and reorganization of its numbering system.

Terminology

Appliance couplers enable the use of standard inlets and country-specific cord sets which allow manufacturers to produce the same appliance for many markets, where only the cord set has to be changed for a particular market. Interconnection couplers allow a power supply from a piece of equipment or an appliance to be made available to other equipment or appliances. Couplers described under these standards have standardized current and temperature ratings. The parts of the couplers are defined in the standard as follows.

Connector: "part of the appliance coupler integral with, or intended to be attached to, one cord connected to the supply". Appliance inlet: "part of the appliance coupler integrated as a part of an appliance or incorporated as a separate part in the appliance or equipment or intended to be fixed to it". Plug connector: "part of the interconnection coupler integral with or intended to be attached to one cord". Appliance outlet: "part of the interconnection coupler which is the part integrated or incorporated in the appliance or equipment or intended to be fixed to it and from which the supply is obtained". Cord set: "assembly consisting of one cable or cord fitted with one non-rewirable plug and one non-rewirable connector, intended for the connection of an electrical appliance or equipment to the electrical supply". Interconnection cord set: "assembly consisting of one cable or cord fitted with one non-rewirable plug connector and one non-rewirable connector, intended for the interconnection between two electrical appliances". Non-rewirable plugs and connectors are typically permanently moulded onto cords and cannot be removed or rewired without cutting the cords. The standard uses the terms "male" and "female" only for individual pins and socket contacts, but in general usage they are also applied to the complete plugs and connectors. "Connectors" and "appliance outlets" are fitted with socket contacts, and "appliance inlets" and "plug connectors" are fitted with pin contacts. Each type of coupler is identified by a standard sheet number. For appliance couplers this consists of the letter "C" followed by a number, where the standard sheet for the appliance inlet is 1 higher than the sheet for the corresponding cable connector. Many types of coupler also have common names. The most common ones are "IEC connector" for the common C13 and C14, the "figure-8 connector" for C7 and C8, and "cloverleaf connector" or "Mickey Mouse connector" for the C5/C6. "Kettle plug" (often "jug plug" in Australian or New Zealand English) is a colloquial term used for the high-temperature C16 appliance inlet (and sometimes for C15 connector that the plug goes into). “Kettle/jug plug” is also informally used to refer to regular temperature-rated C13 and C14 connectors. (A high-temperature-rated cord with a C15 connector can be used to power a computer with a C14 plug, but a cord with a low-temperature C13 connector will not fit a high-temperature appliance that has a C16 plug.)

Application Detachable appliance couplers are used in office equipment, measuring instruments, IT environments, and medical devices, among many types of equipment for worldwide distribution. Each appliance's power system must be adapted to the different plugs used in different regions. An appliance with a permanently-attached plug for use in one country cannot be readily sold in another which uses an incompatible wall socket; this requires keeping track of variations throughout the product's life cycle from assembly and testing to shipping and repairs. Instead, a country-specific power supply cord can be included in the product packaging, so that model variations are minimized and factory testing is simplified. A cord which is fitted with non-rewireable (usually moulded) connectors at both ends is termed a cord set. Appliance manufacturing may be simplified by mounting an appliance coupler directly on the printed circuit board. Assembly and handling of an appliance is easier if the power cord can be removed without much effort. Appliances can be used in another country easily, with a simple change of the power supply cord (including a connector and a country-specific plug). The power supply cord can be replaced easily if damaged, because it is a standardized part that can be unplugged and re-inserted. Safety hazards, maintenance expenditure and repairs are minimized.

Standards

Parts of the standard IEC 60320 is divided into several parts:

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with IEC 60320

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what IEC 60320 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to IEC 60320 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about IEC 60320 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of IEC 60320

In research: IEC 60320 appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses IEC 60320 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: IEC 60320 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics IEC standards, Mains power connectors, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for IEC 60320 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “IEC 60320” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study IEC 60320 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what IEC 60320 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain IEC 60320 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is IEC 60320 in simple terms?

Why does IEC 60320 matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study IEC 60320?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on IEC 60320.