science

Perilex

Perilex 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 Perilex rather than just read about it. In short: Perilex is the trade name for an approved indoor five-pin three-phase electric power connector system used in Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. It has mostly been superseded by the IEC 60309 system used throughout Europe.

Key takeaways

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

Reference excerpt

Perilex is the trade name for an approved indoor five-pin three-phase electric power connector system used in Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. It has mostly been superseded by the IEC 60309 system used throughout Europe. There are two variants, a more common 16 A version and a rarely used 25 A version. The connectors are equipped with five pins for protective earth (PE), a neutral conductor (N) and three phase conductors (L1, L2, L3; formerly: R, S, T). As the German industrial standard VDE 0100 prescribed the phase sequence for all types of three-phase connectors in a way incompatible with the original Perilex pinout, the R and T connectors may have been swapped. The PE socket protrudes slightly in order to give PE "first mate, last break" characteristics. In order to distinguish the variants, the 16 A version has a horizontal PE pin, whereas it is vertical in the 25 A variant. In Germany, Perilex connectors have been standardised by DIN. The 16 A version is DIN 49445 (socket) and DIN 49446 (plug) and the 25 A version is DIN 49447 (socket) and DIN 49448 (plug). For indoor use at max 25A, it replaced an earlier (interwar period) flat oval-shaped 4-pin connector (3 phases and protective earth) that was standardized in DIN 49450 / DIN 49451. for up to 100A. These oval plugs could get damaged, accidentally or intentionally in order to try reversing the rotation direction of a motor like those with older 3-pin connectors, thus they were considered a peril that needed to be eliminated by a better system. The Perilex range was introduced in 1951 by supplier Busch-Jaeger and came in common use in the 1960s when electric stoves became popular. The oval system was removed in West Germany from 1974 until 1980, replaced by the IEC 60309 system, but use continued in East Germany even after reunification, mainly in farms. The Perilex connectors were usually confined to small businesses (e.g. bakeries, restaurants), medical facilities (hospitals, laboratories) and homes, where they had the advantages of smaller form factor and better cleanability. As electric stoves in kitchens usually remain in use for years at the same place their wires are often connected directly in a junction box without any plug, like tankless water heating. If devices are mobile, frequently plugged and unplugged, and used in various places, a robust and commonly used system is preferred, thus Perilex was superseded by the IEC 60309 system used throughout Europe. At construction sites and industrial facilities, on fairgrounds and in concert venues, the IEC connectors are preferred due to their better robustness and due to being approved for medium-term outdoor use. Furthermore, it is unwise to connect three-phase electrical motors to Perilex sockets due to the aforementioned ambiguity regarding the phase sequence. Since 1 January 1975, the new installation of the Perilex system has been "outlawed" in Germany for industrial installation, but use continues to be legal in homes, hospitals and small businesses. A conceptually similar (but incompatible) plug exists in Switzerland as SN 441011 type 15 (10 A) and type 25 (16 A). In France, instead of Perilex, NF C 61-315 was used. NF C 61-315 provides single & multiple phases for rating up to 32 A. Several plug & socket profiles exist to match the phases number and the various rating. But NF C 61-315 is being replaced by IEC 60309 for outdoor use or direct attach for home use (mainly oven plugs).

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Perilex

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Perilex 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 Perilex 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 Perilex 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 Perilex

In research: Perilex 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 Perilex 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: Perilex is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Mains power connectors, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Perilex 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.

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How to study Perilex in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Perilex 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 Perilex out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Perilex in simple terms?

Why does Perilex 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 Perilex?

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 Perilex.