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CEE 7/16 standard Europlugs and matching sockets |
 CEE 7… |
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CEE 7/16 standard Europlugs and matching sockets |
CEE 7… |
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| Europlugs
are compatible with the following types of sockets: CEE 7/3 (Schuko),
CEE 7/5 (French), SN 441011 (Swiss), CEI 23-50 (Italian), DS 107-2D1 (Danish), SI 32 (Israeli) and IEC 60906-1 and other outlets that accept
plugs with two round pins, 19 mm apart. Two CEE 7/16 variants exist. Variant I refers to round, unearthed plugs with 4.0 mm pins. Variant II are flat plugs, shown on this page. The name Europlug refers to variant II. |
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Related
gallery: CEE 7/1 sockets and CEE 7/2 plugs |
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About Europlugs |
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| 1 | Europlugs
are
non-earthed plugs that have have
two round pins
with a diameter of 4.0 mm,
positioned ca. 19 mm apart. Europlugs are 35.3 mm wide and 13.7 mm thick and have a characteristic shape with hexagonal sides. They are designed for currents up to 2.5A - 250V. A characteristic feature of Europlugs are slightly flexible, converging pins. These non-parallel pins are necessary to make sufficient contact in 16A sockets (see image no. 2). Insulated sleeves are compulsory. They prevent an electric shock when a plug is not fully inserted (a possibility in adapter no 6). |
| 2 | Europlug
pins positioned on top of contacts of Schuko scocket. Contacts are
designed for 16A pins that have a diameter of 4.8 mm. Nevertheless 4.0
mm Europlug pins touch the wider Schuko contacts sufficiently (red
arrows), because of the converging flexible pins (see image nos 1 and
3). |
| 3 | Often Europlugs are
moulded to power cords (see no. 1). However, also rewirable plugs
exist. The image shows a disassembled rewireable 2.5A Europlug.
Manufacturer: Bachmann, Stuttgart, Germany. |
| 4 | Europlug
compatible connector plug moulded to an extension cord. Note that
rewireable connector plugs exists also. Manufacturer: Hongyi Group Co.. Ltd, Cixi, PRC |
| 5 | Europlugs
fit in many socket types, see list given in the introductory note.
There also exists sockets specially designed for Europlugs, but these
sockets are not covered by the CEE 7/16 standard. The triple Europlug socket shown here is made by the Polish company Ospel. It is rated at 2.5A, which probably relates to each individual outlet, thus 7.5A in total. {WM} |
| 6,
7 |
Two examples of
triple Europlug adapters that fit in CEE 7/1 (not earthed), CEE 7/3
(Schuko), CEE 7/5 (French) sockets. Manufacturers: German companies Kopp (6) and Gebrüder Broghammer (7). |
| 8 | Europlug with a detachable wire contact. A series of 16 small light bulbs (14V each) is connected to the wire. To attach the bulbs to a Christmas tree it is convenient to temporarily break open the loop wire. |
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| 9 | PinFix. A simple adapter for Schuko sockets that gives Europlugs additional support. Europlugs have pins with a diameter of 4.0 mm, whereas Schuko slots are scaled for 4.8 mm pins. This mismatch may result in a somewhat unstable connection, notably when a bulky or heavy appliance plug is used, for example a cell phone or laptop charger. |
| 10 - 12 | Schuko
socket without PinFix (no. 11). Schuko socket with PinFix (no. 12) and
Europlug inserted (no. 13). The only drawback of the adapter is the difficulty to detach it from a socket. |
| 13 | Rewireable
plug and matching connector. They have a shape similar to
Europlugs, but pins are not flexible and rating is 6A, rather than
2.5A. Manufacturer: Legrand, Limoges, France Images right shows that the connector is equipped with a worm-drive, an unusual mechanism to (dis)assemble the internal part. Procedure: use a screwdriver to rotate the black screw (1); the screw rotates a worm (2). Worm meshes with cogged strips which are fixed parts of the inside of the housing (3). An anti-clockwise rotating worm takes the internal part out. A clockwise rotation pulls it into the housing. An ingenious and safe system. |
| 14 | French
6A connector plug for 2-pin flat plugs, such as Europlugs and similar.
Inner dimensions: width: 39 mm, height: 18 mm. Plug has a Norme Française (NF) mark with code 1362AP. Unknown manufacturer, using logo top right. {SC} In France genuine Euro-connector plugs (no. 4) are on sale also, but the no. 14 connector type is more common. |
| Europlug lookalikes |
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| Specifications (in mm) of four plugs shown
in image no. 14 |
| pin spacing base tip |
pin length |
pin diameter (tip) |
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| Europlug |
18.9 - 17.8 |
19.1 | 4.0 |
| BS 4673 plug |
16.7 - 16.7 | 16.4 | 5.1 |
| 5A - 10A plug |
19.0 - 19.0 | 16.8* | 4.0 |
| unknown plug | 15.9 - 15.6 | 18.6 | 3.9 |
| * pin length may differ, for
example: French 5A: 16.8; Swiss T11 (10A): 18.6; Spanish 10A: 19.2 |
| 15 | Comparison
of four 2-pin flat plugs that have a hexagonal
shape (shown far left). Only the grey plug is a genuine CEE 7/16
Europlug. The other three plugs have a similar shape, but pin
specifications differ. (1) Europlug: flexible, converging 4.0 mm pins; pins must have insulating sleeves.1 (2) BS 4573 shaver plug: smaller pin spacing and length, and larger pin diameter than Europlugs; sleeves are obligatory.2 (3) Several countries allow Europlug shaped 5 - 10 Amp plugs with inflexible pins; some have insulating sleeves.3 (4) mystery plug: pin spacing comparable to BS 4573, pin diameter comparable to Europlugs, but no insulating sleeves. Rating is not indicated, but because plug cord was attached to an immersion water heater, a rating of about 5A is likely.2 It is unclear for which type of socket the plug is meant, because it doesn't comply with any known standard. Manufacturer is unknown. The water heater has been bought from an eBay trader in Lithuania. {PTB} 1 plug fit in 10A sockets and, because of
converging pins, also in 16A sockets that have wider contacts for 4.8
mm pins.
2 plug fit in BS 4573 sockets and 2-pin 5A BS 372 Part I sockets, among others still in use in India. 3 plug fit in 10A sockets, but 4.0 mm pins make insufficient contact in 16A sockets. |
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Similar 2-pin plugs |
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