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SN 441011, until 2019 SEV 1011, [1] is the Swiss national standard for AC power plug for domestic use and similar purposes. The plug SN 441011 Type 12 and the socket SN 441011 Type 13 are also known internationally as Type J.
The plug-in system defined in the standard for 250 V / 440 V alternating voltage at 50 Hz is structured to be “hierarchically downward compatible”. [2] This means that sockets designed for 16 amps also accept plugs for 10 amps, but not the other way around, and that 2- or 3-pole (single-phase) plugs can also be used with 5-pole (three-phase) sockets. The Euro plug (2.5 A) also fits into all 4 socket types.
In all versions with three or five contact pins (Types 12/13, 15, 23 and 25) the middle pole is the protective contact. Although the contact pins are of the same length, the protective contact is in advance because the sockets for the neutral conductor and phase conductor(s) are sunk deeper in the socket. The offset arrangement of the contacts ensures reverse polarity protection (with a socket, the phase conductor is on the right and the protective conductor is at the bottom). [3] The sockets are equipped with protective collars. Sockets without protective collars were allowed outside of wet rooms until 2016, but existing sockets of this type can continue to be operated.
The Swiss standard was first described in SEV 1011 (ASE1011/1959 SW10A-R). On 4 December 2009, the TK23 Technical Committee issued the new revised edition of the Swiss standard SEV 1011:2009 for 10-A plugs and 11/12 sockets to provide, among other things, improved protection against contact with partially insulated pins can. As of 1 January 2013, imports into Switzerland of Type 11 and Type 12 plugs are only permitted with partially insulated plug pins. After the year 2016, only sockets type 13 with a recessed socket hole may be brought onto the market.
From the Type 12 proposed in 1937 [4] and introduced in 1953, the international standard IEC 60906-1 was derived in 1986, on which only the national standards of Brazil (NBR 14136 or Type N) and South Africa (SANS 164-2) are based. Despite the great similarity, these are not compatible with SN 441011, as the polarity has been reversed in IEC 60906-1 and the earthing contact is only 3 mm offset from the center line instead of 5 mm. (A combined socket, which accepts both plugs according to SN 441011 and IEC 60906-1, would, however, be easy to implement, since a further hole for the earthing contact with the smaller distance would only have to be added opposite the previous central hole.) The hexagonal shape of the Euro plug (2.5 A) is also derived from the Swiss standard. This differs only slightly from the connector Type 11 (10 A).
| Single phase, Earthed | Three-phase, Earthed | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 A |  Type 13 |  Type 15 |
| 16 A |  Type 23 |  Type 25 |
| Single phase, Live & Neutral | Single phase, Earthed, Live, & Neutral | Three-phase, Earthed, 3 × Live, & Neutral | Cross section of the contact pins | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 A |  Europlug | 4 × π ≈ 12,57 mm² | ||
| 10 A |  Type 11 |  Type 12 |  Type 15 | 4 × π ≈ 12,57 mm² |
| 16 A | Type 21 |  Type 23 |  Type 25 | 4 × 5 = 20 mm² |
The Swiss standard is described in SN 441011 "Plugs and sockets for household use and similar purposes", [5] which contains the following standard sheets:
Products according to the outdated standard SEV 1011:2009 may only be manufactured or imported until February 28, 2022.
Until 2019, SEV 1011:2009 (ASE1011 / 1959 SW10A-R) was the relevant standard.
On December 4, 2009, the technical committee TK23 published the new, revised edition of the then standard SEV 1011:2009 for 10 A plugs and sockets of type 11/12 in order to offer, among other things, improved protection against contact with partially insulated connector pins can.
From January 1, 2013, the import of Type 11 and Type 12 plugs into Switzerland will only be permitted with partially insulated pins. After 2016, only Type 13 sockets with a recessed socket hole may be brought onto the market.
The 10 A series has been gradually standardized:
Then the 16 A variant (types 21, 23, 25) was introduced in 1997.
Originally, T12 plugs and sockets (the most common in domestic use) posed a safety concern. As the T12 sockets are flat and as the pins of the plugs did not have any insulation, the electrical contact was established in the pins even though the latter remained accessible, not fully inserted.
T13 sockets do not present this risk because they are recessed. When the electrical contact is made, the pins are fully within the recess and are therefore not accessible. T13 sockets were required in wet spaces (bathrooms, kitchens, etc.) and in many workplace environments.
The 2009 revision of the SEV 1011 standard therefore introduced two measures:
Measure 1 alone ensures electrical safety in new installations, but it does not improve the safety of existing installations. However, electrical outlets often remain in place for decades. Measure 2 then makes it possible to improve safety when using existing T12 sockets: when electrical contact is made in a partially insulated pin, the conductive part is no longer accessible, even with a non-recessed. Since electrical appliances are replaced comparatively often (more often than sockets), the situation should improve overall in a few years.
A DC connector is an electrical connector for supplying direct current (DC) power.
"Schuko" is a registered trademark referring to a system of AC power plugs and sockets that is defined as "CEE 7/3" (sockets) and "CEE 7/4" (plugs). A Schuko plug features two round pins of 4.8 mm diameter for the line and neutral contacts, plus two flat contact areas on the top and bottom side of the plug for protective earth (ground). The socket has a predominantly circular recess which is 17.5 mm deep with two symmetrical round apertures and two earthing clips on the sides of the socket positioned to ensure that the earth is always engaged before live pin contact is made. Schuko plugs and sockets are symmetric AC connectors. They can be mated in two ways, therefore line can be connected to either pin of the appliance plug. As with most types of European sockets, Schuko sockets can accept Europlugs. Schuko plugs are considered a very safe design when used with Schuko sockets, but they can also mate with other sockets to give an unsafe result.
AC power plugs and sockets connect electric equipment to the alternating current (AC) mains electricity power supply in buildings and at other sites. Electrical plugs and sockets differ from one another in voltage and current rating, shape, size, and connector type. Different standard systems of plugs and sockets are used around the world.
A banana connector is a single-wire electrical connector used for joining wires to equipment. The term 4 mm connector is also used, especially in Europe, although not all banana connectors will mate with 4 mm parts, and 2 mm banana connectors exist. Various styles of banana plug contacts exist, all based on the concept of spring metal applying outward force into the unsprung cylindrical jack to produce a snug fit with good electrical conductivity. Common types include: a solid pin split lengthwise and splayed slightly, a tip of four leaf springs, a cylinder with a single leaf spring on one side, a bundle of stiff wire, a central pin surrounded by a multiple-slit cylinder with a central bulge, or simple sheet spring metal rolled into a nearly complete cylinder. The plugs are frequently used to terminate patch cords for electronic test equipment such as laboratory power supply units, while sheathed banana plugs are common on multimeter probe leads.
IEC 60309 is a series of international standards from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for "plugs, socket-outlets and couplers for industrial purposes". The maximum voltage allowed by the standard is 1000 V DC or AC; the maximum current, 800 A; and the maximum frequency, 500 Hz. The ambient temperature range is −25 °C to 40 °C.
Mains electricity by country includes a list of countries and territories, with the plugs, voltages and frequencies they commonly use for providing electrical power to low voltage appliances, equipment, and lighting typically found in homes and offices. Some countries have more than one voltage available. For example, in North America most sockets are attached to a 120 V supply, but there is a 240 V supply available for large appliances. Often different sockets are mandated for different voltage or current levels.
Industrial and multiphase plugs and sockets provide a connection to the electrical mains rated at higher voltages and currents than household plugs and sockets. They are generally used in polyphase systems, with high currents, or when protection from environmental hazards is required. Industrial outlets may have weatherproof covers, waterproofing sleeves, or may be interlocked with a switch to prevent accidental disconnection of an energized plug. Some types of connectors are approved for hazardous areas such as coal mines or petrochemical plants, where flammable gas may be present.
Electrical wiring in the United Kingdom is commonly understood to be an electrical installation for operation by end users within domestic, commercial, industrial, and other buildings, and also in special installations and locations, such as marinas or caravan parks. It does not normally cover the transmission or distribution of electricity to them.
The Europlug is a flat, two-pole, round-pin domestic AC power plug, rated for voltages up to 250 V and currents up to 2.5 A. It is a compromise design intended to connect low-power Class II appliances safely to the many different forms of round-pin domestic power socket used across Europe. However, it is not compatible with the rectangular-pin BS 1363 sockets found in Cyprus, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom. Europlugs are non-rewirable and must be supplied attached to a power cord.
IEC 60906-1 is an international standard designed "to provide a standard for a safe, compact and practical 16 A 250 V AC system of plugs and socket-outlets that could be accepted by many countries as their national standard, even if not in the near future." The standard was originally published by the International Electrotechnical Commission in 1986; the current edition is ed2.0 published in 2009. Although it is almost identical to the Swiss SEV 1011 T12 plug for 10 A 250 V a.c. standardized in 1937, its dimensions are slightly different and its polarization is flipped. As of July 2014, only South Africa has introduced a standard based closely on IEC 60906-1. Brazil used it as the basis for its NBR 14136 standard, but this is not compatible with IEC 60906-1. In 2017 the European Union (EU) published recommendations advising against the harmonisation of domestic plug and socket systems in the EU.
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Plugs and sockets for electrical appliances not hardwired to mains electricity originated in the United Kingdom in the 1870s and were initially two-pin designs. These were usually sold as a mating pair, but gradually de facto and then official standards arose to enable the interchange of compatible devices. British standards have proliferated throughout large parts of the former British Empire.
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Plugs and sockets for portable appliances started becoming available in the 1880s. A proliferation of types developed to address the issues of convenience and protection from electric shock. Today there are approximately 20 types in common use around the world, and many obsolete socket types are still found in older buildings.
CEE 7 is a standard for alternating-current plugs and sockets. First published in 1951 by the former International Commission on the Rules for the Approval of Electrical Equipment (IECEE), it unified standards produced by several continental European countries. The 2nd edition was published in 1963 and last updated in March 1983. It remains available from the IEC, but they state that "this standard shall not be used alone, it is to be used in addition to IEC 60884-1".