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Why Can’t I Use A NEMA 5-15 Power Cord World Wide?

Video Transcript

Ralph Bright—
Hello, I’m Ralph Bright, Vice President of Marketing and IT at Interpower.

We have real people answering the phones each day at Interpower which means we receive a number of product design questions. Usually if a question has been asked by one person, it means that others also have the same question.

One commonly asked question is: “Why can’t I use a NEMA 5-15 power cord in other countries?”

To answer this question, we have Bob Wersen, President of the Interpower Group of Companies. Welcome, Bob.

Bob Wersen—
Thank you, Ralph.

Ralph—
So, why can’t I use a NEMA 5-15 power cord in other countries?

Bob—
First of all, the NEMA 5-15 is intended for use in North America. The NEMA Nomenclature used by U-L and C-S-A states that a NEMA 5-15 be used only up to 125 volts. The “5” in the “5-15” signifies the voltage rating. More  specifically, it signifies the voltage configuration.

Ralph—
What if I want to use a North American plug that is U-L and C-S-A approved at 250 volts?

Bob—
Then you will need to use a different configuration, such as the NEMA 6-15.

Ralph—
Are there countries outside of North America who are using this plug?

Bob—
Yes, there may be some countries who have not yet standardized their electrical regulations and are allowing the use of the NEMA 5-15 at 220 V-A-C. But, companies need to be really cautious with this. It is essential to use due diligence in testing the power cord to make sure there are no safety issues involved by using it at 220 volts. To reiterate, the NEMA 5-15 is intended for use in North America.

Ralph—
Where do the numbers “5-15” come from?

Bob—
From the National Electrical Manufacturers Association or NEMA. It has set standards so that consistency and safety can be achieved. A system has been set up to standardize the description and rating of plug and socket patterns.

Ralph—
What do the numbers stand for?

Bob—
The first number determines the voltage level.

A “1” identifies that the configuration is rated at 125 volts, Class II—meaning ungrounded.
A “5” identifies that the configuration is rated at 125 volts, Class I—meaning grounded.
And a “6” means it is rated at 250 volts, Class I.
The second number is a system of identifying the amperage ratings—from 15 to 60 amps.
The letter “P” or “R” at the end of the number series refers to either a plug or receptacle.

Ralph—
Can you give a couple of examples?

Bob—
The 1-15-R  means it is a 125 volt, Class II, 15-amp receptacle. The L-5-20-P  is a locking, 125 volt, Class I, 20-amp plug.

Ralph—
Thank you Bob for the information and thank you for joining us today.

To see a list of the NEMA configurations, Interpower has a chart available called Connect to North America. To access it, please see our website at www.interpower.com.

If you have a question that you would like answered, please let us know by e-mailing us at info@interpower.com or calling us at 1–800–662–2290. For more information, check our website at www.interpower.com.

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