Standard 120v Plug Wiring
For example the 5 in the common 5 15 represents 3 wire 125v and the 15 represents 15 amp.
Standard 120v plug wiring. A ul knot secures the cord. Electrical plugs and sockets differ from one another in voltage and current rating shape size and connector type. How to wire a simple 120v electrical circuit. Different standard systems of plugs and sockets are used around the world.
Hiring an electrician is usually the best way to go where 120 volt circuits are concerned but if you are up to it you might save money by doing some basic electrical work yourself. Nema designations are based on a two part code where the numbers before the dash represent voltage and wires and the numbers after the dash represent amperage. Pinfox 10ft 18 gauge 3 prong heavy duty replacement power supply cord cable 110v 115v 120v pigtail for universal ac appliance nema 5 15 plug us sjt 18awg 10a 4 7 out of 5 stars 177 12 99 12. Household wiring design has two 120 volt hot wires and a neutral which is at ground potential.
The two 120 volt wires are obtained by grounding the centertap of the transformer supplying the house so that when one hot wire is swinging positive with respect to ground the other is swinging negative. Use the nema plug chart below to identify a configuration by pin array or designation. In 110v plug wiring you re dealing with 14 or 12 gauge wire. These are also quite different from the standard 120v outlets having more wires higher voltage and greater hazards and safety risks.
Each of these outlets is a 240 volt outlet designed to supply more electrical power for your larger appliances through the 240 volt wiring and 240v single phase plug.