9 Types of Outlets You Can Find in Your Home (and What They’re For)
Every time you plug something into a wall outlet, you’re using the enormous power of an electron to power your video games and cool your drinks, making knowing a little information about these outlets an important aspect of home ownership. After all, plugging an appliance into the wrong outlet or replacing it with the wrong one is an easy way to destroy your property and cause yourself harm . So, here are 9 outlets you may find in your home that you should know about.
Sockets, Sockets, Amplifiers and Volts
Everyone knows what you mean when you say you’re going to plug something into an outlet, but technically , an outlet is where you have access to the wiring. The installation location of the lamp is a socket. The socket is the place where the plug is inserted. In practice, people use them quite interchangeably.
Power outlets are characterized by current (amps) and voltage (volts). You don’t really need to know too much about this as someone who wants to keep their toaster from tripping on the circuit breaker, but it’s important because all of your appliances and devices require certain amperages and voltages to operate properly and safely. You can think of volts as the “force” of electricity, something like water pressure – the force that propels energy – and amps as the “speed” or volume of electricity. Some appliances require a lot of electricity very quickly, others require less and more slowly. Plugging them into the wrong outlet can be fun! But it is also very dangerous.
Unfounded
If your home only has two-prong outlets, your home’s electrical infrastructure is outdated and needs some attention. These plugs do not have a grounding pin and are quite dangerous because any short circuit can cause electricity to flow into you if you touch it, and can even cause a fire if they spark. They stopped being standard in the 1960s and were banned entirely in the early 1970s , so even if your units have been working great for many years, you should seriously consider replacing them.
15 amps, 110/120 volts
This three-prong outlet is the most common in your home. It provides 110 or 120 volts with a maximum current of 15 amps to a long list of standard devices and small appliances such as phone chargers, computers, toasters, etc. and lamps. The bottom pin is the ground, which prevents electricity from jumping out of the outlet. And if you see a face here, then this is a phenomenon called pareidolia .
20 amps, 120/125 volts
These outlets have a top left pin that looks like a “T” on the side. They provide slightly higher amperage for appliances that use more power than most, such as a microwave oven. However, the amplifier and voltage ratings are maximum, so you can also connect devices that require less power.
20 amps, 240/250 volts
Larger appliances (such as an electric stove) that require more energy to operate are connected to one of them. You can tell a 250V 20A plug from a 125V plug by the right-hand pin that is located on the side. This means that you will not be able to plug small items into this outlet due to the higher voltage.
30 amps, 240/250 volts
The 30A 240/250V outlet (third from the left from the top in the image above) has two side contacts. It is designed for devices that require high power. You will often find one of these installed near the windows in your home because they are used for large window air conditioners.
30 amps, 125/250 volts
This rosette (top line, far right in the image above) has two slanted prongs and one prong that resembles the letter “L”. You’ll see them called “appliance outlets” because they are used by washers, dryers, and other large appliances in the home.
50 amps, 125/250 volts
This is an industrial grade power outlet that is rarely found in a residential home – it is simply not necessary. You may find it in the garage or if the house has some kind of dedicated workshop, especially if the previous owner had serious hobbies such as welding. Chances are, if you have one, you won’t need it.
GFCI and AFCI
Available in different amperage and voltage ranges, these outlets look very similar and have similar functionality . They can be identified by the reset buttons on the front of the outlet. Ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) receptacles are designed to detect when current has gone somewhere it shouldn’t (like your body) and shut off. They are needed in wet areas such as kitchens and bathrooms to prevent water from shorting the socket. Arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) don’t prevent electrical shock, they prevent electrical fires by detecting electrical leaks and shutting them off accordingly.
USB socket
If your home is fairly new or has recently been rewired, you may be able to find a USB outlet. It’s pretty simple: it’s a 15 or 20 amp, 120 or 125 volt outlet that has USB connections in addition to or instead of a three-prong plug. This can be convenient if you have a lot of devices that need charging.