AC Power Cords by Region: NEMA, Schuko, BS1363 & Certification Standards

AC Bare-End Power Adapter Pigtail Lead Wire2

AC Power Cords by Region: NEMA, Schuko, BS1363 & Certification Standards

Every market ships appliances with a different wall plug. If you distribute power cords internationally, matching the plug, rating, and certification to the destination market is non-negotiable. This reference covers the four families buyers ask about most.

Plug standards by market

Region	Plug type	Standard	Voltage / rating
USA / Canada	NEMA 5-15P	NEMA	125 V, 15 A
EU	Schuko (CEE 7/7)	CEE	250 V, 16 A
UK	BS1363 (13 A fused)	BSI	250 V, 13 A
IEC appliance inlet	C13 / C15 / C19	IEC 60320	10–16 A

IEC connector types (the appliance end)

C13 / C14 — most common, 10 A, used for PCs, monitors, servers.
C15 / C16 — 15 A “kettle” connector, higher temperature rating for kettles and AV gear.
C19 / C20 — 16 A for rack PDUs and high-draw equipment.

Certifications you must verify

UL / CSA — North America electrical safety (look for the file number).
CE — EU declaration of conformity.
BSI (ASTA) — UK BS1363 approval.
RoHS / REACH — substance restrictions.
ISO 9001 — factory quality system.

A cord sold as “universal” is a red flag. Plug geometry and certification are market-specific by law.

Custom and bulk sourcing

For private label or bundled SKUs, specify jacket (H05VV-F PVC vs rubber), length, AWG (typically 18/17/16 AWG), and fuse rating (UK). SYY Cable manufactures NEMA, Schuko, BS1363 and IEC power cords in Shenzhen with UL, CE, ISO 9001 and RoHS compliance, and supports drawing-based custom lengths and molding.

常见问题解答

Q: What is the difference between C13 and C15 power cords?
A: C15 has a higher temperature rating (120 °C vs 70 °C) and a notch on the connector; it is used for kettles and high-heat AV equipment, while C13 serves standard 10 A IT gear.

Q: Is a Schuko plug grounded?
A: Yes. Schuko (CEE 7/7) is a grounded 250 V / 16 A plug with side earth clips and is accepted across most of Europe.

Q: Can one AC power cord be used worldwide?
A: No. Plug geometry and safety certification are market-specific; you need region-matched cords (NEMA for US, Schuko for EU, BS1363 for UK).