The power cord industry can be confusing. But the more you know, the better. Today we will discuss the differences between IEC-C13 and C15 connectors.
First, the obvious difference is the notch on the C15 connector. It is similar in form to the C13, except with a notch opposite the earth in the C15 connector. IEC-C15 connectors will work in the C14 inlets however,
IEC-C13 connectors won’t fit into C16 inlets. Think of it like this: an electric kettle cord can be used to power a computer, but an unmodified computer cord cannot be used to power the kettle.
Second, the I
EC-C15 differs from the C13 because of the temperature rating. These C15 connectors are specifically designed for higher temperature devices, for example: electric kettles, computing networking closets or server rooms, and PoE (Power over Ethernet) switches with higher wattage power supplies. The temperature rating for these connectors is 120°C.
Now, we have the standard IEC-C13 connector which runs everything from desktop/personal computers, monitors, printers and amplifiers to fixed-configuration switches. They are typically rated at 15A/250V (domestically) and 10A/250V (Internationally) with the temperature rating at 65°C.
Next time you need a power cord for a device with higher temperature, use a C15 instead of a C13!