What are Power Cords? Which Cord Powers Your Computer?
You just cannot take away the electrical oxygen we require for survival! All our major day to day activities either are contingent on machines or electricity or both. We need machines and machines need electricity. Electricity is the flow of electrons through a conductor. Now, to align that flow of electrons, we need a metal conductor sheathed inside a poly vinyl chloride insulator (PVC). This equipment typically known as a power cord.
Power cord, power connector, mains cable or line cord – call it with any of those names but the purpose it serves would not change. These power cords let you connect your electrical appliance through itself with one of its ends plugged in the wall socket or a wall extension board and its other end is plugged in the receptacle installed on the appliance, to build a system of temporary connection.
Appliances which are purely power backed, need these power cords to get connected with the main electrical supply line for powering and energizing itself. Few appliances are battery backed and they majorly need the connection only to recharge the batteries. These cords are capable of carrying alternating current as well as direct current.
One end of the power cords has the plug and the other end has a connector. The connector is inserted in the receptacle and the plug is plugged in the wall socket. Both these ends can be of male or female origin.
NEMA Power Cords
Back in 1926, National Electrical Manufacturing Association was established in North America which developed the NEMA 1 connector. The connector itself dates back to roughly the same time period. Today NEMA connectors are generally used all over the North American Continent and in countries which have specified the NEMA standards.
The basic NEMA power supply cable has 2 flat pins which are almost 5 inches apart from each other. If it also consists of round pin right below the two flat pins, it is NEMA type 5. The third pin is generally used for grounding purposes and this kind of NEMA plug is often called “grounded plug”.
Computer Power Cord
Most of the computer desktops and some instrument amplifiers, printers, monitor and other portable devices use the c13 power cord which has a standard specified under IEC 60320. A power cord with a country specific standard power plug attached on one end and a c13 power cord coupler to the other is generally called an IEC cord or computer power cord as it is majorly used in computer applications.
Standards and Specifications
The computer power cord, c13 is described by International Electrotechnical Commission with the 60320 standard. The standard determines the electrical, mechanical, thermal requirements and safety operations of the specified power cable cord. The selection of the coupler connector also depends upon the shape, dimensions and size of the appliance to be connected with the power cord.
The c13 power cord is rated at 15A/250V and 10A/250V With the temperature rating up to 65° Celsius. This maximum temperature rating is the pin temperature. The c13 power cord contains Earth Contact and it also allows rewirable connector. Read more about Keeping Power Cords Up to Date at the Workplace to maintain the sanity of the workplace.
