IQS Newsroom Articles on Cord Sets
Cord Sets
Cord sets are detachable means of supplying electricity from a main power source to electrical equipment or appliances. Cord sets consist of a flexible cord with electrical plugs at each end, one male and one female. The connecting cord itself is a cable assembly comprised of a conducting medium, typically copper, surrounded by cord covers of insulating material and an outer polymer or rubber jacket which protects the wire. Cord sets are utilized anywhere that electrical equipment and appliances are in use, including in industrial, retail, commercial and residential industries. Most cordsets are
AC cord sets, meaning they conduct electricity in the form of an alternating current.
Extension cord sets have longer cords that allow equipment to be connected to electrical supplies dozens or hundreds of feet away, such as are used for electrical power tools, lighting, sound equipment, shop equipment and many personal uses.
NEMA cord sets are the standard for North American electrical plugs, cord voltage capacities and electrical receptacles' configuration; other regions throughout the world have different standards to which cord sets adhere.
Cord set manufacturers follow various specifications, including voltage rating, current rating, length, wire shape and size, jacket material and maximum cable temperature, as well as the type of molded plug and female connector. The female connector attaches to the appliance or electrical equipment. The male plug connects the electrical receptacle, electrical outlet or power supply. The two most commonly used NEMA plug types are Type A, which have two conducting blades or prongs, and Type B, which have an additional third grounding rod. Both plug types are configured with a molded plastic body called a "jack" which holds the two blades apart, while the cord connects to the blades within the plug body. Inserting the blades into an electrical outlet, or receptacle, energizes the blades. Electricity then flows through the blades, the blade-cord connection and the cord set, providing electricity to the equipment. Cord set wires are either flat or round. The size of the wire is determined by the amount of voltage that will be required to flow through the cord set. Cord set wire sizes and voltage capacities are given a designation in accordance with the American Wire Gauge (AWG) standards for wire sizes.
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) sets the standards cord set manufacturers follow for grounded type or polarized cordsets in regards to both male electric plugs and female electric plugs. A male electric plug may be polarized or non-polarized; however a female plug must be polarized. An electric plug is polarized when the physical characteristics of the blades allow the plug to be connected to the electrical outlet in only one way. Type B electrical plugs are inherently polarized, while type A electrical plugs are not because they do not have a grounding pin. However, type A plugs may be polarized if one blade is larger than the other. Polarization and grounding is especially important for certain higher voltage appliances and electrical equipment that could have a higher risk of electric shock when they become live. Polarization of an electric plug ensures that the equipment is connected to the neutral, or grounded, side of the circuit. Sensitive electrical equipment and products should only be used with polarized or grounding type cord sets.