IEC 60320 plugs for cold and warm-run equipment

IEC 60320 appliance plugs – an overview of cold, warm and hot appliance plugs

This overview provides a direct comparison of the most important appliance plugs and couplings in accordance with IEC 60320 – from C7/C8 and C13/C14 through to C19/C20 and C21. These connectors are used worldwide in IT, data centres, industry, laboratories, media technology and offices.

All the appliance plugs shown are from the DINIC range by MAG GmbH and form the basis for low-voltage appliance cables, medium-voltage appliance cables, high-voltage appliance cables and appliance supply cables in the B2B shop mag-kabel.de. The focus is on applications in Germany, Europe and international target markets.

To ensure the correct selection, it is not only the IEC designation that is crucial, but also the protective conductor, temperature range, current-carrying capacity, installation situation and the appropriate country-specific plug.

Quick guide: How to select the right IEC 60320 connector

1. Determine the appliance side

First, check the device connection: C8, C6, C14, C16, C18, C20 or C22.

2. Check the protective conductor

Is the device insulated or does it require an earth conductor? The choice of system depends directly on this.

3. Consider the temperature range

C13 is not automatically C15. At elevated temperatures, warm or hot appliance plugs are required.

4. Add country-specific plugs

Following the IEC standard, select country-specific plugs, cable length and cross-section to suit the application.

Quick comparison of key IEC 60320 connectors

IEC type

Typical application

Typical counterpart

Note

Insulated small appliances, power supplies, A/V

also known as ‘Eight’

yes

Laptop power adapters, projectors

“Cloverleaf”

C13

Yes

PC, monitor, printer, switch, server

C14

Standard in IT and office environments

C15

Yes

Heat-generating equipment, power supplies, laboratory

C16

for higher temperatures than C13

C17

insulated appliances with higher power consumption

C18

2-pole without protective conductor

C19

yes

UPS, PDU, server, storage

C20

up to 16 A

C21

yes

Heat-generating equipment, laboratory, special applications

C22

for particularly high temperatures

IEC 60320 C7 – Small appliance connector (“Eight”)

C7 small appliance connector · two-pole, un-earthed · Protection class II · Ref.: YC-13, YC-13L, YC-13D

The IEC 60320 C7 small appliance connector – also known as the “eight” or Figure-8 – is used for insulation-protected appliances of protection class II. Typical applications include audio/video equipment, small power supplies, consoles and compact electronics.

Two-pole connector without protective conductor (L, N)
suitable for devices with low power consumption
often used in combination with Euro plugs or country-specific mains plugs
Typical counterpart on the appliance side: C8

YC-13: straight version · YC-13L: angled for limited space · YC-13D: flat 90° version for tight installation situations.

IEC 60320 C7 Gerätekupplung YC-13 gerade

YC-13 – C7 small appliance connector, straight.

IEC 60320 C7 Gerätekupplung YC-13L abgewinkelt

YC-13L – C7 small appliance connector, angled.

IEC 60320 C7 Gerätekupplung YC-13D flach abgewinkelt

YC-13D – C7 small appliance connector, flat angled.

IEC 60320 C8 – two-pole appliance plug

C8 appliance plug · two-pole, un-earthed · Protection class II · Ref.: YP-31

The IEC 60320 C8 appliance plug is the counterpart to the C7 socket and is located on the appliance side, for example in power supplies, small audio devices and compact electronic products.

Two-pole plug without protective conductor
for electrically insulated appliances with a C7 connection cable
typical for compact power supplies and portable devices

C8/C7 systems are widely used internationally and are particularly common in devices without a protective earth conductor.

YP-31 – C8 appliance plug for small, insulated appliances.

IEC 60320 C5 – Cloverleaf connector

C5 cloverleaf connector · three-pin with protective earth · Ref.: YC-14, YC-14L

The IEC 60320 C5 connector is often referred to as a cloverleaf plug due to its shape. It is frequently found on laptop power adapters, projectors and compact IT devices.

Three-pole connector with protective earth
Compact alternative to C13 for mobile devices
Typical counterpart on the device side: C6

YC-14: straight version · YC-14L: angled for tight installation spaces.

YC-14 – C5 cloverleaf connector for laptop power adapters and compact IT devices.

IEC 60320 C6 – cloverleaf plug

C6 device plug · three-pin with earth conductor · Ref.: YP-34

The C6 appliance plug is the matching counterpart to the C5 connector and is usually fitted directly to the power supply of laptops, projectors and compact IT devices.

Three-pin plug with earth
is combined with C5 sockets
typical for mobile IT solutions and compact power supplies

IEC 60320 C6 Gerätestecker YP-34 Kleeblattstecker

YP-34 – C6 cloverleaf plug for laptop power supplies and compact IT devices.

IEC 60320 C13 – Low-voltage equipment connector

C13 low-voltage connector · three-pin · Ref.: YC-12, YC-12L, YC-12L-1, YC-12L-2, YC-12L-3

The IEC 60320 C13 low-voltage connector is the standard in the IT, office and infrastructure sectors. C13 cables are used for PCs, monitors, printers, switches, servers and numerous other devices.

Three-pole connector with earth conductor
Mates with C14 built-in plugs on the device
Various angle variants for confined installation spaces
Typical choice for workstations, racks and equipment rooms

IEC 60320 C13 Kaltgerätekupplung YC-12 gerade

YC-12 – C13 power connector, straight.

IEC 60320 C13 Kaltgerätekupplung YC-12L abgewinkelt

YC-12L – C13 IT connector, angled.

IEC 60320 C13 Kaltgerätekupplung YC-12L-1 Winkelvariante 1

YC-12L-1 – C13 angled connector, variant 1.

IEC 60320 C13 Kaltgerätekupplung YC-12L-2 Winkelvariante 2

YC-12L-2 – C13 angled connector, variant 2, ideal for racks.

IEC 60320 C13 Kaltgerätekupplung YC-12L-3 Winkelvariante 3

YC-12L-3 – C13 angled connector, variant 3.

IEC 60320 C14 – Low-voltage plug

C14 equipment plug · three-pin · Ref.: YP-32, YP-32L

The C14 equipment plug is located on the supply side of IT extension cables, PDU and rack solutions. It is compatible with C13 systems and is widely used in data centres, server cabinets and laboratory environments.

Three-pin plug with earth
typical for racks, PDUs and laboratory environments
Can be combined with C13 couplers on the opposite side

IEC 60320 C14 Gerätestecker YP-32 gerade

YP-32 – C14 equipment plug, straight.

IEC 60320 C14 Gerätestecker YP-32L abgewinkelt

YP-32L – C14 equipment plug, angled.

IEC 60320 C15 – hot-plug connector

C15 hot-plug connector · increased temperature resistance · Ref.: YC-20, YC-20L

The C15 high-temperature connector is mechanically similar to the C13 connector, but is designed for higher temperatures. It is suitable for high-temperature equipment, certain power supplies, laboratory equipment and thermally stressed applications.

Designed for higher operating temperatures than C13
Typical counterpart on the equipment side: C16
Important if C13 is not sufficient for the temperature requirements

IEC 60320 C15 Warmgerätekupplung YC-20 gerade

YC-20 – C15 hot-use connector, straight.

IEC 60320 C15 Warmgerätekupplung YC-20L abgewinkelt

YC-20L – C15 hot appliance connector, angled.

IEC 60320 C17 – two-pole low-voltage connector

C17 low-voltage appliance connector · two-pole, ungrounded · Ref.: YC-11

The C17 connector is a two-pole variant without a protective earth conductor and is used for insulation-protected equipment with higher power consumption, such as certain audio/video devices or other compact applications without PE.

two-pole without protective conductor
for protection class II with higher power consumption
Typical counterpart on the appliance side: C18

YC-11 – C17 low-voltage appliance connector, two-pole without protective earth.

IEC 60320 C19 – Low-voltage equipment connector 16 A

C19 connector · 16 A · Ref.: YC-18, YC-18L, YC-18L-1

The C19 connector is designed for high-power loads with currents up to 16 A. It is particularly commonly used in data centres, UPS systems, PDUs, storage systems and industrial installations.

Three-pole connector for 16 A / 250 V
Typically used for UPS, PDU, servers and storage
Various angle variants for defined cable routing in the rack

IEC 60320 C19 Kaltgerätekupplung YC-18 gerade

YC-18 – C19 connector 16 A, straight.

IEC 60320 C19 Kaltgerätekupplung YC-18L abgewinkelt

YC-18L – C19 connector, angled.

IEC 60320 C19 Kaltgerätekupplung YC-18L-1 Winkelvariante

YC-18L-1 – C19 angled version for defined cable routing.

IEC 60320 C20 – appliance plug 16 A

C20 appliance plug · 16 A · Ref.: YP-33

The C20 appliance plug is the counterpart to the C19 connector and is used wherever high-power loads are operated at 16 A – for example, in data centres, UPS environments and industrial installations.

Three-pole appliance plug for 16 A / 250 V
Suitable for use internationally in many 230 V environments
Frequently used in combination with C19 appliance cables

YP-33 – C20 equipment plug 16 A for servers, UPS and industrial applications.

IEC 60320 C21 – Hot-swap connector

C21 hot-environment connector · increased temperature resistance · Ref.: YC-25, YC-25L

The C21 connector is designed for particularly high operating temperatures and is used in hot equipment, laboratory applications and thermally demanding special solutions. It is used in combination with C22 systems.

Designed for higher temperatures than C15
Suitable for laboratory, industrial and specialised environments
Typical counterpart on the equipment side: C22

IEC 60320 C21 Heißgerätekupplung YC-25 gerade

YC-25 – C21 hot equipment coupling, straight.

IEC 60320 C21 Heißgerätekupplung YC-25L abgewinkelt

YC-25L – C21 hot appliance connector, angled.

Avoiding common selection errors with IEC 60320 appliance plugs

C13 and C15 assessed solely on the basis of shape, without checking the temperature range
Protective conductor requirements of the appliance not clearly defined
C19/C20 considered too late, even though 16 A applications are present
Only considering the connector, but not the matching counterpart on the appliance side
IEC side selected correctly, but country plug, cable length or cross-section incorrectly specified

For projects, the following order is therefore recommended: device side → protective conductor → temperature range → current-carrying capacity → country-specific plug → length and cross-section.

A brief FAQ on cold, warm and hot appliance plugs

What is the difference between C13 and C15?

C15 is designed for higher temperatures than C13. Visually similar does not therefore automatically mean technically interchangeable.

When do I need C19/C20 instead of C13/C14?

C19/C20 is typically used in 16 A applications, for example in UPS, PDU, server or storage systems with higher power consumption.

What do ‘cold equipment’, ‘warm equipment’ and ‘hot equipment’ mean?

These terms describe the permissible temperature range of the connector in the application. The higher the thermal load at the connection, the more important it is to select the correct IEC connector.

How do I find the right country plug for the IEC connector?

Once the correct IEC device side has been determined, the appropriate country-specific plug for the target market is selected. This is followed by the cable length and cross-section suitable for the application.

Which side is the coupler and which side is the device plug?

The coupler is usually located on the connecting cable, whilst the device plug or built-in socket is located on the device. The actual counterpart on the device is always decisive for the correct selection.

Relevant categories and further information

For the cold, warm and hot appliance plugs shown here, you will find suitable connection cables, extension leads and additional selection guides in the B2B shop at mag-kabel.de:

Custom-made products – equipment cables and connectors to specification

In addition to its standard range, MAG GmbH produces project-specific custom-made power cables and device cables under the DINIC brand. These include, amongst other things, custom lengths, special cross-sections, colour coding, customer-specific plug combinations, and country-specific plugs for Germany, Europe and international markets.

Typical applications range from IT and server environments through industrial and mechanical engineering to media technology, display and PoS solutions. Suitable device cables and connectors help to standardise installations, simplify servicing and ensure the smooth implementation of international projects.

Useful for a quick project review: desired IEC type, country-specific plug, cable length, cross-section, quantity and planned application.

For details on options and processes, please visit:
Custom-made products at MAG – bespoke cable and connector solutions