It can provoke a shock hazard or electrical malfunction. You also need to be cautious that the appliances ideal for 120-volt outlets can’t be plugged in 240-volt outlets and vice versa. It will help a lot if you are aware of the kind of outlets in your house. 220-volt outlets are more prominent in other parts of the world. This layout of 120-volt outlets is standardized by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA).ġ20-volt outlets are mostly used in Canada and America. The U-shaped round hole is for grounding. The 2 vertical holes are parallel and connected to the live and neutral wire. You need to plug the device in the 2 vertical holes and 1 round hole. Throughout North America, 15 and 20 amp 120-volt outlets are used. Appliances Powered by 120-Volt OutletĪs described earlier, all your everyday household appliances can be powered through 120-volt outlets. They are so common that if you don’t know that there are 2 types of outlets, you won’t know they are called 120-volt outlets. You see them all the time at your home and workplace. The simple solution is to plug the space heater into an outlet on a circuit that has excess capacity. They provide a basic level of current for devices to work. But that same 6,000-watt flugelhorn on a 240-volt circuit requires only a 25-amp circuit (6,000 divided by 240 25) and a smaller wire and circuit breaker. These plugs have a higher rectangular prong for the neutral wire.ġ20-volt outlets are required for most of your appliances.

Modern 120-volt outlets can also power the polarized plugs. Modern 120-volt outlets are primarily designed as duplex receptacles so that there are 2 places to plug in devices. The third hole is round, and it is connected to the ground wire. 1 of them is connected to the live wire and the other to the neutral wire. They are required for all the regular appliances at your home. These are the oldest types of outlets being used since the 1950s. You don’t need any specialized kind of wires to operate a 120-volt outlet. Therefore, these are the most common types of outlets in your home. On the other hand, your everyday devices such as vacuum cleaners and phone chargers can easily run on a 120-volt outlet. You should also put the wire and conductor with the right kind of strength to pull off 240-volts. They can’t run effectively on a 120-volt outlet. Some of the common devices that require a 240-volt outlet and plug are the washing machine, stove, and dryer. 240-Volt OutletsĢ40 volts is a higher degree of current for the appliances that need a higher level of pressure. Although you will mostly find 120-volt outlets everywhere in your house, some heavy equipment needs 240-volt Output and plug power to perform.

The volts are the degree of current or pressure which the equipment needs to function correctly.

You should know it before even moving your appliances. In this article of 120 Volt Outlet, you will know everything You Need To Know. Do you know your home has 240 and 120-volt outlets? If not, you must know the difference between the two before starting any electric work at your home.

Iron man plugs into a 120 volt outlet