ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Non-US Electrical Systems & Trades Naming

Hi ... thanks Paul, Trumpy et al for the welcome.. I enjoyed looking back through the old posts and am interested in naming conventions, sometimes the older posts have hit on this, but what are the naming conventions for electrical work in various countries? is it a socket, receptacle, outlet, voltage hole? (I always call it the latter because it makes people go "HUH?")

Plugs can be cordcaps, sockets outlets etc..

Just interested in seeing the various differences

The more one looks into this, the more differences there seem to be. It's the same even in general terminology: Most Brits know things like elevator vs. lift, hood vs. bonnet, etc. but they don't realize just how many other subtle differences in terminology exist, such as the British vs. American use of pavement.

Let's see, you've mentioned socket-outlet vs. receptacle, and I think everyone here will have gotten earth vs. ground by now .

There's the generic term distribution panel vs. the American load center and the British consumer unit.

How about the North American disconnect or safety switch vs. the British isolator?

Colloqualisms will probably throw hundreds more terms into the equation. Hot vs. live springs immediately to mind.




[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 07-22-2004).]

Here in NZ,
The term switch-board is used to denote the device which gives most control over an installation.
This is for Domestic Installations only,
anything installed downstream for this is deemed to be a Sub-main.
In Commercial and Industrial installations, there is one Main Switch-board and everything installed downstream from that, is deemed to be a Distribution Board.
Plug-tops here with a Back-entry facility are called Tap-on's.
We call a receptacle a Socket Outlet and these range from 5A to 32A in a Domestic place, to 300A in an Industrial Plant.