The Essential Guide to Home Electrical Outlets

Most homes in North America have over 75 electrical outlets, and there are many different kinds!

You might find outlets like 2-prong, 3-prong, GFCI, USB,Track Socket, and AFCI.

American Standard Multi-Color Track Socket with Switch-wowsocket

The point is, there are lots of choices when it comes to outlets, and they come in different shapes and sizes.

Do you know what types of outlets are in your home? Are you using them correctly for their specific jobs? Are they safe and up to code? Maybe it’s a good idea to have someone check and upgrade your outlets if needed.

Knowing about the different types of outlets can really help with safety, energy use, and making your daily life easier.

Let’s take a quick look at the most common outlet types and what they’re used for!

2-Prong Electrical Outlets

A two-prong electrical outlet that typically contains two jacks: one for the ground wire (neutral) and the other for the fire wire (hot). This type of outlet was more common in homes built before 1962, but as time went on and safety standards improved, three-prong outlets (with a grounding wire) became standard.

Purpose:2-prong outlets are mainly used for light tasks with appliances that don’t need much power, like kettles, hand mixers, and toasters. For larger appliances that require more electricity, like smart TVs, vacuum cleaners, and fans, 3-prong outlets are necessary.

3-Prong Electrical Outlets

A three-prong electrical outlet, a type of electrical outlet that contains three jacks, is commonly used in homes and commercial environments. The design of this receptacle includes two parallel vertical openings for connecting the neutral and hot wires, and a round opening in the center for connecting the ground wire. The main advantage of the three-pronged receptacle is that it provides a grounding feature for added electrical safety.

Purpose:It’s best to replace all 2-prong outlets with 3-prong outlets in your home or office. This ensures that all appliances are safely plugged in. 3-prong outlets are especially important for larger devices that need more power, like TVs, heaters, fans, and vacuum cleaners.

15-Amp Duplex Receptacle Outlet

The 15-Amp Duplex Receptacle Outlet is a common type of electrical outlet, usually referred to as a two-position receptacle capable of carrying 15 amps of current. This type of receptacle is very common in North America and is known as NEMA 5-15R or NEMA L5-15R. It has two parallel jacks and a ground jack for connecting neutral, hot, and ground, respectively. This receptacle is designed to provide a safe electrical connection for appliances in the home and office.

Purpose:Ideal for cell phones, wireless Bluetooth, laptops and other small electrical devices

20-Amp Electrical Outlets

20-Amp Electrical Outlets – 250-Volt are electrical outlets that are capable of carrying 20 amps of current and have a voltage of 250 volts. This type of outlet is typically used for appliances that require higher currents, such as large appliances, industrial equipment, or tools that require high power output. They can provide enough power to support the operation of these devices.
In terms of safety standards, when using 20-Amp sockets, you need to make sure that the total power of the connected appliances does not exceed the rating of the socket. In addition, to ensure safety, it is often recommended to use sockets with overload protection so that they can automatically disconnect the power supply if the current exceeds the rated value, preventing electrical fires from occurring.

Purpose:These outlets are often used for air compressors and other bigger tools. If you enjoy DIY projects at home or have hobbies that require extra power, you might need one in your workshop. Specifically, you’d use these outlets for things like window and portable AC units, water heaters, stoves, and power tools.

GFCI Outlets

GFCI Outlets, known as Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters, are safety devices designed to protect people from the dangers of electrical shock or electrocution.GFCI outlets prevent fatal electric shocks by detecting ground faults or leakage currents in circuits. When a ground fault is detected, the GFCI is able to automatically shut off power within milliseconds, providing personal protection against electric shock.

Purpose:GFCI outlets are ideal for areas near water, like your bathroom for an electric toothbrush, outdoors for a lawnmower, in crawl spaces for lighting, and in laundry rooms for appliances other than the washer and dryer.

AFCI Outlets

AFCI (Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter), or Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter, is a safety device used to detect arcing faults in electrical circuits and to cut off the power supply in time to prevent fires. An arc fault is an abnormal arc in a circuit caused by damaged insulation, poor contact or other reasons in the wires or equipment, which may cause a fire.
AFCIs work by monitoring current and voltage signals in a circuit, using advanced electronics to recognize signals specific to arc faults. When an arc fault is detected, the AFCI is able to shut down the circuit in a very short period of time (typically within a few milliseconds to half a second) to prevent a fire from occurring.The AFCI is able to differentiate between normal arcs (e.g., those caused by switching or plugging in) and dangerous arc faults.

Purpose:AFCI’s have a wide range of applications, they can be installed in homes, offices, industrial areas and more, especially those with a high risk of electrical fires. According to the National Electrical Code (NEC), AFCI protection has been required for bedroom branch circuits in all new homes since 2002. In addition, for older existing homes, especially those with aging wiring systems, installing an AFCI provides additional protection!

Tamper-Resistant Outlets

Tamper-Resistant Outlets, or tamper-resistant outlets, are safety outlets designed to prevent accidental electrocution. These outlets are equipped with a special protection mechanism to ensure that only the appropriate plug is inserted and connected to the power supply, thus reducing the risk of electric shock, especially for children.

Purpose:Tamper-resistant outlets are perfect for homes with small children. Kids are naturally curious and might try to stick things into outlets, so these outlets provide extra safety. They’re a great choice if you have or plan to have young kids around your home.

New Electrical Outlets

Just like many other areas of life, advancements in electricity, safety, and building codes have led to new and improved types of outlets that focus on convenience.

There are more modern electrical outlets available for homes and commercial buildings, each designed to make your life easier. Some of these modern outlets include:

power track

Power track as an electrical outlets with a distributed power system, each outlet can be used as a switch for an electrical appliance, you can add any outlet to supplement the problem of insufficient outlets (be careful not to exceed the total power of the power track), with the continuous development of the power track technology, you can add the type of outlets With the continuous development of power track technology, more types of sockets can be added (USB, Type-C), can carry more power (currently up to 8000 watts), applicable to a wider range of scenarios (kitchens, bedrooms, factories, etc.), and higher safety (with a child lock, power outage protection, waterproof and dustproof).

If some of the appliances in your home are concentrated in one area of use, power track can connect all appliances to the same line at the same time, making the cluttered wires neat and tidy, improving the utilization of space and aesthetics
Power track can be installed in kitchen, bedroom and other home scenes, click here to learn more.

Rotating Outlet

A rotating outlet features a plug that can turn 360 degrees, making it especially handy in tight spaces or when you need to fit multiple large plugs. These outlets help eliminate the need for power strips and are perfect for appliances like cell phone chargers, hair dryers, and night lights.

Smart Outlets

A smart outlet connects to your home network using WiFi or Bluetooth technology. You can control it remotely with a smartphone or voice assistant app. Smart outlets allow you to turn lights off, set schedules for appliances, and monitor energy usage.

FAQS

What is the most common outlet type?

The most common electrical outlets are 15-amp outlets. They are designed to accept standard plugs for most small appliances and lamps–source:

Do GFCI outlets go bad?

Yes, if they are not installed properly, overused, or about 10 years old they can wear down and go bad.

What is the difference between GFI and GFCI outlets?

Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) and ground fault interrupters (GFI) are the exact same device under slightly different names.

What are the safest electrical outlets?

A top recommendation to avoid electrical outlet sparking, electric shocks or deadly electrocutions requires an update your outlets to a Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI). Simply put, GFCI outlets were created to protect adults and kids from electric shock.

Can I replace a GFCI outlet myself?

Replacing a GFCI outlet is a DIY project that many homeowners can undertake with the proper preparation. It does involve some basic understanding of electricity, so those who have not done electrical work before should consider their comfort level before beginning this home improvement project.