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The APC Zone UPS Mains Plug Help 

The following diagram shows some of the common styles of mains power plugs used with UPS equipment in the UK.  In each case the tiny icon that is used in the Accessory part of the Look-UPS section is shown.  These leads are often referred to as 'plug' or 'socket' or 'male' or 'female', but the terms are often used incorrectly.  Theoretically, a connector which has exposed metal prongs or pins is the male or plug connector and the reciprocal connector is the female or socket connector.

When the term IEC connector is used it usually refers to IEC 320 C13/C14 connectors.  However, there are also C15/C16 connectors (also known as hot condition connectors) which are used to power equipment such as kettles which reach a temperature above the rating for C13/C14.  These have a plastic key block and matching cut-out, and as a result a C13 plug cannot be inserted into a C15 hot-condition socket.  C13/14 connectors are sometimes identified as 'cold-condition'.

IEC309 connectors are cylindrical plug/socket arrangements that have been designed to stop misconnection of dissimilar voltage/amperage systems.  230V systems are blue and have the earth pin located at the "6 o'clock" position.  3 Phase connectors are red.  Different amperage connectors are different diameters, so although a 230V 16A plug has the same pin layout and colour as a 32A 230V socket, it cannot be connected to it.

More information can be found on Wikipedia here.

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