Power Connectors & Receptacles
Common data center power connectors and standards.
Data center power runs through a small set of standardized connectors: NEMA receptacles for North American circuits, IEC 60320 appliance couplers (C13/C14 and C19/C20) on almost every device and PDU, and regional standards like Schuko and BS 1363 elsewhere.
Matching the connector to the circuit is a prerequisite for rack power planning - pair this table with the Rack Power Calculator and the Rack Power Budget template.
| Connector | Standard | Amps | Voltage | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEMA 5-15P | NEMA | 15 A | 120 V | Standard wall outlet, small devices |
| NEMA 5-20P | NEMA | 20 A | 120 V | Higher-power 120V equipment |
| NEMA L5-30P | NEMA Twist-Lock | 30 A | 120 V | UPS input, PDUs |
| NEMA L6-30P | NEMA Twist-Lock | 30 A | 208/240 V | Rack PDUs, 208V feed |
| C13/C14 | IEC 60320 | 10-15 A | 250 V | Device power cord (standard) |
| C19/C20 | IEC 60320 | 16-20 A | 250 V | High-power devices, blade chassis |
| IEC 60309 | IEC 60309 | 16-125 A | 200-415 V | 3-phase rack PDUs, floor PDUs |
| BS 1363 | British Standard | 13 A | 230 V | UK rack equipment |
| Schuko CEE 7/7 | CENELEC | 16 A | 230 V | European rack equipment |
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