page_title: AS/NZS 3112
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: AS/NZS 3112 / Description
caption_attribution_description: English: Showing the Wiring Side and internal construction of a typical Australian dual 3 pin (230 V, 10 A) socket outlet. (One switch is dismantled to show its operation.)
context_page_description: AS/NZS 3112 is the harmonised Australian and New Zealand standard for AC power plugs and sockets. The standard is used in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and several other Pacific island countries. The International Electrotechnical Commission "world plugs" Web site calls this plug Type I.
  The plug consists of two flat pins forming an inverted V-shape, plus a vertical earthing pin below them. Double insulated appliances omit the earth pin. When viewing a plug from the rear, and the earth pin downwards, the top left pin is active and the top right pin is neutral. The shank of the active and neutral pins of every 10 amp and 15 amp flat-pin plug sold after 3 April 2005 are required to be insulated, in accordance with AS/NZS 3112:2000.
  Since 2000, the nominal voltage in most areas of Australia has been 230 V, except for Western Australia and Queensland which both remain at 240 V, though Queensland is transitioning to 230 V. The voltage in New Zealand is also 230 V. In Fiji, Tonga and Papua New Guinea it is 240 V, and in the Solomon Islands it is 220 V.
context_section_description: AS/NZS 3112 compliant plugs have two flat pins forming an inverted V-shape plus a vertical earthing pin. The flat blades measure 6.35 by 1.6 mm (¹⁄₄ by ¹⁄₁₆ in) with the active (line) and neutral pins 17.35 mm (¹¹⁄₁₆ in) long set 30° to the vertical and the vertical earth pin being 20 mm (0.787 in) in length. The pins are arranged at 120° angles around a common midpoint, with the active and neutral centred 7.92 mm (⁵⁄₁₆ in) from the midpoint, and the earth pin centred 10.31 mm (³⁄₈ in) away.
  A standard socket-outlet provides a nominal voltage of 230 volts RMS at a maximum of 10 amps and always includes an earth connection. "Shuttered" socket-outlets are available, but these are not required by regulation.
  There are unearthed versions of the plug used with this outlet having only the two flat inverted V-aligned pins, without the earthing pin. Such plugs are only to be used for devices where other safety standards are in use (e.g. double insulation) and these plugs are rated at a maximum of only 7.5 amps. They are not available separately but only integrally with power cords specifically designed for the purpose.
  A view of the wiring side of a typical dual socket-outlet is also shown on the right, together with an annotated view of the mechanism, without the front cover. (One "rocker" switch has been disassembled to show its operation.)
  If required, such dual socket-outlets can be obtained (at additional cost) using insulation displacement as a means of connecting to the supply conductors, as can be seen in the illustration - below right. The benefits claimed for their use in these applications include up to 50% faster installation, due to the reduction in the stripping, twisting and screwing down processes.
caption: Dual 3-pin socket-outlet construction
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