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Switzerland Heavy duty plugs and sockets |
 SN 441011 |
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Switzerland Heavy duty plugs and sockets |
SN 441011 |
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| Switzerland
has two types of earthed, domestic single phase plugs: 10A T12 (see
image right) and 16A
T23. Derived 3-phase plugs are respectively T15 (10A) and T25 (16A).
See
images 1-6. A scheme shows the compatibility between 10A and 16A plugs and sockets. Images 7-24 show examples of out of date 380V and 500 Volt plugs and sockets. In the 1930s domestic earthed sockets had an earth pin. That applied also to single phase 380V devices. Transition sockets have been designed to facilitate the change of earth pin position from socket to plug in the early 1950s. Image 8 show an example. |
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| 1, 4 | 10A -
230/400V three-phase socket and plug (SN441011 type 15). A guide (green
arrow) prevents attempts to insert a five-pin plug (see
no. 4) upside down. 10A T15 plugs can also be used with 16A T25 sockets
(no. 3). Manufacturers: socket: Feller AG in Horgen (ZH); plug: Electro-Mica AG im Mollis (GL). |
| 2 | 10A - 230/400V three-phase T15 connector plug. Indicated L1, L2, L3, N, E
configuration applies also to image no. 3 (16A). Manufacturer: WAROB, trademark of PWFG Kunststofftechnik in Laupersdorf (SO). |
| 5 | Resista
model 230/400V, 10A three-phase T15 plug. The plug has a rubber,
water resistant housing. Manufacturer: Resista Electric SA in Renens (VD), Switzerland. {FSE} |
| 3, 6 | 16A - 230/400V three-phase socket and plug (SN441011 T25). A T25 plug does not fit in a 10A T15
socket. Manufacturers: socket: Feller AG in Horgen (ZH); plug: Martin Kaiser in Hochstadt am Main, Germany |
| Compatibility of
Swiss plugs and sockets. The scheme right shows the compatibility of single phase plugs (T11, T12 and T23), three-phase plugs (T15 and T25) and the four maching sockets. T11 and T12 (10A) plugs fit not only in 10A and 16A single phase sockets, but also in three-phase 10A and 16A sockets. T23 (16A) plugs fit in two types of sockets: single and three-phase 16A. T15 (10A) fits in 10A and 16A three-phase sockets T25 (16A) fits only in 16A three-phase sockets. |
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Classic
types
In the past Switzerland had an interesting variety of 380 - 500 Volt plugs and sockets. None of the examples shown below are for sale anymore. T15 and T25 (see above) have replaced old 10A-380V T4, T5, T18 and T19 (see below) For 400-500V industrial application Switzerland switched to IEC 60309 types. However, as long as old sockets and plugs still meet Swiss safety regulations, there is no need for replacement. Several sockets, donated by Piet de Vaere, still had short parts of the original wiring (image right}. Formerly used often were red (line), yellow (neutral) and yellow/red (earth). Green was used for cord from switch to application. White and black possibly for L2 / L3. Brown - now standard L1 color - has not been found on the classic sockets. |
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Position of earth pin
Early Swiss domestic, earthed sockets had a pin for protective earth connection. Two 10A single phase types have been introduced in the 1930s: T2 (250V) and T4 (380V). The socket earth pin system has been abandoned in 1953, in favour of earth pin plugs. From 1953 until 1974 transition type sockets were available that accepted both old and new style plugs: T14 for 10A 250V and T20 for 10A 380V. Old T4 and new T18 plugs fit in T20 sockets, see scheme right and sockets and plugs below. |
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Missing
in collection T4 plug Please contact me if you can help me. Find museum address on start page |
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| 7 | Porcelain
10A - 380V T4* socket meant for domestic use. According to
"Elektrizität und Bauen" (Manual for builders, published by the Swiss
Society for Electricity Management, Zürich, 1940) T4 sockets and plugs
were used for applications charged according a special tariff.
Manufacturer: Adolf Feller AG in Horgen. Dating: 1930s.
{PdV} * T3, 10A - 380V variant without earth connection have existed also. New, hexagonal style T3 plugs have not existed. |
| 8,
9 |
When
earthed T4 plugs and sockets were replaced by T18 plugs and T19
sockets, a "transition" T20 socket was introduced that accepts both
old T4 and new T18 plugs. T20 sockets were available until
1975. The inner part of the T20 socket is shown in image 22b.
Manufacturer:
Adolf Feller AG in Horgen. {PdV} |
| 10 | T19 socket, rating 10A - 380V. See note
below for dating. Socket is not part of museum collection; photo has been taken by Romain Rosset. |
| 11 | T18 three-pin plug for appliance cord, rated at 10A - 380V. Manufacturer: F. Baillod S.A., Chaux-de-Fonds (NE). |
| 12a 12b |
T18 plug (no. 12a) and T19 connector plug (no. 12b). Rating 10A - 380V. Plug and connector have a SEV certification mark (S+ type, introduced in 2002) and logos of companies Tschudin & Heid AG and Feller AG. Both companies have for some time coordinated their plug production. {ARF} |
note |
In the 1980s (exact date unknown) T18/19 is taken out of use. Introduction of T23 (16A single phase) and T25 (16A 3-phase) plugs and sockets made single phase 380V T18/19 superfluous. For replacement 3-pin T18 plugs were still available in 2016. |
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| 13,14 |
Three-phase
10A - 380V T5a type socket (no.13) and plug (nos 14a and 14b). Three
variants
have
existed: T5, T5a and T5b, see schemes above. T5 plugs have pins for R (T1), S (T2) and
T (T3), but no neutral pin. Because
sockets have an
earth pin it is likely that the design dates back to the 1930s. T5
series are taken out of use in the 1980s in favour of T15. Manufacturer of plug: Feller AG in Horgen. T5a plug and socket are not part of the museum collection. I am grateful to Ward Haalebos for providing photos. T5b is not part of the collection also. Image is based on a photo taken by Arnaud Laville. |
| Images
15 - 21 show sockets and plugs that were designed for electric cookers.
Depending on the Swiss canton they were known as "Kochherd", "cuisinière" or "fornello" types. From 2005 sales of cooker sockets was no longer allowed. T7, T8, T9 and T10 were replaced by IEC 60309. |
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| 15,16 | T7, 2-phase +E, 15A- 500V socket and plug.
The line contacts are connected to either L1 and L2, or L1-L3, or
L2-L3. Each combination offers 400V (previously 380V). Pin dimensions
are: 24.7 / 6.0 mm for earth pin, and 21.7 / 5.0 mm for line pins. Manufacturer of socket and plug: Feller AG in Horgen (ZH). {AR} |
| 17 | T8, 4-slot 15A-500V socket. According to
Swiss standards T8 specifications are: T1, T2, T3 and protective earth.
The contacts of shown socket still had its original wiring with red, green, yellow and yellow/red cords. These colors were used for respectively R (L1), S (L2), N and earth, which point to a 2-phase + neutral and earth connection. Slot dimensions: 6.0 mm (bottom right) and 5.0 mm (bottom left and top right, left). Socket has an ASEV lmark. Manufacturer: Adolf Feller AG in Horgen. {PdV} |
| 18 | 3-phase +N+E, 15A* - 500V socket made by
XAMAX AG in Zürich.
According to Swiss SN 441011 standard the socket is a 5-pin T9
type, rated at 25A-500V. The 25A plug no. 19 fits in socket no.
18. {AR} * It is not clear why XAMAX has indicated a 15A rating. It is unlikely that a 5-pin 15A-500V cooker plug ever have existed. |
| 19 | 3-phase
+N+E, 25A - 500V T9 plug. Dating: not earlier then 2002, the year in
which the ElectroSuisse mark (bottom left) was introduced.
Manufacturer: Electro-Mica AG in Breitenbach (SO). Plug is not part of museum collection; image is based on photo taken by Romain Rosset. |
| 20a, 20b | T10, three-phase plugs with earth pin
rated at 25A - 500V. Resista plug no.20b has a robust, rubber
housing. The three power pins (L1, L2, L3, are not specified) have a
length
of 27.0 mm and diameter of 7.5 mm. The protective earth pin is 29.5 mm
long and 10 mm thick. Manufacturers are: no. 20a: plug has a JJB logo, which means that it has been made by the TH-contact branch of Tschudin & Heid in Rheinach (BL), formerly Jean Jaques Buser, {WN}; no. 20b: Resista Electric in Renens (VD), Switzerland {FSE} |
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21 Unknown porcelain cooker plug. Inner diameters; central, elevated slot: 8.0 mm (probably for earth pin), slot with red ring (top tight): 6.0 mm, both remaining slots: 8.0 mm. The "out of use" slot is empty. Distance between two "horizontal" and two "vertical" slots is 29 mm. The central (earth) slot is positioned at equal distance of each of the other slots. It seems likely that the porcelain socket is a very early cooker socket model (1910s-'20s ?). Unfortunate, information about rating and manufacturer lacks. No ASEV mark. {PdV} |
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| 22, 23 | J15-5 inlet (no. 22) and plug (no.23). The
Swiss J-series was designed for 500V 3-phase industrial and
agricultural purposes. Improved mechanical resistant strength is an
important feature of the J-series compared to domestic plugs and
sockets. Types with and without neutral contact have existed for 15A, 25A, 40A and 75A. J15-5 is 5-pin (L1, L2, L3 +N and protective earth) 15A type. The corresponding SEV code is T34. Sales of J-types ended July 2008 in favour of IEC 60309 plugs and sockets. J15-5 was replaced by IEC60309 (6h) 16A-400V, 5-pin (see images 4 and 5 on IEC 60309 page). The IEC model has SEV code T75. Manufacturer: Adolf Feller AG in Horgen. {PdV} |
| 24a,
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J15-5 / T34 wall socket. Image 24b shows
the rear side. Neutral wire connector is
indicated with a yellow label (see cord colors).
Protective Earth contact has a yellow with green line label. Socket has three marks: left: manufacturer logo (AFH = Adolf Feller, Horgen); middle: Swiss certification mark ASEV, used until 2002; right: droplet, indicating splash water resistance (socket was in an outside wall). {EvdW} |
| 25 | Cast iron T52 inlet, rated at 25A - 500V.
The rightmost slot is the protective earth connection. To show its long
working life the decision was made not to clean the object. The heavy duty series comprised of 25A, 40A and 75A models, with and without neutral contact. No indication of manufacturer. {PdV} |
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