Features
The IEC 60906-1 system is rated for AC voltages up to 250 V and currents up to 16 A. It defines both 3-pin connectors for Class I appliances and 2-pin versions for Class II appliances.
The plug has round live and neutral pins 19 mm apart, with insulating sleeves. It is smaller than current European plugs with the same current rating.
The socket has either a 10 mm deep recess or a 12 mm high rim, to exclude incompatible plugs. It ensures that the protective-earth pin establishes contact before the live and neutral pins. The socket can have shutters for the live and neutral sockets, and is small enough that two can be installed in the space taken by a single Schuko or BS 1363 socket.
For most existing European systems (Schuko, etc.), it would be possible to design sockets that can accept both the traditional plug as well as the IEC 60906-1 Class I and II plugs, thereby enabling a smooth transition to the new system. However, the IEC 60906-1 standard explicitly discourages the use of multi-standard sockets, claiming that such sockets are likely to create safety problems when used with plugs from other countries.
Read more about this topic: IEC 60906-1
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