NEMA - National Electrical Manufacturers Association

NEMA is an acronym for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association. 

The association represents nearly 350 electrical equipment and medical imaging manufacturers at the forefront of electrical safety, reliability, and resilience, as well as efficiency and energy security. (Source: www.nema.org)

You can learn more about NEMA’s vision, mission, and member values here.

You can download industry-related standards on their website.  The purpose of the NEMA standard is to define a product, process, and procedure with reference to construction, composition, dimensions, safety, operation, and more. The full list is viewable here. Standard provides information about their scope, price, how to, where to purchase related publications and information, and statuses as well as a NEMA staff contact for further questions. (Source: www.nema.org)

NEMA is an industrial electrical connection standard language. Using the NEMA pin configurations you can identify how many Amps or Volts they use. A common example of pin configurations is the standard household NEMA, 5-15R.  Some households and/or businesses may have installed a common NEMA, 5-20R.  The 5-20R has a T-blade pin shape. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION: Why doesn’t my plug have a T-blade pin, but my outlet does? The 5-20R (R-Receptacle) outlet will allow either the NEMA 5-15P (P-Plug) or the NEMA 5-20P (P-Plug). 

TIP: There is no NEMA pin with a T-blade on the plug side. Do not break or alter the pins in any way prior to use. 

We have a NEMA chart available for download here. 

Keep checking the AC Works Connector weekly for more information on this topic.  In the future, we will provide more detailed information for those looking for details about a Welder, Generator, RV and more.