AS/NZS 3120:1999

Australian/New Zealand Standard™

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Approval and test specification—

Cord extension sockets
 AS/NZS 3120:1999

This Joint Australian/New Zealand Standard was prepared by Joint Technical

Committee EL/4, Electrical Accessories. It was approved on behalf of the Council
of Standards Australia on 17 March 1999 and on behalf of the Council of Standards
New Zealand on 19 March 1999. It was published on 5 June 1999.

The following interests are represented on Committee EL/4:

Australasian Railway Association
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
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Australian Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers Association

Consumer Electronic Suppliers Association, Australia
Electricity Supply Association of Australia
Ministry of Commerce, New Zealand
National Electrical Contractors Association, Australia
New Zealand Manufacturers Federation
Plastics and Chemicals Industries Association
Regulatory authorities (electrical), Australia
International Accreditation New Zealand
Testing interests

Review of Standards. To keep abreast of progress in industry, Joint Australian/

New Zealand Standards are subject to periodic review and are kept up to date by the
issue of amendments or new editions as necessary. It is important therefore that
Standards users ensure that they are in possession of the latest edition, and any
amendments thereto.
Full details of all Joint Standards and related publications will be found in the Standards
Australia and Standards New Zealand Catalogue of Publications; this information is
supplemented each month by the magazines ‘The Australian Standard’ and ‘Standards
New Zealand’, which subscribing members receive, and which give details of new
publications, new editions and amendments, and of withdrawn Standards.
Suggestions for improvements to Joint Standards, addressed to the head office of either
Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand, are welcomed. Notification of any
inaccuracy or ambiguity found in a Joint Australian/New Zealand Standard should be
made without delay in order that the matter may be investigated and appropriate action
taken.

This Standard was issued in draft form for comment as DR 98382.

 AS/NZS 3120:1999
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Australian/New Zealand Standard™

Approval and test specification—

Cord extension sockets

Originated in Australia as AS C120 — 1938.

Final Australian edition AS 3120 — 1990.
Previous edition AS/NZS 3120:1993.
Fifth edition 1999.

Published jointly by:

Standards Australia
1 The Crescent,
Homebush NSW 2140 Australia

Standards New Zealand

Level 10, Radio New Zealand House,
155 The Terrace,
Wellington 6001 New Zealand
ISBN 0 7337 2685 2
 AS/NZS 3120:1999 2

PREFACE

This Standard was prepared by the Joint Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand
Committee EL/4, Electrical Accessories, to supersede AS/NZS 3120:1993 from the date of
publication except that Clause 9.2.2 of this Standard will only become applicable 5 years
after publication.
This Standard is one of a series to be read in conjunction with AS/NZS 3100, Approval
and test specification — General requirements for electrical equipment. The purpose of the
series is to outline the conditions to be met to secure approval for the sale and use of
electrical equipment. Only safety matters and related conditions are covered.
This edition of the Standard incorporates the changes effected to the previous edition by
Amendment 1 (April 1996) and includes the following technical and editorial changes to
the content of the previous editions:
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(a) Addition of a Note to Clause 2.2.

(b) Revision of Clause 8.3.
(c) Revision of requirements for socket surrounds in Clauses 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 13.1 and
13.3, and Figure 1.
(d) Revision of Table 3, including the introduction of sample identification information,
and consequential changes to Clause 22.
(e) Updating of cross-references to other Standards, and minor editorial changes.
This Standard does not provide all the necessary conditions for a contract.

© Copyright STANDARDS AUSTRALIA / STANDARDS NEW ZEALAND

Users of Standards are reminded that copyright subsists in all Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand publications and software.
Except where the Copyright Act allows and except where provided for below no publications or software produced by
Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means
without prior permission in writing from Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand. Permission may be conditional on an
appropriate royalty payment. Australian requests for permission and information on commercial software royalties should be directed to
the head office of Standards Australia. New Zealand requests should be directed to Standards New Zealand.
Up to 10 percent of the technical content pages of a Standard may be copied for use exclusively in-house by purchasers of the
Standard without payment of a royalty or advice to Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand.
Inclusion of copyright material in computer software programs is also permitted without royalty payment provided such programs
are used exclusively in-house by the creators of the programs.
Care should be taken to ensure that material used is from the current edition of the Standard and that it is updated whenever the Standard
is amended or revised. The number and date of the Standard should therefore be clearly identified.
The use of material in print form or in computer software programs to be used commercially, with or without payment, or in commercial
contracts is subject to the payment of a royalty. This policy may be varied by Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand at any time.
 3 AS/NZS 3120:1999

CONTENTS
Page
1 SCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 4
2 APPLICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 4
3 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 4
4 DEFINITION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 4
5 EXEMPTIONS FOR EXTRA-LOW VOLTAGE SOCKETS . . . . . . ...... . . . . 5
6 LIMITATION OF OUTLETS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 5
7 TERMINALS AND INTERNAL CONNECTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 5
8 CONTACTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 5
9 DIMENSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 6
10 ARRANGEMENT OF EARTHING CONNECTIONS . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 7
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11 INSULATING MATERIALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 7

12 ATTACHMENT OF COVERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 7
13 EXTERNAL SHAPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 7
14 EXPOSED METAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 8
15 MEANS OF ENTRY AND CORD ANCHORAGE FOR FLEXIBLE CORD . . . . 8
16 RATINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 9
17 INTERNAL CONNECTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 9
18 PREVENTION OF CONTACT WITH LIVE PINS . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 9
19 FUSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 10
20 SWITCHES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 10
21 MARKING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 10
22 TESTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 11
 AS/NZS 3120:1999 4

STANDARDS AUSTRALIA/STANDARDS NEW ZEALAND

Australian/New Zealand Standard

Approval and test specification — Cord extension sockets

1 SCOPE This Standard sets out essential safety requirements for cord extension
sockets, as defined in Clause 4, intended for use at extra-low or low voltages.
This Standard does not apply to cord extension sockets that are enclosed within an
appliance in such a way that they are not exposed to personal contact, or that are intended
for use solely where they will be so enclosed.

2 APPLICATION
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2.1 General requirements of AS/NZS 3100 This Standard shall be read in conjunction
with AS/NZS 3100 and the appropriate provisions of AS/NZS 3100 shall apply to the
construction of a cord extension socket and the insulation and safeguarding of parts that
normally carry current.
2.2 Specific requirements of this Standard A cord extension socket shall be deemed
to comply with this Standard only if it complies with all the requirements of this Standard
and passes the tests specified herein.
NOTE: Plugs, socket-outlets and connectors incorporating retaining means of the type specified
in AS/NZS 3123, or similar, need not comply with all general dimensional requirements of this
Standard, provided the safe functioning of accessories in a particular system is not impaired.
Where appropriate, dimensions relevant to specified pin configurations are applied.

3 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS The following documents are referred to in this

Standard:
AS
3133 (NZS/AS 3133) Approval and test specification — Air break switches
AS/NZS
3100 Approval and test specification — General requirements for
electrical equipment
3109 Approval and test specification — Appliance couplers for
household and similar general purposes
3109.1 Part 1: General requirements
3112 Approval and test specification — Plugs and socket-outlets
3121 Approval and test specification — Insulating mouldings
3123 Approval and test specification — Plugs, socket-outlets and
couplers for general industrial application
3350 Safety of household and similar electrical appliances
3350.1 Part 1: General requirements

4 DEFINITION For the purpose of this Standard, the definition below applies.
Cord extension socket (referred to as a ‘socket’)—a device arranged for attachment to a
flexible cord and having contacts whereby a detachable connection can be made with pins
of a plug.

COPYRIGHT
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AS/NZS 3120:1999, Approval and test specification

- Cord extension sockets
This is a free 6 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

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