Eve_Energy_(US)

THE PATHFINDER TO YOUR PLUGS

The most important things to know

to choose meaningfully.

DESCRIPTION

Plugs are devices used to connect an appliance to a socket which in turn connects to the power supply. The diversity of solutions that can be found in the market is outstanding, with shapes and sizes of all classes and several countries using different standards.

While the use of traditional plugs has generally been limited to solve compatibility and space issues, the integration of new features that provide further convenience and cost savings has contributed to enlarging their use. For instance, new plugs allow the programmed activation and deactivation of appliances as well as their remote activation. Additionally, some provide you with appliances' use statistics, energy consumption information and energy consumption alerts once a predefined target has been surpassed.

BENEFITS

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    CONVENIENCE

Time saved through scheduled and remote activation and deactivation of devices.

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    COMFORT

No direct impact on the physical environment.

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    CONTROL

Peace of mind increased thanks to increased transparency and accuracy regarding energy use.

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    COSTS

Savings increased thanks to the avoidance of vampire power and the early detection and correction of habits and consumption patterns that negatively impact your bills.

TYPES

Plugs can be categorized based on several factors. For homes and residences, we will only be taking into consideration alternating current (AC) plugs as this is the type of power supply used at home. Currently, there are 15 types of plugs, and corresponding sockets that you can find all around the world and each of these has been named with a letter by the US Department of Commerce International Trade Administration:
TYPE A 2 No 100-127V US, Canada, Mexico and Japan
TYPE B 3 Yes 100-127V US, Canada, Mexico and Japan
TYPE C 2 No 220-240V Europe, Asia, and South America
TYPE D 3 Yes 220-240V India
TYPE E 2 Yes 220-240V France, Poland, Czech, Slovakia, and Belgium
TYPE F 2 Yes 220-240V Europe and Russia, with the UK and Ireland being an exception
TYPE G 3 Yes 220-240V UK, Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, and Malta
TYPE H 3 Yes 220-240V Israel, West Bank, and the Gaza Strip in the Middle East
TYPE I 2 or 3 Yes 220-240V Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and China
TYPE J 3 Yes 220-240V Switzerland and Liechtenstein
TYPE K 3 Yes 220-240V Denmark and Greenland
TYPE L 3 Yes 220-240V Italy and Chile
TYPE M 3 Yes 220-240V South Africa
TYPE N 3 Yes 220-240V South Africa and Brazil
TYPE O 3 Yes 220-240V Thailand

VARIABLES

Before purchasing a plug, it is crucial to consider certain variables that will govern the product performance:

Make sure that the plug fits into the sockets that are commonly found in your region but also consider the male plug (from the appliance) that will fit on the other end.

These dictate how much energy your plug needs to be fed to operate and how much it can produce at the other end. Make sure that the output meets the power and load type required for your appliance to perform correctly. There are three kinds of electrical loads that your plugs and wires can handle. The resistive loads tend to utilize the heat and light energy produced due to friction in the electrical flow (examples of these are lightbulbs and heaters). Inductive loads use a magnetic field to run a motor (such as that in a fan or a blender). Capacitive loads use capacitors to harbour a certain amount of charge after a voltage is applied (examples include extension cord and picture tubes in televisions).

Think about the different uses that you are going to do of the plug. For instance, indoor plugs have lower insulation levels than outdoor ones and are suitable for external use. Other limiting factors can be the dimensions, the number of outlets and additional useful features that can be integrated into the plug, like USB inputs.

If you care about the environment and want to save some money on electricity costs, then you will want to invest in a smart plug that monitors energy consumption. With this feature, you can control how much electricity a particular device correctly uses and subsequently moderate its use to prevent wastage.

TIPS

LOCATION

Make sure that plugs are in a position that is free of hazards such as water, fire, excessive humidity or heat. You should also consider installing devices or appliances near the socket where the smart plug is being connected. The best location for the plug is a cool and dry place. Avoid leaving plugs lying around as they can get damaged and corroded.

SETTINGS

One of the reasons for energy wastage in homes is devices and appliances that utilize vampire power. These devices continue to consume electricity when they are put on standby and are not in current use. With a smart plug, you can monitor the activity of these devices and turn them off at any given time. You can also schedule the appliances to be turned off automatically when you know you will not use them for a specific time.

HABITS

When plugging and unplugging the plug, neither use the cord nor touch the metallic pins. On the other side, some smart plugs can monitor the energy consumed by your devices and appliances. You may want to review this data to understand how specific appliance settings impact on your costs and from here define specific consumption targets and notifications.

MAINTENANCE

Inspect plugs regularly and in case of defects repair or substitute them. Keep them clean and away from dust and any kind of dirt. In case that a plug breaks while an appliance or device is working, turn the appliance and the power off and contact a professional.

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