Why Some Appliances Have A 3 Pin Electrical Connector

Why Some Appliances Have A 3 Pin Electrical Connector

You must have noticed three prong plugs in your daily life. Have you ever wondered why sometimes 3 pin electrical connector is required instead of the one with 2? If yes, then here you are going to get your answers today. There are certain reasons of using a 3-pin connector, as it enhances the safety of the users in general. The article will highlight the basic reasons of using 3 pin electrical connectors instead of 2.

To Connect The Appliance To The Earth: There must be numerous electrical appliances at your home, and you must have noticed that the plugs of some of them have two pins while others have three. Two pin plugs are usually used for low current appliances like speakers, chargers, television etc. But the third pin is used on heavier appliances to connect to earth and reduce risk. A 3-pin electrical connector is generally used in heavy home appliances like air conditioners, microwave ovens, mixer grinders and refrigerators. These heavy electrical appliances need to be grounded to avoid the risk of electrocution from a leak or short circuit.

To Protect The Appliance: There is a fuse inside of a 3-pin electrical connector which acts like a barrier to control the overflow of current. With this fuse, the users can stay safe from any general electrical accidents. Such plugs have three different pins for ground, neutral and hot. The neutral plug and earth plug work as the safety measure and the hot pin works as the key origin of electricity. Due to this, when current starts overflowing, the 3 pin controls it and it does not cause any damage to your electrical appliance.

To Create A Low-Resistance Pathway:  The use of three pin plug is important in electrical connectors. As the pin is used to connect to the earth, it creates a low resistance pathway to the ground. This third pin is detached from the remaining two pins that carry current. In case of any current leakage, this third pin sends the current to the ground and ensures safety of the appliance as well as the person using it. 3 pin electrical connector can prevent different mishaps like insulation failure or short circuit. That is why you would often find three-pin plugs on heavy appliances.

To Enhance Safety Level: Safety is important while using electrical appliances at home, and three pin plug comprises multiple safety features that enhance the safety of an individual. Since brass is considered to be a good conductor of electricity, and it is affordable too at the same time. Copper can also be used for the same purpose, but it is comparably expensive and that is why companies use brass in the making of a 3-pin electrical connector.  The use of brass is completely safe, and it is durable at the same time. You can see three different colours in three-pin plugs. Each colour indicates different functions of the wires. The earth plug is connected with the green wire, the live wire is connected with the brown, and the blue wire is connected to the neutral plug. In case of any problems, the colours prove to be helpful in identifying particular wires.

These are some of the most common reasons for using a 3-pin electrical connector. Basically, the benefit of 3 pin electrical connectors lies in the safety it provides. In case of short circuits, the electric current reverts to the panel by blowing out the fuse or shutting down the circuit. Now, when you see a 3-pin connector on an appliance, you know how it works to enhance your safety while using it.