# item.guide
Side-by-Side Comparison Plug Types

Type D vs. Type M

Comparing 2 standards across 5 specifications. 4 key differences identified.

Comparing:
Type D
Type M
Type D →

Type D is the old British 5A standard (BS 546, 1934) -- three large round pins in a triangle. It predates and is completely incompatible with the UK's later Type G, and remains the primary domestic standard in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka today.

View full Type D spec sheet →
Type M →

Type M is South Africa's large-pin standard -- the 15A variant of the same BS 546 family that produces Type D at 5A. The two share a triangular 3-round-pin layout and standard lineage but use different pin sizes, so they are not physically interchangeable.

View full Type M spec sheet →

Specification Comparison Table

5 Parameters
Parameter / Spec
Type D
Type M
Pin Count
3 round pins in a triangle (large, non-coplanar sizing) 3 round pins in a triangle, larger than Type D's
Rated Current
5 A 15 A
Rated Voltage
250 V 220-250 V
Grounded
Yes Yes
Common Regions
India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Namibia, and roughly 40 countries with British-influenced history South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, also found in India and Nepal for heavy-duty circuits

Other Alternatives to Compare

Compare Type D vs. Type A → Compare Type D vs. Type B → Compare Type D vs. Type C → Compare Type D vs. Type E → Compare Type D vs. Type F (Schuko) → Compare Type D vs. Type G → Compare Type D vs. Type H → Compare Type D vs. Type I → Compare Type D vs. Type J → Compare Type D vs. Type K → Compare Type D vs. Type L → Compare Type D vs. Type N → Compare Type D vs. Type O →