Type I vs. Type J
Comparing 2 standards across 5 specifications. 5 key differences identified.
Type I, the Australian/New Zealand standard, uses two flat pins angled in a V-shape plus a flat earth pin. China and Argentina use dimensionally similar but genuinely incompatible variants -- Chinese plugs don't physically fit, and Argentine plugs fit but with reversed polarity.
Type J is Switzerland's own standard -- three round pins in a small hexagonal-bodied plug, in 10A and 16A variants. Its design directly influenced Brazil's and South Africa's later Type N standards, though reversed polarity during adaptation broke compatibility with its own descendants.
Specification Comparison Table
5 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Pin Count
|
2 flat pins in an inverted V + 1 flat earth pin | 3 round pins in a triangle, smaller than Type D/M; hexagonal plug body |
|
Rated Current
|
10 (15A, 20A, 25A, and 32A variants also exist) A | 10 or 16 A |
|
Rated Voltage
|
230 V | 250 V |
|
Grounded
|
Yes (2-pin ungrounded version also exists for double-insulated devices) | Yes |
|
Common Regions
|
Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands | Switzerland, Liechtenstein only |