Type D vs. Type K
Comparing 2 standards across 5 specifications. 3 key differences identified.
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.
Type K is Denmark's standard -- two round power pins plus a separate round earth pin mounted on the plug, offset from center. Used exclusively in Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands; EU accession has allowed Schuko (Type F) sockets in Danish homes since the early 1990s.
Specification Comparison Table
5 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Pin Count
|
3 round pins in a triangle (large, non-coplanar sizing) | 2 round power pins + 1 round/D-shaped earth pin (on the plug) |
|
Rated Current
|
5 A | 16 A |
|
Rated Voltage
|
250 V | 250 V |
|
Grounded
|
Yes | Yes |
|
Common Regions
|
India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Namibia, and roughly 40 countries with British-influenced history | Denmark, Greenland, Faroe Islands (exhaustive -- not used elsewhere) |