Power connectors in the rack: IEC and NEMA
Identify IEC 60320 C13/C14/C19/C20 and NEMA 5-15 connectors, know which mate, and know what a connector can't tell you.
- Level
- Beginner
- Length
- About 35 minutes
- Contents
- 3 lessons · 1 video · final exam
- Status
- Published · updated 1 Oct 2026
Skills you'll practise
- Identify C13, C14, C19 and C20 connectors and say which end of a cord or device each belongs on
- Choose the right jumper cord between a PDU outlet and a device inlet
- Explain why the connector shape alone doesn't prove the cord's current rating
- Recognize a NEMA 5-15 plug and read the rating printed on it
Course outline
- 1.Power connectors in the rack: C13, C14, C19 and C20Video · 2 min
- 2.IEC 60320 connectors: C13, C14, C19, C20Lesson · 10 min
- 3.NEMA 5-15 and reading what's printed on the plugLesson · 8 min
- 4.Locking and high-current inputs: NEMA L-series and IEC 60309Lesson · 12 min
- 5.Power connectors in the rack: IEC and NEMA: knowledge checkKnowledge check · 32 questions
- 6.Power connectors in the rack: IEC and NEMA: practical exerciseKnowledge check · 1 question
- 7.A server lost one power supplyScenario
- 8.Final exam7 questions · passing it completes the course, so people who already know the material can test out
Sources it draws on
The lessons and questions are written from these references, so learners can go back to the original.
- IEC 60320-1: Appliance couplers for household and similar general purposes
- NEMA WD 6: Wiring devices, dimensional specifications
- Your equipment vendors' installation and service guides (rail kits, PSU and BMC documentation)
See it with your own jobs and topics
Tell us about your team and we'll walk you through setup, from choosing jobs to your first skills check.