Type A

What is Plug Type A?

Plug Type A is one of the most widely used and simple plug designs around North America, comprised of two flat live contact pins.

Plug and Socket Type A
Plug Type A

Traditionally, these pins didn’t have a fixed polarization. That means either could be positive or negative. However, that quickly changed to improve the safety of the plugs. Now, there are specific positive and negative terminals.

These pins are parallel and about half an inch apart. 

The lack of a grounding wire renders this design more unsafe than other designs, so we only use the Type A plug for devices that operate on low voltage. This outlet is rapidly becoming obsolete as it has been phased out in all new buildings due to its numerous performance deficiencies. Nevertheless, you can still find them in many older structures throughout the United States.

What countries use Plug Type A?

The Plug Type A remains very popular throughout North and South America. In fact, this plug is seen in countries such as Canada, the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

List of countries using Plug Type A:

Where did Plug Type A come from?

The design dates back to the late 19th century. It was one of the first plug designs made by Thomas Edison’s company, The Edison Electric Light Company.

It quickly became popular among American households and businesses due to its ease of use and low cost. In fact, it remained one of the most common plugs in the country until the late 20th century.

Type A plugs are becoming increasingly rare. They’re still used in some areas, but many countries have replaced them with safer plug designs.

Plug Type A is a piece of history that will never be forgotten.

Can I get a Plug Type A travel adapter?

Yes, you can find Plug Type A travel adapters in most stores. These adapters will allow you to use Plug Type A plugs in countries that use different types of plugs. However, these adapters are becoming increasingly rare, as the demand for them diminishes with the decline of this plug type.

It’s important to note that these adapters are only suitable for low voltage devices such as personal computers, phone chargers and other similar items.