The 6 types of electrical plugs and their uses

NEMA 5-15

If you look around your house, you’ll probably find these plugs and corresponding receptacles everywhere. They’re the ones with two flat blades and one round pin.

When plugged in, the flat blades carry the hot and neutral to your equipment, and the round one connects to your house’s grounding system. You’ll find these 15-amp plugs on appliances, electronics, lights and extension cords.

If you live in a house built before the 1960s, you may encounter ungrounded receptacles that won’t accept a modern three-prong plug. If that happens, never remove the ground prong to bypass this safety feature. Update your wiring, or replace the ungrounded receptacle with a GFCI.