What is the difference between type C and type SE plugs?
- By
- Aparna Patel
- |
- 3 Aug, 2023
- |
This is an old question but I will post an answer for the information.
The wall sockets used in South Korea are type F, which has two round prongs and grounds on the top and the bottom inner sides of the socket.
The spacing and the diameters of the prongs are roughly identical to that of the European type C connectors, so they are technically compatible with each other, and because this connecter is more compact and has thinner cables, they are often used for small consumer electronics as an unearthed power connector.
However, since the diameter of type F prongs are 4.8mm, and type C prongs are 4mm, the type C connectors manufactured strictly to the standards are often too loose for the type F wall sockets and are not securely sitted, often ending up with visible sparks popping inside the socket when plugging in and out. (Type C prongs are tilted slightly inwards to ensure secure connection, but that’s often not enough)
To mitigate this issue, in Korea the "C" type connectors and cables are often manufactured with slight modifications from the original type C specifications. The overall shape is identical to the normal type C plugs, but the prongs are often thickened to match that of the type F prongs, so that the connectors can be sitted more securely into the socket.
Some of the Japanese manufacturers make travel adapters to this modified spec, and they refer to this type of connectors as type SE
TL;DR: Type SE plugs are what some manufacturers refer to as when talking about a modified type C standard that has thickened prongs that match the thickness of type F prongs.
The concept of a “Type SE” seems to be a Japanese thing: the canonical list of plug types is maintained by the International Electrotechnical Commission, and they don’t recognize it.
The best source I could find, then, is this random Japanese site, which claims that Type SE is identical to the Type C, except that:
- Type SE plugs have may have a hole for a ground (earth) pin in the middle
- Type SE plugs may have slightly wider pins than Type C
On closer observation, it looks like “Type SE” is identical to what is usually called “Type E”! Type E, which originates from France, has the grounding pin hole and straight 4.8×19 mm pins, while Type C lacks the hole and has slightly smaller, tapered 4x19mm pins. Side by side:
Type C
Type E/SE
Credit:stackoverflow.com‘