The standardized round plug in Sri Lanka turns square

The standardized round plug in Sri Lanka turns square

The electric plug in use in Sri Lanka for a long period of time was of a round or circular shaped one. However in line with the announcement made by the Public Utilities Commission the plug has been turned into a square shape here onwards.

As most electricity products imported to Sri Lanka

are from countries such as China, Taiwan and Malaysia are of a square shape type, the product did not afford safety precautions as they did not possess socket equipment for facility purposes and were installed in that manner in houses for quite sometime.  As such, electric plugs fixed as 5 Amp. would assume 13 Amps and householders need only change the plug base installed on the wall. The internal wire need not be changed.

Whatever it is, as a result of this change there would be no problems with regard to the wiring aspect of of houses already built and finished. After the new standard has been introduced, the Commission therefore the urges the public to inspect whether there is a 13 Amp. available when purchasing electric equipment. In respect of this change, a transition period has been introduced by the Commission. Under these conditions the new standard effected would go into effect from 16th August, 2016. However, imports of the previous type of equipment is permitted. But various types of imports of electric plugs and sockets not belonging to the new category after 16th August, 2017 and which do not come under regulations of the national standard would be banned. Later, all electric equipment comprising electric plugs which do not belong to the new group would be subjected to ban from 16th August, 2018. Director General of the Commission Mr. Damith Kumarasingha had said that this standard has been introduced in order to minimise accidents caused to consumers because of the use of electricity. He also adds that in electric plugs and sockets installed in houses and buildings erected in future would prove of importance according to this new standard.