Unusual electrical features

This page summarises some of the most unusual features of the electrical systems used in different countries. This is especially meant for electrical systems that don't currently have their own dedicated page yet, but whose features are interesting enough to mention.

Note: unlike the other pages on this site, this one is written in a less detailed style, more akin to notes. Most of this information is taken from elsewhere on the internet, so please take it with a grain of salt in case any of it is incorrect.

Iceland

• The "Magic" style of plugs and sockets (from Italy) was quite popular there, possibly more than in Italy; these days Schuko is more common

Italy

• Universal use of stranded core wires, aside from old installations
• Different style of wall boxes than the rest of Europe; standard ones are based on the American ones and hold up to three modules; 4- and 7-module ones are also common, especially on newer installations
• Power meters with a built-in breaker - these are used to enforce the max kW limit on power contracts; the most common one is 3kW. This means 3.3kW continuous, or 4kW for up to three hours

Japan

• American-style wiring, but with TT earthing. Likely because of this, RCDs covering multiple circuits or the whole house are common
• Famously, half of the island uses 50Hz while the other half uses 60Hz
• Most sockets are two-prong only, with no earth connection
• Earthed plugs traditionally were two-prong with a separate earth lead; newer ones often use American style three-prong ones. Adaptors to convert between the two types are available; newer earthed sockets often support both
• Modular electrical accessories (sockets, light switches) are quite common; there seems to be an actual standard for them, unlike in Italy

Norway

• Extensive use of the IT system - the star point of the transformer is not connected to earth at any point. This is often done on 127/220V transformers. Fuses are placed on both wires of a circuit. Causes problems with EV chargers; newer installations use TN-C-S [Source]

The Philippines

(Note: these features may also be found on other countries that switched from US-style 120V)

• Extensive historical influence from American electrics
• American two or three-prong outlets, but on 220V 60Hz. GFCIs are also used, which look the same as American ones but are designed for 220V
• Older installations use split-phase supplies, newer ones use "standard" single phase 220V. Older ones are slowly being switched to this style as well
• Breaker panels are either similar to American ones (built-in busbar) or DIN rail ones; newer installations seem to prefer the latter
• Use of American style meter sockets (both for split phase and normal single phase supplies)

South Africa

• Breaker panels use either normal DIN rails or a special type of rail ("Samite rail"); breakers using that system look similar to American style ones but in appearance only - they're wired like DIN rail ones (no buit-in busbar)
  [Source 1] [Source 2]
• Use of multiple styles of plug; most sockets use BS546 (old UK)-style ones, but they're being switched over to the IEC 60906-1 standard. Europlugs and CEE 7/17 "Contour plugs" are also common, but only usable with adaptors

South Korea

• Uses 230V 60Hz; switched from US-style 120V
• Formerly used American plugs and sockets; nowadays uses Schuko. Because of this, special duplex Schuko sockets are used, which fit in an American-style rectangular wall box
• Breaker panels look very similar to traditional Japanese ones; most breakers appear to be RCBOs, except in older installations [Source]

Spain

• Before Schuko became common, houses used various different styles of plug; the Swiss style one was somewhat common (without the recess, though), and there were even special 16A ones that used larger holes (so, different from normal 16A Swiss sockets)
• An old style of socket existed that looked like Schuko ones but with American-style flat pins. Essentially a combination of the two systems. Likely wasn't at all common though, but it's still very weird [Source]
• Use of rectangular (possibly derived from Italy?) wall boxes on some older installations [Source]

Thailand

• Unusual type of plug standard (type O): sockets used are a combination American three-prong + European two-pin style (also sometimes used in some other countries). The plugs use two round pins like the European ones but with a (round) earth pin where the American one is. This is a quite recent standard and isn't used anywere else [Source]
• Older breaker panels are similar to American style ones, but for "standard" single phase 240V; breakers look the same as Square D US ones but are rated for 240V. Newer ones are DIN rail [Source 1] [Source 2]
• British and American influence on wire colour coding