For tourists who want are visiting Greece, it is important to know the electrical outlet, plug, and voltage information in order to avoid problems and make the most of their trip. In Greece, the voltage used is 220-240 volts and for the electrical outlet, there are two European outlet types, the Type C Europlug and the Type E and Type F Schuko. Also, the Type D Indian socket could be utilized when tourists want to use their electronic gadget and appliances in Greece. For the frequency in Greece, it is 50 Hertz and the plug types that are commonly used are Type C European 2-Pin Electrical Adapter Plug which is also known as the CEE 7/16 (Europlug 2.5 A/250 V unearthed); Type F Schuko Plug, Type D Old British Electrical Adapter Plug (BS 546, 5 A/250 V earthed); and Type E French 2-Pin Electrical Adapter Plug.

Type C CEE 7/16 Europlug Adapter and Eletrical Outlet

Type C Europlug Adapter

One of the adapters for the electrical outlet type in Greece, the WA-9C Travel Plug Adapter for Europe (“Type C” CEE 7/16 Europlug) alters the shape of the appliance’s plug so that it could be used into a “Type C” European CEE 7/16 Class II non-grounded Europlug socket or a Soviet-era Russian GOST 7396 Class II non-grounded socket. Also, the receptacle end of the adapter is usually compatible with any standard electronic household plug from any country, aside from the “Type M” South African SABS1661 plug (Old British BS-546 Large). The plug end of Type C Europlug is compatible as well with the other types of sockets used in Europe including Greece, like that of the grounded “Type F” German and “Type E” French Schuko sockets, “Type L” Italian sockets, “Type H” Israeli sockets, “Type J” Swiss sockets, and “Type K” Danish sockets, although connections to some of these sockets are non-grounded. For the pins of this Type C Europlug, it is 4.0mm in diameter, 19mm long and has a space apart of 19mm. This plug in Greece is also non-polarized and non-grounded.

In addition, the Europlug is also the most widely used electrical outlet all over continental Europe and in the former Soviet Republics. Aside from Greece, there are also countries in Middle East, Southeast Asia, Pacific Rim region, Central and South America, and Caribbean that use this kind of adapter.

Type F CEE 7/7 Schuko Adapter and Eletrical Outlet

Type F Schuko Adapter Plug

The Type F CEE 7/7 Schuko is used for the “Type F” German CEE 7/4 Schuko style electrical socket or for a “Type E” French CEE 7/5 socket. The receptacle end of the Type F CEE 7/7 Schuko is compatible to most sockets except “Type M” South African SABS1661 (Old British BS-546) plug and the non-grounded CEE 7/16 Europlug Socket because of its 4.0mm pin receptacles that are too small for the 4.8mm pins of the Type F CEE 7/7 Schuko. On the other hand, the plug end of Type F CEE 7/7 Schuko is compatible with the variations of the Schuko electrical outlet for France and Germany. The pins of this adapter are 4.8mm in diameter, 19mm long, and spaced 19mm apart. It has both side grounding clips and a receptacle for the male grounding pin. If the appliance or electronic gadget to be used in Greece is already a Schuko, there would be no need to use the Type F CEE 7/7 Schuko adapter for the electrical outlet in Greece. The Type F CEE 7/7 Schuko is the standard in countries part of the European Union as well as those which adhere to CENELEC (Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique) standards.

Most European countries including Greece use the Type F CEE 7/7 Schuko except Denmark, Italy, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus that have their own standard electrical outlet.

Type D Old British Adapter Plug and Eletrical Outlet

Type D Old British Plug and Outlet

This adapter is used for the “Type D” Indian (Small 5 amp BS-546) electrical outlet in Greece. The receptacle end of this Type D plug is also compatible with common household plugs except the Type M South African SABS1661 (Old British BS-546 Large) plug. In this Type D Old British Plug Adapter, the live and neutral pins are 5mm in diameter, spaced 22mm apart, and the grounding pin is 7mm in diameter with the plug being polarized and grounded.

The Type D Old British Plug Adapter is most compatible with the Type D Indian electrical outlet that is sometimes used in Greece. It is an old British standard electrical outlet which is still the primary household electrical outlet in countries like Sri Lanka, Nepal, Namibia, and Greece. Although the Type D electrical outlet and plug is not the standard in Greece and other countries, it is still used in various households. In terms of design and appearance, the Type D Indian electrical outlet and plug is often confused with the Type M South African electrical outlet and plug. However, as similar as these two may seem, they are not compatible and must not be used together in Greece or even in other countries.

Type E French 2-Pin Electrical Adapter Plug and Electrical Outlet

Type E French 2-Pin Plug and Outlet

The Type E electrical outlet and plug is the standard in France, Denmark, Poland, Belgium, and other European countries including Greece. However, the Type E is not compatible with the Type F of Germany, the Netherlands, and other continental countries of Europe because of the round male pin in the socket. For the electrical outlet and plug of the Type E, the male pin is installed upwards in the electrical outlet, with the live connection in the left and neutral connection in the right. The specifications of this Type E plugs used in Greece are two round pins spaced 19mm apart with a hole for the male grounding pin of the electrical socket. The Type E electrical outlet could also be used with Type C plugs while the Type E plugs will work along with Type F outlets in Greece.

In addition, people who are going to Greece would need a voltage converter and plug adapters for their appliance and electronic gadgets if it does not run on a 220-240 voltage. Most American electronics use 110-120 voltage so if these are to be used in Greece, some of the ways to make it work safely and efficiently are using a transformer, a resistor-network converter, and combination converters.

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