In Monaco, the standard voltage is 110-120 volts while the primary types of electrical outlet are Type C CEE 7/16 Europlug, Type D Indian BS-546, Type E European CEE 7/4, and Type F CEE 7/5 Schuko. These are all being used by appliances and electronic gadgets in Monaco. If a tourist would want to visit Monaco, he or she must know this information beforehand.

Aside from the different types of plugs and electrical outlets, there are also adapters designed for particular plugs. Adapters are used when the shape of the plug is not compatible with the shape of the electrical outlet in Monaco. There are different kinds of adapters and there is also a universal adapter that could be used with any type of plug. In a trip to Monaco, another thing that a tourist must have is a voltage converter. A voltage converter is used when the voltage used by an electronic gadget or appliance is not compatible with the voltage used by the electrical outlet in Monaco. There are different kinds of voltage converters and the two most widely used are the step-up and step-down transformer as well as the combination voltage converter.

Type C CEE 7/16 Europlug Electrical Outlet and Adapter

Type C plug and outlet

The Type C Europlug is also known as the CEE 7/16 (Europlug 2.5 A/250 V unearthed), which is a bit similar, only slightly smaller, to the CEE 7/17 and it is one of the most commonly used electrical outlet and plug in  Monaco. The Type C 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 used in Monaco. Also, the receptacle end of the adapter is usually compatible with any standard electronic household plug in Monaco and from any country, aside from the “Type M” South African SABS1661 (Old British BS-546 Large) plug.

Type C adapter

The pins of the Type C Europlug are 4.0mm in diameter, 19mm long and are spaced  19mm apart. In using appliances and gadgets in Monaco, the Type C Europlug could also be safely used with the Type C, Type E, Type F, and some Type L electrical outlets. In addition, the Europlug is also the most widely used electrical outlet all over continental Europe and in the former Soviet Republics. This plug in Monaco is also non-polarized and non-grounded. Aside from Monaco, there are also countries in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Pacific Rim region, Central and South America, and Caribbean that use this kind of adapter.

Type D Indian BS-546 Adapter Plug and Electrical Outlet

Type D plug

In this Type D Indian BS-546 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.  It is an old British standard electrical outlet which is still the primary household electrical outlet in countries like Sri Lanka, Nepal, Namibia, and Hong Kong.The Type D Indian BS-546 electrical outlet  is most compatible with the Type D Old British Plug Adapter that is sometimes used in Monaco.

Type D outlet

The receptacle end of this Type D Indian BS-546 plug is also compatible with common household plugs except the Type M South African SABS1661 (Old British BS-546 Large) plug.  Although the Type D Indian BS-546 electrical outlet and plug is not the standard in Monaco and other countries, it is still used in various households. In terms of design and appearance, the Type D Indian BS-546 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 Monaco or even in other countries.

Type E European CEE 7/4 Electrical Adapter Plug and Electrical Outlet

Type E plug and outlet

The Type E electrical outlet could also be used with Type C plugs while the Type E European CEE 7/4 plugs will work along with Type F outlets in Monaco. The Type E electrical outlet and plug is the standard in France, Denmark, Poland, Belgium, and other European countries including Monaco. For the electrical outlet and plug of the Type E European CEE 7/4, the male pin is installed upwards in the electrical outlet, with the live connection in the left and neutral connection in the right. 

Type E adapter

The specifications of this Type E European CEE 7/4 plugs used in Monaco are two round pins spaced 19mm apart with a hole for the male grounding pin of the electrical socket. However, the Type E European CEE 7/4 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.

Type F CEE 7/5 Schuko Electrical Outlet, Plug, and Adapter

Type F plug and outlet

Commonly known simply as the Schuko plug, the Type F CEE 7/5 Schuko plug and electrical outlet was derived from the German word “Schukostecker” which means “protective contact plug.” This electrical outlet in Monaco is also similar to the Type E with the difference being its two earth clips on the side instead of the female earth contact. The Type F CEE 7/5 Schuko is used for the “Type F” CEE 7/4 Schuko style electrical socket of Germany or to a “Type E” CEE 7/5 socket of France. The receptacle end of Type F CEE 7/5 Schuko is compatible with most sockets except the “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 7/5 Schuko.

Type F adapter

On the other hand, the plug end of Type F CEE 7/5 Schuko is compatible with the variations of the Schuko electrical outlet for France and Germany. The pins of this adapter in Monaco are 4.8mm in diameter, 19mm long, and spaced 19mm apart. They have both side-grounding clips and a receptacle for the male grounding pin which is found in French Schuko sockets. If the appliance or electronic gadget to be used in Monaco is already a Schuko, there is no need to use the Type F CEE 7/5 Schuko adapter for the electrical outlet. This Schuko plug and receptacle in Monaco also have side grounding contacts which allow symmetrical connection system for live and neutral to be reversed. Most European countries including Monaco use the Type F CEE 7/5 Schuko except Denmark, Italy, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus that have their own standard electrical outlet.

Voltage Converters

It is important to know the proper voltage, electrical outlet, plugs, and adapters to use when visiting Monaco and other countries because sometimes these electric requirements vary depending on the location. In worse cases, if the the wrong plug is inserted in the wrong electrical outlet or the voltage does not match, this might even cause electrocution. If the voltage of the appliance or electronic gadget to be used in Monaco does not match its 110-120 volts requirement a tourist in Monaco would need a voltage converter.

There are three kinds of voltage converters available: the transformer, the network-resistor converter, and the combination of these two. For laptop computers, cameras, mp3 players, and battery chargers in Monaco, the recommended voltage converter to be used is the transformer as it has a lower maximum watt rating of 50 to 100 watts and it could be used continuously although it could be heavy because of the large iron rods and copper wires inside. The resistor-network converters could support 50-1600 watts and are often used for a short period of time in Monaco and in lightweight electrical appliances like hair dryers and iron.

About kristine

View all post by kristine