Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island country located around the area of the Caribbean Sea. People who want to spend some time in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines must know some information about the country first like the the types of electrical outlet and plug used there as well as the standard voltage for appliances and electronic gadgets. In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines the standard voltage is 220-240 volts while the types of electrical outlet and plug commonly used in this country are-Type A NEMA 1-15 / JIS C 8303, Type C CEE 7/16 Europlug, Type E European CEE 7/4,   Type G British BS-1363, Type I Australian AS-3112, and Type K Danish SRAF 1962/DB. Aside from the the information about the types of electrical outlet and plugs present, a tourist in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines must also have adapters and voltage converters.

Adapters are used to alter the shape of the plug so that it could be used in a differently shaped electrical outlet. The plugs used by appliances and electronic gadgets come in different shapes and types, so sometimes an adapter is needed. Another thing to bring is a voltage converter. There are various types of voltage converters and some of these are the network-resistor converter, step-up and step-down transformer, and combination voltage converters.

Type A NEMA 1-15 / JIS C 8303 North American (Non-grounded and Non-polarized) Plug, Electrical Outlet, and Adapter

Type A plug and outlet

The NEMA 1-15 is a flat blade attachment plug that uses two flat parallel pins or blades. Older designs allow the blades to be inserted either way; however, contemporary  NEMA 1-15 plugs in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are designed with the neutral blade wider than the live blade allowing just one way of plugging and ensuring that the polarized plug is inserted appropriately into the electrical outlet.  The NEMA 1-15 is mostly found in North America and in the east coast of South America  as well as in other countries like Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. This is used for smaller devices that do not really need a ground connection. The NEMA 1-15 is also known as the Type A North American/Japanese 2-blade Eletrical adapter plug and electrical outlet. It also has the technical name North American 15 A/125 V ungrounded.

The new design of NEMA 1-15 changed so much that it will not fit in the old type of NEMA 1-15 electrical outlet in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. With the NEMA 1-15 adapter, the receptacle end will accept any standard household plug in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, aside from the Type M South African SABS1661 plug, which is also known as the Old British BS-546 Large plug. The blades of this adapter are 6.4mm long, 1.5mm thick, and are spaced 12.7mm apart. The NEMA 1-15 plug is also non-polarized and non-grounded which is very important. Although the NEMA 1-15 looks similar to the plugs of the U.S. and Canada and the appliance and electronic gadgets might be manufactured in the said countries, an adapter might still be needed because of the grounding and polarization requirements in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Type A adapter

In the NEMA 1-15 plug and electrical outlet, grounding is done by the third, round pin located beneath the two vertical blades on the plug. On the other hand, polarization is done by the left vertical blade being taller than the right one. If the plug does have grounding or polarization and the electrical socket does not have one, it would be physically impossible to insert the plug into the electrical socket. If this happens to a tourist in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and there is also no adapter present, that person might not be able to use his or her electronic gadgets and appliances.

There is also another electrical outlet that is commonly used in Japan, the JIS X 8303 Class II (Japanese 15 A/100 V ungrounded) which is similar to the NEMA 1-15, the only difference from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is the stricter dimensional requirements for the plug housing, marking, and mandatory testing and approval.

Type C CEE 7/16 Europlug Electrical Outlet and Adapter

Type C plug and outlet

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 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. 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 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.  Also, the receptacle end of the adapter is usually compatible with any standard electronic household plug in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 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. The Type C Europlug could also be safely used with the Type C, Type E, Type F, and some Type L electrical outlets. Aside from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, 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. 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 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is also non-polarized and non-grounded.

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 CEE 7/16 plugs while the Type E European CEE 7/4 plugs will work along with Type F Schuko outlets in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The Type E electrical outlet and plug is the standard in France, Denmark, Poland, Belgium, and other European countries as well as those located in the Pacific and Caribbean area like Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Type E adapter

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. The specifications of this Type E European CEE 7/4 plugs used in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 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 G British BS-1363 3-pin Plug, Electrical Outlet, and Adapter

Type G plug

The Type G British BS-1363 also has a receptacle end that is compatible with most household plug types, except the Type M South African SABS1661 (Old British BS-546 Large) plug. The plug end is a British BS-1363 13-amp type. For the adapter, the live and neutral pins are 4 x 6 x 18 mm apart, with the grounding pin measuring 4 x 8 x 23mm. Also, through the Type G British BS-1363 adapter, a tourist could use his or her appliance or electronic gadget in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The plug of this Type G British 3-pin is polarized and grounded but not fused. The Type G British BS-1363 electrical outlet and plug is a British 3-pin rectangular blade used widely in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines that has a protective fuse inside to protect cords from high-current circuits and, most of the time, the Type G British BS-1363 electrical outlet includes a safety switch.

Type G outlet

Another name for the Type G British BS-1363 plug is the 13-amp plug and for safety reasons the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines requires electrical outlets in households that use the Type G British BS-1363 to have shutters over the live and neutral connections of the electrical outlet. In the insertion of the longer earth pin from the plug, the safety shutters of the Type G British BS-1363 are opened. The shutters are also present to prevent the use of incompatible plugs made to other standards in Iraq. However, there are cases wherein the safety shutters of this electrical outlet in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines could be opened through a screwdriver in order to insert Type C plugs. But then, the usage of Type G British BS-1363 outlet along with another kind of plug is not recommended because these plugs do not have a fuse. The regulation about the safety shutters and fuse is then followed in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and all the other countries that use the Type G British BS-1363 electrical outlet and plug like the United Kingdom, England, Ghana, Grenada, Macau, Malta, Malaysia, Qatar, Saint Vincent, Saudi Arabia, Scotland and Zimbabwe. In terms of compatibility, the Type G British BS-1363 electrical outlet will work together with the Type G British BS-1363 plug and adapter in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Type G adapter

With all the safety measures and features of this plug and outlet, it is considered as one of the safest in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, even the world. However, with all its features, this type of plug is bulky and cumbersome. Some people claim that the Type G British BS-1363 plug is mostly bigger than the appliances they are connected to but if tourists would want to use their electronic gadget or appliance in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, then they must have a Type G British BS-1363 adapter. Although the adapter would not change the voltage used, it will enable the plug of the appliance or electronic gadget to be inserted to the electrical outlet used in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. For the electrical outlet, the Type G British BS-1363 sockets are not compatible with other types of electrical outlet in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Type I Australian AS-3112 Adapter, Plug, and Electrical Outlet

Type I plug and outlet

The blade contacts of the Type I Australia AS-3112 are 6.5 x 1.6mm with a phase and neutral blade angled at 30 degrees to vertical at a nominal pitch of 13.7mm. This standard plug of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is also polarized and grounded. The Type I Australian AS-3112 electrical outlet and plug is commonly used in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and other countries in the Pacific and Caribbean area. It is the standard in most houses in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and it is also slightly similar to the Chinese CPCS-CCC and the Argentine IRAM electrical outlet. These three sockets are interchangeable and are classified under the unofficial “Type I” category. This plug in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines features a grounding pin and two flat prongs that form a V-shape.

Type I adapter

Moreover, the receptacle end of this Type I Australian AS-3112 can accept any standard household plug type in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines except the Type M South African SABS1661, also known as the Old British BS-546 Large plug. However, there is also an ungrounded version of the Type I plug that only has two flat V-shaped prongs, but theelectrical outlet is always three-pinned. The Type I plug has other variants that include 15 A, 20 A, 25 A, and 32 A. The batteries of electronic gadgets must be charged through an electrical outlet and when the plugs do not match, an adapter that is compatible with the Type I outlet must be used. Aside from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, other countries that use the Type I Australian AS-3112 are Argentina, China (mainland except Taiwan), Papua New Guinea, Uruguay, Fiji, and Tokelau (the Union Islands).

Type K Danish SRAF 1962/DB Plug, Electrical Outlet, and Adapter

Type K plug and outlet

The Type K Danish SRAF 1962/DB is the standard electrical outlet in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the receptacle end of this plug is compatible with any standard household plug in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines except the Type M South African SABS1661 (Old British BS-546 Large) plug. This Type K Danish SRAF 1962/DB also has pins that are 4.8mm in diameter, similar to the Schuko plug of Germany and France. However, the difference of the Type K Danish SRAF 1962/DB plug from the German and French schuko is that the standard plug in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has a 6.0mm half-cylinder grounding pin that is uniquely shaped and positioned. This kind of plug common in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is also polarized and grounded.

Type K outlet

Although Europlugs and Schuko plugs are compatible with the Swiss electrical outlet, the connection might be grounded. In addition, this plug could only be plugged into a Danish electrical outlet. In particular, the specifications of the Type K Danish SRAF 1962/DB plug and electrical outlet are two round pins and a spade grounding pin. This Type K Danish SRAF 1962/DB plug in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is also known as Danish 10 A/250 V and it is not compatible with appliances that need to be earthed. Another variation of the Type K Danish SRAF 1962/DB plug is the DK 2-5a which is solely used for surge-protected computer circuits. For the electrical outlet, the Type K Danish SRAF 1962/DB electrical outlet in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is equipped with a switch to prevent the live pins from touching when connecting or disconnecting the plug. There are also some electrical outlets that do not have a switch, but these are required to have a cavity that prevents the pins from touching. Also, the electrical outlet was designed in such a way that the pins will not come in contact with each other. There are new electronic installations in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines as well that require grounded electrical outlets and older versions must be protected by RCD/GFCI (HFI in Denmark).

Type K adapter

In 2008, because of the huge amount of E and F Shucko plugs in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the government had decided to make it legal to install the Type E electrical outlet in homes and buildings instead of the Type K Danish SRAF 1962/DB, but installation of the Type F Schuko is still considered illegal. And although the Type K Danish SRAF 1962/DB electrical outlet and plug is the standard in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, there are also some countries that use this electrical outlet and plug like Bangladesh, Faeroe Islands, Greenland, Senegal, Tunisia, Madagascar, Maldives, and Guinea.

Voltage Converters and Universal Adapters

Travel voltage converter

If a tourist wants to use his or her gadget in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the best way is by using voltage converters such as the resistor-network converters, transformers, and in some cases the combination of both. Most appliances and electronic gadgets made in the United States of America (USA) have a voltage of 110-120 and using it directly on a 220-240 electrical outlet in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines would cause damage to the appliance or electronic gadget, to the extent that it might be totally fried out or  might even cause a fire.  There is a switch that enables the changing of modes from resistor-network converter to transformer, depending on the tourist’s needs in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines The resistor-network converters to be used in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are usually advertised to support as much as 50-1600 Watts and are just ideal to use for short periods of time. The resistor-network converter is also not recommended for digital devices like laptop computers however it is great for lightweight electronics like hair dryers and irons.

Transformer

If a tourist would want to use a laptop computer or charge batteries for camera, mp3 players, camcorders, and radios in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the ideal voltage converter would be a transformer which lowers maximum watt rating. It could be used for long periods of time but is a little bit heavy because of the large iron rods and copper wires. The last kind of voltage converter in order to use electronics in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines that are not compatible with the electrical outlet present in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is the combination of resistor-network converters and transformer. There are certain adapters that would fit particular plugs and these could be bought in hardware stores or electrical outlets in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines or before heading there. Another is that there are also universal adapters that could be used with any type of plug and electrical outlet, may it be in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines or another country. These voltage converters and adapters will be very handy if a tourist would plan a trip to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and intends to bring along some gadgets that require a particular voltage.

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