Type GBritish 13 A plug

Pins
3
Spacing
22 mm
Pin length
17.7 mm
Rated
13 A
Earthed
yes

Drawn from pin dimensions at one scale across the whole site — hold a plug against the screen and it should look familiar.

The chunky three-blade plug of the UK, Ireland, Malta, Cyprus, Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia, defined by BS 1363. It is the only common plug that carries its own fuse — typically 3 A for electronics, 13 A for heaters — so the cord is protected even on the UK's high-capacity ring circuits. The long earth blade enters first and opens shutters over the line and neutral holes, which is why nothing else fits a British socket without an adapter.

What fits a Type G socket

Only its own plug — nothing else seats in a Type G socket. Nothing but G fits: the shutters only open for the longer earth blade, so every foreign plug needs an adapter.

Facts verified against IEC World Plugs — Type G. Prose is our own.

Where you'll meet it