On Mon, 29 Oct 2007 16:40:41 -0700, Jim Brown
wrote:

Just finishing my workshop and am doing my finish work. On 220
electrical outlets I notice there are a couple of different styles.
What is the difference. There is on that is similar to a 110 sytle but
with one of the blades turned 90 degrees. there is also one they call
a NEMA 6(?)? All three blades are in a cricular pattern. My new
jointer recommends the NEMA but would like to know what the difference
is and why one is better than the other.

Thanks,

Jim

Not so much that one is "better" than the other, but that the
differently configured receptacles are rated for different maximum
current. BTW, they are all "NEMA" configurations. NEMA 5-XX are 120v
plug/receptacle configurations and NEMA 6-XX are for 240v circuits.

Here is a link to a chart of the NEMA configurations for the straight
blade (non-locking) configurations:

http://www.westernextralite.com/resources.asp?key=69

and for the circular blade (locking) configurations:

http://www.westernextralite.com/resources.asp?key=70




Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA