Fuse
A safety device consisting of a strip of wire that melts and breaks an electric circuit if the current exceeds
a safe level.
GFCI
Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter; An electrical wiring device that disconnects a circuit whenever it
detects that the electric current is not balanced between the energized conductor and the return neutral
conductor. Such an imbalance is sometimes caused by current leakage through the body of a person
who is grounded and accidentally touching the energized part of the circuit.
Ground
A connection between an electrical device and the Earth or at the voltage defined as zero (in the U.S.,
called ground; in the UK, called earth).
Harmonized Code
An international coding system for specifying the attributes of cord voltages, jackets, diameters, etc.
Hertz
Measurement of frequency, equaling one cycle per second, U.S. devices are typically 60 Hertz and
international devices are typically 60 hertz.
ICC
International Color Code; Standard for wire jacket colors; Hot=Brown, Neutral=Blue, Ground=Green/Yellow.
IEC
International Electrotechnical Commission; An international organization that sets standards for electrical
products
IEC320
IEC standard of thirteen 2 or 3 wire plugs, connectors, inlets or outlets usually used in the computer
industry.
