InfoPower

Interpower recently received updated approvals for its new Japanese 12A/125VAC hospital-grade power cord set. With a Japanese hospital-grade plug on one end, and an IEC 60320 C13 connector on the opposite end of 3x1.25 mm² VCTF cable, the Japanese hospital-grade cord set is ready to use right out of the box. A major benefit of the cord set is how the newly designed plug offers more flexibility in manufacturing custom cord length and color options.

Whether customized cord sets or electrical components for global industries, Interpower’s cords and cord sets are continually tested beyond UL and IEC standards.

Brief History: The current helicopter view of Interpower’s product line shows a manufacturing landscape vastly different than the view from 1993. In ’93, still called Panel Components Corporation, the company moved from Santa Rosa, California, to Oskaloosa, Iowa. That year, the company manufactured its first Accessory Power Strip (APS) in Iowa. Three years later, the company manufactured its first run of North American power cords in June of 1996. In 2004, the company officially changed its name to the Interpower Corporation.

Global Passports: Designing electrical systems for use on every continent requires a global interface which IEC 60320 cords and components provide. No longer is it necessary for end users worldwide to reconfigure cord sets once they unbox them from the factory. Instead, the end of the cord set bearing a country-specific plug connects to a wall outlet (mains power); the other end of the cord, bearing an IEC 60320 connector, plugs into an accessory power strip (APS) or a power distribution unit (PDU) via an IEC 60320 inlet on the APS or PDU.

Cable is a sleek composite of resins and metals which are vital materials of making world-class power cords and cord sets. While dependable and durable, even essential to modern-day life, cable is also susceptible to acute bending, especially near the point where the cord exits the equipment. Underneath the smooth resinous skin of our example cord, lay three conductors of extruded copper wire. If those wires are extremely bent or otherwise damaged, the result could be loss of electrical continuity or shortened lifespan—protecting your cord’s bend radius helps maintain connectivity. And understanding your cord’s recommended minimum bend radius for cable is critical to the maintenance and longevity of the cable and the machines and equipment powering them.