C13 vs C19
Both are IEC 60320 couplers (the female end of a cord, or an outlet on a PDU). They are different sizes and do not fit each other's inlets.
| C13 | C19 | |
|---|---|---|
| Mates with | C14 inlet / C14 plug | C20 inlet / C20 plug |
| Current class | 10 A (IEC), often 15 A in North America | 16 A (IEC), often 20 A in North America |
| Shape | Three pins in a row-and-point layout, small body | Three flat pins in a horizontal row, wider body |
| Typical use | 1U/2U servers, switches, storage with PSUs up to about 1600 W | High-watt PSUs (2000–3000 W), GPU servers, PDU inputs, UPS outputs |
| On a rack PDU | Most outlets | A few outlets, usually 3–6 |
How to tell which one you need
Look at the inlet on the power supply, not the server model. A C14 inlet takes a C13 cord. A C20 inlet takes a C19 cord. The same chassis can ship with either, depending on the PSU wattage. Example: Dell PowerEdge R740 uses C14 on 495–1600 W PSUs and C20 on the 2000 W and 2400 W PSUs (details).
Can I plug a C13 into a C19 outlet?
No, the shapes are different. To feed a C14-inlet server from a C19 outlet you use a C13-to-C20 cord: C13 into the server, C20 into the C19 outlet. See C13 to C20 power cord. The other way round (C20-inlet server, PDU with only C13 outlets) does not work: one C13 outlet cannot safely feed a 16 A PSU. See C13 PDU, C19 server.
Related: C13 vs C14, C19 vs C20, what power cord does my server need.
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