What people call industrial sockets: add-on = panel-mounted = flush-mounted
The same product has several names: add-on socket, panel-mounted socket and flush-mounted socket are the same thing, while wall-mounted is a different one. A full glossary so you quote the right model.
The most confused point first: "add-on socket", "panel-mounted socket" and "flush-mounted socket" are three names for the same thing — the type that is fitted into an equipment panel, enclosure or control cabinet, not onto a wall. Manufacturers, electricians and generations use different words, but the goods are one family.
Full glossary
| What customers say | Also written / called | What it actually is, and where it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Add-on socket | Panel-mounted socket, flush-mounted socket, recessed, flange socket | Fitted to an equipment panel / enclosure / control cabinet; straight or angled body |
| Wall-mounted socket | Surface-mounted socket, wall socket | Fitted to a wall, with the housing standing proud of it |
| Connector | Portable socket, female, moving end | On the end of a cable, the part you move around and plug into a socket |
| Plug | Male, cable plug | On the end of a cable, pushed into a socket to take power |
| Appliance inlet | Inlet, equipment-end plug | Fitted on the equipment, cable plugs in from outside (the mirror image of a socket) |
| Socket combination | Power box, AMAXX, DELTA-BOX, socket strip | Several sockets plus protective devices in one enclosure |
Other trade jargon, mapped
| What customers say | What it means |
|---|---|
| Three-phase five-wire | 5-pole (3P+N+earth, three-phase with neutral) — the usual 400V arrangement in workshops |
| Three-phase four-wire | 4-pole (3P+earth, three-phase without neutral) |
| Five-core / four-core / three-core | The same: five-core = 5-pole, four-core = 4-pole, three-core = 3-pole (the earth counts as a core) |
| Male / female | Male = plug; female = connector (the moving end of a cable) |
| Flange / cut-out / 86 box | All point to the mounting of an add-on (panel-mounted) socket; the exact cut-out depends on the model — we can send a dimension drawing |
| Waterproof plug / socket | Usually means IP67 (IP44 is splash-proof, not waterproof) — outdoors and wash-down need IP67 |
| Power box / portable power box | Socket combination (AMAXX / DELTA-BOX style, several sockets and protective devices in one enclosure) |
These mappings are the convention we have settled with customers over the years; poles are always counted including earth (see counting poles). For actual wiring, the equipment nameplate and whether a neutral is needed are what count.
Telling an add-on socket from a wall-mounted one at a glance
- Is there a housing? A wall-mounted socket has a complete housing fixed to the wall; an add-on / panel-mounted one is usually just a panel and flange fitted into a cut-out.
- Where does the wiring go? Wall-mounted: terminals behind the socket, inside the wall or trunking. Panel-mounted: terminals inside the equipment.
- Look at the fixing holes: panel-mounted is normally a flange with screw holes (matching a cut-out); wall-mounted has base fixing holes.
How to quote without mistakes
Say all three and you will normally get it right first time: (1) where it mounts (wall / equipment panel / cable end) plus (2) current, voltage, poles (e.g. 32A 400V 5-pole) plus (3) whether it needs to be waterproof (dry workshop IP44 / outdoor wash-down IP67). Or simply give the item number and we return the specification, product photo and datasheet PDF.
Related: counting poles · can MENNEKES mate with domestic CEE? · IP44 vs IP67
Not sure which type you have? Send us a site photo or a model number and we will identify it.
