GOST 7396

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GOST 7396 is a series of Soviet and later Russian standards that specify basic dimensions and safety requirements for power plugs and sockets used in Russia and other former Soviet Republics. The plugs are similar to the Schuko standard. The contacts are also 19 mm apart, but the diameter of the pins is 4.0 mm instead of 4.8 mm. It is possible to insert Russian plugs into Schuko outlets, but Russian sockets will not accept schuko plugs because the holes are too small. This socket also accepts Europlugs, but does not accept CEE 7/17 plugs because they use the larger pin size.

Many official standards in Eastern Europe are virtually identical to the Schuko standard. One of the protocols governing the reunification of Germany required that the DIN and VDE standards would prevail without exception, so the former East Germany had to conform to the Schuko standard. Most other Eastern European countries use the Schuko standard internally but, prior to its collapse, they exported large volumes of appliances to the Soviet Union with the Soviet standard plug installed. Because of that, many of the Russian plugs found their way into other Eastern European countries.

The series includes the following standards:

GOST 7396.1-89 Plugs and Socket-Outlets for Household and Similar Purposes - Basic Dimensions
GOST 7396.2-91 Plugs and Socket-Outlets for Household and Similar Purposes - Particular Requirements for Fused Plugs - General Technical Specifications