Why the U.S. uses a different voltage than some countries

The U.S. uses 110V 60 HZ AC while around the world different voltages are used. Have you ever wondered why there is this difference? The answer is a complicated one.

#engineering #voltage #110V

[Interestingengineeringofficial]

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[Zerpersande]

“Where voltages can be changed quite easily using the transformer’

Shows a picture of a tesla coil

[Vinicius_Berger]

Here in Brazil, we use to have some states using 110v at 60Hz and some states using 220v at 60Hz. That happened because some parts of Brazil had its electrical equipment imported from the United States and some parts came from Europe. Eventually, in 1998, every state that used 110v had to be changed to 127v. So, today, the Brazilian standard is 127v/220v at 60Hz. Which means that every single appliance sold in Brazil has to be dual voltage, either automatically or using a switcher. Sometimes you'll see the same appliance being sold in two variants on websites, so you gotta pay attention when you're buying something online.

[Frederick.J.Marshall]

I’m afraid there’s a lot inaccuracies in this video.

[manuelgarciabarbero]

Actually almost all the world works at 220-240

[michaelv]

Then you've got Japan, where half the island is 50 hertz, and half 60.

[phototristan]

The US is actually 240 V, split phase.

[Dipar]

The current european standard is 230 V ±10%, 50 Hz

[shivasrinivasan]

For all that genius that Edison had, he was a remarkably petty person.

[FunkySpunkyJunky]

Let's play a drinking game. Everyone drink a shot when they see a plug inserted into a socket.

[SurfinScientist]

More interestingly, in Japan they have 100V, with 50 Hz in the eastern part of the country and 60 Hz in the western part. The reason is that the equipment to generate electricity in the eastern part was originally imported from Europe and in the western part from the US. This is quite inconvenient for Japan, because it prevents the power grids of the east and west to be shared. Due to this no electric power could be redistributed in the aftermath of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, which highly affected the power generation in the east.

[LeJimster]

230v is the EU standard, which is why the UK adopted it when we were in the EU. In reality before the standard came in most of Europe ran at 220v and the UK 240v. They split the difference and agreed on 230v as a standard for electronics. However in reality the UK grid still runs at 240v last time I measured it and I wouldn't be surprised if most of the continent still ran 220v.

[solentbum]

When I was a small child the voltage supplied to our home in central London was changed from 120 v to 240 volt as a result of changes in the local generation systems, and the Nationalisation of Power supplies. My mothers nearly new Vacuum cleaner had a stepdown transformer added to its supply cable and the radio had parts fitted inside. That was around 1951. At the same time the house was rewired with the 'new' three pin sockets.

[peterharms]

This video is flawed from the start, it shows a map of Europe (including the UK) that are 240v 50hz and then in the next slide says India and Britain are 230v 50hz. Also the world was electrifying at the same time so insulation and other safety concerns were universal so that as a reason for 110v in the USA is more fallacy than fact.

[davidangelamelcher]

I worked at a copper mine and mill in Arizona in 1970 and most of their equipment was old and ran on 25 Hz power. Roosevelt dam had one generator dedicated to supply power to that mine alone.
When I was in Thailand in the mid 70s, their power was 230V 50Hz.

[i_]

Higher voltage is more economical cause you can use smaller diameter cable of the same power output.

[moriver]

Higher voltage also means less load/amperage. I once worked on a project in South America 25 years ago, and every piece of equipment sent from the US by my company was 120V, but where I was, power was 240/50. It was a nightmare stepping down the power to make the equipment work. All DIY, and worked. Very safely, I might add.

[fahadaslam]

That 230V in India was revised to 240V a few years back because that 230V due to line losses eventually came to lower than 210-220V

[alecbruyns]

This has nothing to do with long distance distribution, which is done at much higher voltages.

[SouravBagchigoogleplus]

In India (most of the world) 400V (line to line) 3 phase (120° phase difference) electricity is distributed. So the voltage difference between phase and neutral is (400÷√3 =) 230V which is used by household appliances. And we also directly use the 3 phase 400V connection to run electric pump.

In USA 2 phase (180° phase difference) 240V electricity is distributed. And the voltage difference between phase and neutral is (240÷2=) 120 V.