
What is 208v used for in HVAC?
What is 208v used for? The most common commercial building electric service in North America is 120/208 volt wye, which is used to power 120 volt plug loads, lighting, and smaller HVAC systems. In larger facilities the voltage is 277/480 volt and used to power single phase 277 volt lighting and larger HVAC loads.
How does a 208v circuit work?
Regarding this, how does 208v work? 208V 3 Phase power has 3 electrical legs (phases) evenly spaced in a circle (360 degrees / 3 phases = 120 degrees) around a center (neutral). Each leg (phase) provides power (phase voltage) at a unique angle (phase angle) to the center (neutral).
Is 208v the same as 220V?
Is 208 volts and 220 volts the same? "220" and "240" are the same thing. "220" is what the unqualified use to describe 240 volt circuits. 208 can only be obtained from a 3-phase wye system. 208 is from a 3 phase system and 240 can be from a single phase or a 3 phase system. In respect to this, can I use 208v instead of 240v?
What is 208v 3 phase power?
Each leg (phase) provides power (phase voltage) at a unique angle (phase angle) to the center (neutral). 208V 3 Phase power also goes by the names 208V 3 Phase 4 Wire and 208Y/120V.

What is the purpose of 208 volts?
The most common commercial building electric service in North America is 120/208 volt wye, which is used to power 120 volt plug loads, lighting, and smaller HVAC systems. In larger facilities the voltage is 277/480 volt and used to power single phase 277 volt lighting and larger HVAC loads.
Is 208 and 220 the same?
In North America, the terms 220V, 230V, and 240V all refer to the same system voltage level. However, 208V refers to a different system voltage level. In North America, the utility companies are required to deliver split phase 240VAC for residential use.
Can I use 208V instead of 240V?
In short, just because a 208v motor may be designed to run on 230v or 240v systems by using two power legs from the utility source, that doesn't mean that it will provide the same output efficiency. You will see differences in performance if you try to use 208v when 240v is typically required.
Is 240V 3 phase the same as 208V 3 phase?
208V is *not* the same as 240V. 208V is the voltage between phases of a 3-phase “Y” circuit that is 120V from neutral to any hot. 480V is the voltage between phases of a 3-phase “Y” circuit that's 277V from hot to neutral.
Can I plug 220V into 208V?
No. It would have to be a 240 Volt system. The reason why it's rated at 220 volts is because of the voltage drop in the branch circuit conductors.
How do you wire a 208V outlet?
How to Wire 120V & 208V, 1-Phase & 3-Phase Load?A 208V three phase motor is connected to all three hot busbars plus neutral and ground wires.A 208V single phase water heater is connected to hot 1 and hot 2 plus ground wire.An 120V single phase standard outlet is connected to hot 1, neutral and ground wires.More items...
How can I get 120v from 208?
Locate and identify the ground or neutral terminal of the 208-volt 3-phase system. Connect the input terminals of your circuit between any phase conductor and the neutral terminal of the system. This connection point will deliver 120-volts to your circuit.
Is all 208V 3 phase?
Conclusion. Now to get back to our question. 208 volts is Line-to-Line Voltage. This three Phase voltage is frequently used in small businesses.
Does 208V need a neutral?
Most 3 phase systems are 208 but there is a 3 phase delta that is 240V. In terms of the receptacle. They can be straight 208 single phase, 3 phase or single phase 208 with a neutral or 3 phase with a neutral.
How can I get 208?
2:086:25How is 208 volts different than 230/240 volts? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd we split it in half into two separate phases with that neutral in the middle but in the case ofMoreAnd we split it in half into two separate phases with that neutral in the middle but in the case of 208. 208 really isn't single phase 208 is actually two phases we're taking two phases out of three.
What is the difference between 240 volt and 208 volt?
The difference between 208V three phase, and 240V single phase, is how the voltage is derived. 240V single phase is obtained by taking a single leg of three-phase power. 208V three phase is obtained by taking two legs of three-phase power.
Is 208V 2 phase or 3 phase?
208V 3 Phase power has 3 electrical legs (phases) evenly spaced in a circle (360 degrees / 3 phases = 120 degrees) around a center (neutral). Each leg (phase) provides power (phase voltage) at a unique angle (phase angle) to the center (neutral).
How many volts is 208 volts?
It is 208 volts /1.732 which is 120 volts. The power is brought is as 208 volts 3 Phase and then the Line-to-Neutral Voltage will be 120 Volts. Each of the three Line-to-Neutral line will go to a part of the plant.
What is three phase power?
Three phase power is power that comes in on three separate lines. In each line, the voltage follows a sign wave pattern. Each wave is similar except they are out of phase. By that, we mean that the second wave begins at the point where the first wave is a third of the way through its cycle. Then, the sine wave for the third line begins at ...
What is the Y in 208V?
The “4 Wire” in 208V 3 Phase 4 Wire refers to the neutral as 4th wire. The” Y” in 208Y/120V refers to the neutral as the center of the Y shaped power source.
Is 208V single phase or 3 phase?
208V Single Phase and 208V 3 Phase power are easy to use, but hard to understand. If you want a simple understanding but aren’t electrically minded, start with a simple analogy you can build on. I like the bicycle analogy.
What is 208V?
However, 208V refers to a different system voltage level. With electrical loads, the voltage will drop, hence the common reference to voltages below 120 and 240, such as 110, 115, 220, and 230.
How many volts does a 3 phase 208 motor have?
Even though the system voltage of 3 phase 208 is within the -10% rating of the three phase 230 v motor, the 208 is allowed to vary to -10% or 187 volts -- and the motor will not work at that level. This motor was built to be used on 240V system.
Does 120/208 work on 208?
The 120/208 service has caused some problems to some solar installers for the residentual customers. But most 240 equipment works on 208.
Can you get 240V from 208V?
The service voltages will be 240 or 208. 120 can be had from either. But, no, you can't get 240V from 208V without a boost transformer. If the DC power supply is expecting 240V (or even 220V) into its step down transformer and you only give it 208V, I can see why the DC might be a bit noisy.
What is 120/208?
In the US: 120/208 means three phase - 120V L-N and 208V L-L. 120/240 is split phase - 120V L-N and 240V L-L. 110/220 and 115/230 are technically incorrect but get used occasionally to describe a 120/240 system.
What voltage was used in the UK in 1990?
Internationally UK and many of its former colonies used to have 240 V while rest of Europe used to have 220 V. In around 1990 the countries harmonized to 230 V though in case of Britain this largely was just on paper and they play with the tolerances. In Finland the voltage really was raised.
Is 230 over 220?
Now to Europe. Its said to be 230 over there not 220. Amplifiers with traditional iron transformers often have a dual primary that can be wired in parallel for 120 and series for 240 and the amplifier doesn’t know the difference on the inside.
