Understanding a 360Y/480 Distribution system

[whiles]

I have come across an existing project that I am managing now and I am trying to understand beyond the dollar savings in reduced conductors and panels needed for feeding 240/208V equipment. Normally as i understand this type of system would be used for 277 lighting applications - but it is also similar to how Europe uses of Neutral as another "Hot". This layout did reduce our need for copper, panels and breakers by 50% but this is the first time I have seen this type of installation "Ever"

Thanks for any explaination and expertise you can give me

Whiles

 

[jghrist]

Your going to have to explain your situation better. There is no such thing as a 360Y/480 distribution system. Standard US system woud be 208Y/120 or 480Y/277. Standard IEC system would be 400Y/230.

 

[jim dungar]

Your going to have to explain your situation better. There is no such thing as a 360Y/480 distribution system. Standard US system woud be 208Y/120 or 480Y/277. Standard IEC system would be 400Y/230.

Don't forget the Canadian 600Y/347.

 

[Jraef]

Yeah, something's wrong with those numbers. It's either 480Y/277 or if the Y is 360, the Delta would have to be 624V, never hear of that. Is this an old transformer taken from something else? IBM used to use some oddball voltages internally on their old Power Supply Units for Main Frames, people scrap them and sell the transformers cheap but don't realize they have something relatively useless, like 624Y/360.

But assuming it is 480Y/277, the benefit is basically for lighting loads, especially high bay lighting where the initial installation cost is higher. Each circuit needs a hot and neutral. But for example if you are doing a switching scheme based on ambient light levels and you have to run several hots to different contactors, you still can use a single neutral strung from fixture to fixture.

 

[dicklaxt]

There is a black box on Google that has that range of numbers for input voltages with a 24VDC output.

dick

 

[DetroitEE]

There is a black box on Google that has that range of numbers for input voltages with a 24VDC output.

dick

 

[dicklaxt]

Google 360Y/480V transformer and it brings up a link to Weidmuller,device called a Switchmode power supply with 360-480 Input voltages.

It won't let me copy a link to it for some reason,I'm wondering if thats what the OP was referencing?

dick

 

[Jraef]

Google 360Y/480V transformer and it brings up a link to Weidmuller,device called a Switchmode power supply with 360-480 Input voltages.

It won't let me copy a link to it for some reason,I'm wondering if thats what the OP was referencing?

dick

All SMPS now have very wide input voltage ranges, it's just coincidental that Weidmueller's is apparently 360V on the low end. Some of the 480V input SMPS I am aware of will accept anywhere from 230-530VAC input now, that one is a little sparse on the specs.

 

[IslandSparky]

You are mixing issues. There is a school of thought that says 360 VDC supply to a switch-mode power supply is more efficient than 120/208-240VAC input. The idea is that you bypass the rectifier losses to some degree.

The other concept is using a 240/400Y distribution to allow single pole breakers to feed loads rather than 2 double-pole breakers. Again, you save transformation losses so you increase efficiency.