Is 214V acceptable at a dryer outlet?

Status
Not open for further replies.

zappy

Senior Member
Location
CA.
I check the voltage at the panel 214V. phase to phase. 124V. Phase to ground. I got the same reading at the dryer outlet. Was wondering if that would effect the dryer from working. Thank you for your help.
 

mopowr steve

Senior Member
Location
NW Ohio
Occupation
Electrical contractor
I think I would call power company to check their connections/loading. Seems a little to far outa wak for me unless your single phase service is originating from a 120/208 3 phase setup at the pole.
 

zappy

Senior Member
Location
CA.
That's a common reading on a 208V system. The dryer will be fine just the heating element won't get quite as hot.

This is a condo/apt building. I believe the voltage should be one 120/240 single phase but I am not sure. Is that common to feed apartments with 208v.?
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
This is a condo/apt building. I believe the voltage should be one 120/240 single phase but I am not sure. Is that common to feed apartments with 208v.?
Two ungrounded conductors and an neutral from a 208Y/120 supply is common in some areas for condos and apartments.
 

gar

Senior Member
Location
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Occupation
EE
150216-2116 EST

zappy:

You measured 124 V from one hot line to neutral. You should have measured from the other hot to neutral. I believe it would read close to 124 V.

Add 124 to 124 and the result is 248 V. That is what you should have read from hot to hot for a center tapped single phase source, but you did not. Red flag.

What does it mean? Quite obviously it implies a 2 phase Y source. So multiply 124 by 1.732 which equals 214.8 V. That is very close to your measured 214. Thus, you have two phases of a three phase source. A voltage of 124 nominal is very common these days. My home voltage generally is around 123.

.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Okay so if this apartment is being fed with 208 V is 214 V normal? Or if this was fed by 220 V would 214v be too low?
If your nominal 120 volts is reading 124, then the nomimal 208 at the same ratio is 214 - that is normal in many areas.
 

zappy

Senior Member
Location
CA.
Thank you everyone.

Thank you everyone.

I need to educate myself more on Transformers. So a 220 V rated appliance will work fine on a 208 V circuit. Got it.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
I need to educate myself more on Transformers. So a 220 V rated appliance will work fine on a 208 V circuit. Got it.
Not always, but often yes. Heating appliances see a reduction in total watts, most household 240 volt appliances have both a 208 and a 240 volt rating.

Transformers? When you have a large multifamily dwelling it is more economical to supply with three phase instead of single phase. Say you have a load calculation of 144 KVA. You can supply it with either a 600 amp single phase 120/240 supply or a 400 amp 208/120 three phase supply. Three phase = 1 more conductor and 1 more bus bar in the gear, but also means smaller conductors, smaller main breakers/fuses/bus and is possibly preferable to POCO because it has more balance on their distribution then a large single phase service has.
The only way to get all three phases at 120 volts to a common conductor though is with a wye connected system that is 208 line to line, and since dwellings are typically mostly 120 volt loads - it doesn't do much good to have any other system if you are going three phase because at least one phase will not get much utilization and then you are kind of stuck with something about as useful as if you went with single phase to start with.
 

zappy

Senior Member
Location
CA.
Not always, but often yes. Heating appliances see a reduction in total watts, most household 240 volt appliances have both a 208 and a 240 volt rating.

Transformers? When you have a large multifamily dwelling it is more economical to supply with three phase instead of single phase. Say you have a load calculation of 144 KVA. You can supply it with either a 600 amp single phase 120/240 supply or a 400 amp 208/120 three phase supply. Three phase = 1 more conductor and 1 more bus bar in the gear, but also means smaller conductors, smaller main breakers/fuses/bus and is possibly preferable to POCO because it has more balance on their distribution then a large single phase service has.
The only way to get all three phases at 120 volts to a common conductor though is with a wye connected system that is 208 line to line, and since dwellings are typically mostly 120 volt loads - it doesn't do much good to have any other system if you are going three phase because at least one phase will not get much utilization and then you are kind of stuck with something about as useful as if you went with single phase to start with.
I see. Thank you.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
I need to educate myself more on Transformers. So a 220 V rated appliance will work fine on a 208 V circuit. Got it.

If you look at the name plate it should say a KW rating at 240 volt and a different KW rating at 208 volt.

If the nameplate only lists 240 the equipment should not be connected to 208.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top