Wiring configuration in 220v-240v countries

[ruxton.stanislaw]

Correction: this is true about the official standard being 208Y/120 V OR 120/240 V in a few Central and South American countries, and it will greatly depend on the area. In Mexico, you will see the same cans from 220Y/127 V banks being used, but wired differently for split phase. I suppose the medium distribution primary voltage may be lower in those rural areas or if applicable, they could be adjusting the transformer taps with the split phase service in mind so that the L-L voltage is not too high. I recall seeing a three phase single flux core transformer in Colombia labelled as "124/215v" - a totally non-standard voltage, but between the two.

 

[ruxton.stanislaw]

Not saying it is going to happen to existing houses. But as the all electric and EV thing takes hold, it may start to make more sense in the 400 volt class. I know Euro cooking equipment already is there. Water heaters, HVAC and car chargers, all easy. The rest would be along for the ride.

A lot of countries are already even one step further ahead; many large appliances in both residences and businesses like air conditioners (single phase VFD/"inverter"), hot water tanks, car chargers, stoves like you mentioned (I have seen both L-L and L-N-L for these) to name a few are already 380/400v.

E.g things like:
- https://nissei.com/py/termo-calefon-electrico-rheem-vertical-6000-w-380v-246l
- https://nissei.com/py/aire-acondicionado-hitachi-piso-techo-18-000-btu-380v-blanco

P.S. If you are ever in Paraguay, you are eligible for a 10% "foreigner discount" on anything Nissei has from appliances to Air Pod Pro 2s!

 

[SKSolar]

I feel it is viable for manufacturers to roll out high voltage appliances in the US without much impact on cost since the appliances require a lower current rating consider we already have an existing minimum 15 amps wire in the system already.
That said, the circuit breaker would need to be changed to supply the require voltage and minimum work would be incurred. In the long run when all appliances including lighting devices retired, the whole system would be on par with the European standard if that is more efficient !

 

[ActionDave]

We don't need to change the entire US system. If I could just make one and only one small change in our existing 'system' I would convince all US appliance manufacturers to quit using 120 volts in ranges and dryers and make them all '240' on a NEMA 6-50 or a 6-30 recept that would be an enormous savings.
Then we could finally quit pulling a #8 (or larger) neutral to power the oven light & clock in every home in America.
And on service upgrades when the 250.140 exception is lost or appliance change outs happen all those millions of existing 3-wire ranges and dryers on SE cable or ungrounded romex could be just converted from NEMA 10-50 to 6-50 (or 10-30 to 6-30).

I agree. I will go one step further and say we should just transition to all branch circuits 240V, or 208V as the case may be. We don't have to get rid of the neutral to the service, just stop using it inside the building.

 

[ruxton.stanislaw]

I agree. I will go one step further and say we should just transition to all branch circuits 240V, or 208V as the case may be. We don't have to get rid of the neutral to the service, just stop using it inside the building.

This is also an ideal middle ground in my mind; the neutral could have limited use cases other than system grounding, for specific "legacy" circuits.

 

[Birken Vogt]

I agree. I will go one step further and say we should just transition to all branch circuits 240V, or 208V as the case may be. We don't have to get rid of the neutral to the service, just stop using it inside the building.

I agree. I have often wondered why we don't do that since before I could drive. My old homestead still had a number of those old T-slot receptacles like they could not figure out whether electricity was going to be 120 or 240 back in the 1940s.