Starting in the early 2000s, industrial loads began transitioning from 208 volts to 230 volts as a primary voltage source. This is because 208 volts was not sufficient to power many industrial loads, leading many companies to adopt 230 volts and above. As such, you might be wondering: Is there any benefit of 208 volts? After all, it’s pretty uncommon these days. The answer is yes! There are many benefits of 208-volt power. In this blog post, we explain why more businesses need to switch back to 208 volts and share some examples of commercial and industrial uses for it.
Why are more businesses switching to 208 volts?
There are several reasons why more companies are switching back to 208 volts. First, the price of electricity has come down a lot in the last two decades. Therefore, companies don’t have to spend as much money running their equipment, like LED floodlights. Second, employees can work more efficiently with 208-volt power as they use less energy as well. 208 volts is enough to power many machines, but it’s not too much to stress them out. Third, many companies have upgraded to more powerful and energy-intensive equipment. Therefore, they need higher voltage lines to power these machines. Many of these companies are getting their voltages upgraded to 230 volts and above. Companies, like the ones in the auto and aerospace industries, that use high voltage equipment have always needed 230 volts or above. But many other companies have also been making the switch, as they recognize the benefits of 230-volt power.
Benefits of 208 Volts
Here are some benefits of 208-volt power:
Better Power Quality – A lower voltage level, such as 208 volts, delivers better power quality. When there are disturbances in the power grid, a lower voltage will help minimize the impact on equipment.
Better Upkeep – Equipment that runs on 208 volts requires less maintenance than equipment that runs on higher voltages. For example, when cleaning fans, you can get them much cleaner when they’re running at 208 volts than at higher voltages.
Faster Equipment Reliability – Equipment will be more reliable at 208 volts than at higher voltages. For example, machines will be less likely to trip at 208 volts than 230 volts, which means less downtime.
Lower Initial Cost – Although switching to 208 volt power will increase your ongoing costs, it will decrease your initial costs.
More Efficient Equipment Operation – Equipment that runs at 208 volts uses less energy than equipment that runs at higher voltages. Therefore, it costs less to run and it produces less carbon dioxide emissions.
Better For Employees – Employees won’t get as many shocks at 208 volts than they do at higher voltages. Also, they’ll feel less fatigued at this level.
More Efficient for the Power Grid – The power grid runs more efficiently at 208 volts than it does at higher voltages.
Industrial Uses for 208 Volts
There are many industrial applications for 208 volt systems. One of the most common uses for 208 volt systems is in electric power plants. Electric power plants use 208 volt systems to produce electricity. In addition, 208 volt systems are used to produce hydroelectric power and nuclear power. Another common use for 208 volt systems is in electric substations. Electric substations use 208 volt systems to distribute electricity from power plants to homes and businesses.
Another common industrial application for 208 volt systems is in mining operations. Mining operations often use 208 volt systems to extract minerals from the ground. In addition, mining operations may use 208 volt systems to move heavy loads such as equipment and ore. Another common industrial application for 208 volt systems is in manufacturing facilities. Manufacturing facilities often use 208 volt systems to process raw materials into finished products. In addition, manufacturing facilities may use 208 volt systems to assemble finished products into final products such as toys and electronics.
Commercial Uses for 208 Volts
208-volt wiring is becoming more and more popular in homes, businesses, and even in vehicles. One main reason for this is that 208-volt wiring is lighter than 120 or 240-volt wiring. This results in a reduction in the weight of the equipment that is being powered by the wiring, which means that it can be used to power equipment that would otherwise be too heavy to be moved. Other advantages include ease of installation and reduced risk of fire.
There are several applications for 208-volt wiring, including:
When you need to run electrical wires through walls or ceilings, you can use a wire snake instead of running long wires through the house. In addition, you can use high-quality electrical tape when you install cables. There are also some tools that can be used for cable installation, such as conduit cutters.
When you need to run electrical wires across fields or under roads, you can use a cable tracer. This tool allows you to find the best route for your lines and then mark it so that it will be easy to follow when it is time to dig up the ground. The tracer also allows you to trace your line on the ground before digging so that you can know where exactly your lines will go.
