What is the difference using 120 vs 240 volts?

Answer 1

If You Are Asking Which Will Cost Less. That Is Say A Motor ( Dual Voltage ) It Will Cast The Same To Operate On 110V As It Will 220 Volts. Reason You Only Pay For Killowatts. Watts And Voltage Are Two Different things. If You Will Look On Name Tag Of Said Item You Will Find Amperage At A Given Voltage. example 110V 10 amp == 220v 5 amp Volts X Amps = Watts in either equation you are using 1100 watts. So You Will Pay The Same Price For Usage Of Said Unit. If Whatever You Are Running And It Was Built To Run On Either Voltage, The Cost Will Be The Same. Will It Run As Efficient ? It Should If It Was Designed To Run On Either Voltage. HOPE THIS HELPS

Answer 2

The main difference is the amount of power that can be delivered: 240 volts can deliver more power compared to 120 volts. Additionally, using 240 volts may require different outlets and wiring compared to 120 volts. The choice between the two voltages depends on the specific electrical requirements of the devices or appliances being used.

Answer 3

About 120 volts, Clever! Typically, the only difference to wiring something 120 vs 240 is the power factor of the unit. The larger the power requirement the more beneficial the higher the voltage rating becomes, in as far as installation costs are concerned mostly. The higher the voltage is the less the current is, which allows you to use smaller wire and equipment. Ex. a 1500w/120v hair dryer may draw close to 13 amps, while at 240v around 6.25. The less CURRENT the smaller the wire, breaker, disconnect...ect. The running/operating costs roughly, remains the same however.

Answer 4

Neither of these voltages "consumes more power" because a Voltage does not "consume" anything!

The voltage supplied by a source of power (like a battery or a generator) has to be multiplied by the current drawn from that source to give the power (measured in Watts) consumed by an appliance. An amount of voltage in electricity is often described as being similar to the height of a column of water above the ground in hydraulics. It may help if you think of a water reservoir up in the hills containing billions of gallons of water: The "potential difference" of a reservoir's supply of water power is measured by the height of the water, measured infeet or meters, that the water comes out at above its return level. The return level is often the average sea level.

Similarly: The "potential difference" of a source of electricity is the height of electrical potential, measured in Voltsthat exists between the supply wire coming from the source of electricity and its return wire.

For Direct Current (DC) the supply wire is usually called the Positive or "+" wire and the return wire is called the Negative or "-" wire.

For Alternating Current (AC) the supply wire is often called either the "Hot" or the "Live" wire and the return wire is called the "Neutral" wire.

It is also interesting to mention that Negative and Neutral wires are often - but not always - connected to Earth using a separate "Ground" or "Earth" wire.

http://www.answers.com/main/images/hook-topL.gif%29">http://www.answers.com/main/images/hook-topL.gif%29; width: 67px; height: 24px; margin-left: 25px; position: relative; top: 10px">

Read more >> Options >>

http://www.answers.com?initiator=FFANS

Answer 5

120 volts is used in Canada, 110 in the USA, 240 in the UK and Australia, 230 in Europe. 120 is less lethal than 240, but needs twice the amperage for a given task.

Answer

North America uses a split-phase system, in which the 240-V secondary winding of a distribution transformer is centre-tapped and earthed (grounded) to providing the neutral connection. This provides a supply voltage of 240 V across the outer terminals of the secondary winding, and 120 V between either outer terminal and the neutral terminal. Thus residences are supplied with a dual-voltage system: 240 V for heavy appliances (e.g. ranges, dryers) and 120 V for normal loads (receptacles, lighting circuits).

Most other countries use distribution Transformers with a two-terminal secondary winding, which provide just one supply voltage: 240 V in some countries, and 230 V in the UK and mainland Europe.

Answer 6

There is no difference in the efficiency between the two baseboard heater, just the voltage. By using the higher voltage, double the fixtures can be installed on the circuit. Heat output will be the same if the wattages are the same.

Answer 7

The cost is the same ... most houses have both and they use the same meter.

BUT most 240 volt devices use a lot more power, which you will pay for.

Answer 8

Installation of a distribution service costs and usage of that service costs are the same regardless whether 120 volts or 240 volts are used.

Answer 9

No. The same watts are consumed with either voltage. The advantage of 240 is the smaller wire size required to carry the load. And 240 volts can be life threatening.

Answer 10

120V takes less energy