In Russia there are 220 volts, and in the USA there are 110 volts. What is the difference in the voltage in the socket, and why American junk has not been replaced for a hundred years

All in Russia are attached to 220-230 V sockets. But this standard is not applied in all countries.

For example, American outlets use 110-120V, so appliances designed for 220V will not work.

In fact, this is not just a difference in numbers, but two fundamental differences in electricity consumption. Now let’s find out why there is such a difference, which system is better and why Russia and the US do not use a single standard.

Briefly

• Why is the voltage in the USA 120V
  How 230 V voltage appeared in Russia
  Why is the voltage different in Russia and the USA
  How the US Powers Appliances That Don’t Have Enough 120V
  Why the US is not switching to 220-230V
  What to choose equipment manufacturers
  Will there be a global voltage standard?

Why is the voltage in the USA 120V

Initially, the voltage in the United States was 100 V. It was used exclusively to power street lights. The voltage increased to 110 V, and then to 120 V.

According to the National Electrical Code, the law has a 10% margin of error, so the actual voltage could be between 108V and 132V.

The 120V standard was adopted in the United States in 1967, but it has actually been in use throughout the country since the 1950s. 110 is virtually unheard of in the United States today. The exception, perhaps, is very old homes that have never been rewired.

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How 230 V voltage appeared in Russia

The first power plants in Russia appeared in the 1880s. At first, they were also used for street lighting.

Mass electrification began after the revolution of 1917. At first, a voltage of 110-120 V was used, then 127 V.

The transition to 220 V began after World War II and lasted until the end of the 80s. The increase in voltage was due to the fact that more electrical appliances began to appear in the country and the load on the network was constantly growing.

Since 2003, Russia has attempted to switch to 230 V in order to increase the capacity of the existing power supply circuit. In 2015, GOST 29322-2014 was adopted, which set the standard household voltage in Russia at 230 V.However, it also allows the use of 220 V.

Many new homes and buildings used 230V outlets, but 220V is more common.

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Why is the voltage different in Russia and the USA

What voltage is used in different countries of the world

American inventor and businessman Thomas Edison was the first in the United States to begin the process of electrification. He advocated the use of direct current, which has a very serious drawback: his difficult mission without casualties over a long distance.

Nikola Tesla, a former employee of Edison, developed the alternating current system that was later used by George Westinghouse’s Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Alternating current periodically reverses direction and can be transmitted efficiently over long distances using transformers and can produce high voltages.

These are two different connections, and when the electrification process began in the United States, inventors began to divide the market. Today, this confrontation is known as the “War of the Currents.”

Edison claimed that alternating current was dangerous to humans.He even heard of deadly experiments on animals to prove his point. At the same time, Edison continued to use alternating current for executions to create a negative impression on people.

Edison also claimed patent infringement, but the court did not support him.

Despite all the black PR about Edison, the world gradually switched to alternating current, including the USA. Today, there are virtually no DC consumers left in the United States..

The USSR initially began to conduct electricity with alternating current, relying on European experience, so there was no such confrontation.

When talking about the difference in voltage, it is worth following the rules. The American network has a frequency of 60 Hz, so 120 V is enough to power many devices. In Russia and most other countries, a frequency of 50 Hz is used, so higher voltage is required to power devices, for example, 220-230 V.

There is another reason why many countries have different voltages: 220-240V is cheaper than 120V. The fact is that 220 V wiring requires a smaller cross-section wire, which allows you to reduce material costs. At the same time, with a voltage of 120 V, you need to have thicker wires for the main heating and electricity losses.

This also applies to powerful home appliances such as air conditioners, washing machines, ovens and other devices. When they have calculated the voltage of 220 V, the manufacturer can use thin wiring, whereas for 120 V, thick wires will be required.

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How the US Powers Appliances That Don’t Have Enough 120V

In fact, there were two standards used in the US:

▶︎ 120 V – this is the normal voltage for household consumption
▶︎ 240 V – used when 120 V is not enough, for example, for powerful devices

Typically, an American home has two phase lines and one neutral wire. Each line has a voltage of 120 V, together they produce 240 V.For this purpose, each one has a small transformer.

A regular outlet uses 120V, one phase and a neutral wire. But if you need a powerful outlet, leave the second phase.

The main disadvantage of such a connection is that the sockets in the house have different voltages. When building, you need to think in advance about where which sockets will be located.

In Russia and other countries where the standard is 220 V, this is much easier. You can plug a flashlight into any socket.

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Why the US is not switching to 220-230V

The entire US infrastructure is built on 110-120 V. Switching to 220 V required huge costs, because in this case it is necessary to replace all the wiring, distribution boards, sockets and devices.

This has created great inconvenience for many people, and the process itself could take several decades.

In addition, the user uses an electrical system and considers it safer, although the voltage of 220-230 V is also not dangerous if all the rules are followed.

The Americans themselves believe that switching to 220-230 V to power complex equipment without problems is not worth the effort. Especially since 240 V can be connected for such purposes.

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What to choose equipment manufacturers

In fact, many equipment manufacturers also cope with different voltages. There are many countries that use 120 V and 220-240 V.

Large companies that operate in multiple countries simply design their plugs to be compatible with a wide range of voltages. For example, a typical Apple 20W USB-C power supply has an input voltage of 100–240V and a frequency of 50–60Hz. This means that it can be connected to any sockets, so adapters with other plugs work without problems in Russia through adapters.

If its voltage was limited to 120 V, it would simply burn out when connected to a 220 V outlet. Therefore, sometimes this is a serious problem.

The big plus is that, as a rule, the voltage of domestic manufacturers’ equipment is limited on very simple household appliances.

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Will there be a global voltage standard?

Short answer: unlikely. As already stated, it is not profitable for anyone to do this, and there is no such thing.

All countries already have an established infrastructure that no one will change just like that. Again, if you change the voltage, you should switch from 120 V to 220-240 V, but not vice versa.

The main consumers of 120V are the United States, Canada, Mexico, and some South American countries. In North America, it has a large domestic electricity market that is larger than many countries, so from a global perspective, there is nothing that would allow the United States to upgrade its power grid.