Understanding 220V and 380V Electricity

From using fire for lighting in ancient societies to today's electricity-powered illumination, technology has advanced by leaps and bounds, and our daily work and life are increasingly inseparable from electricity. So, what is the relationship between the 220V and 380V electricity we often hear about? The editor from Dingbo Power Generator Manufacturer will explore this in depth with you.

220V alternating current is widely used in our daily household appliances, such as electric kettles, refrigerators, computers, electric lights, air conditioners, etc. In industry, most electricity used is 380V alternating current. Of course, there are also higher voltages, such as 660V, but 380V is the most commonly used. Why is 380V so widely applied? The main reasons are as follows:

1.To generate a rotating magnetic field, at least three-phase power supply is required, and this magnetic field is a stable one with a fixed rotation direction. This means that the more phases there are, the more stable the rotating magnetic field that can be generated.

2.In terms of power generation, under the condition of the same three-phase load, a three-phase generator has a higher power than a single-phase generator, which is more beneficial for the generator's operation.

3.In terms of transmission, a three-phase system saves more transmission lines than a single-phase system, making it more economical.

4.In terms of electricity usage, three-phase electricity can easily generate a rotating magnetic field with higher stability.

The 220V electricity we usually use, excluding the ground wire, has only two wires: one is the live wire, and the other is the neutral wire. However, 380V electricity is different; it belongs to three-phase electricity, so most industrial electricity is 380V. Since the three-phase electricity sent out by the generator has the same voltage and frequency but different phases, each differing by 120°, the voltage between phase lines is 380V. For example, phase A to phase B, phase B to phase C, or phase C to phase A, all are 380V. Then, how is this calculated?

According to the vector calculation method, draw an equilateral triangle with an included angle of 120°, then the length of its opposite side is the square root of 3 multiplied by the length of the equilateral side. If the equilateral side is 220V, then the opposite side is: 220V × square root of 3 = 380V.

Therefore, in daily life, never think that two live wires are the same and can be short-circuited. If the two live wires come from different phases, the voltage difference between them reaches 380V. Once short-circuited, the electric shock will be more serious than that from 220V electricity. Everyone needs to use electricity carefully!

Guangxi Dingbo Generator Set Manufacturing Co.,Ltd. has advanced testing equipment, modern production technology, professional manufacturing technology, perfect quality management system, and strong technical research and development capabilities. It can provide 3KW～2500KW various specifications of ordinary, automatic, four protection, automatic switching, low noise and mobile generator sets, high quality and low energy consumption to meet the diverse power needs of customers, and can also meet users with different voltages and different frequencies. It is required to create a parallel power supply system for multiple units. If you are interested in our product or any question on generator, welcome to send email to [email protected].