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115v vs 120v

by Mr. Dagmar Rodriguez Published 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago

The 115/120 refers to the voltage of the lamp. If you have 115v at the outlet where you plug in the fixture you should use a 115v lamp. However if your outlet is outputing 120v you should use the 120v version. You can use the 120v version even though your outlet maybe only outputing 115v the light just won't appear to be as bright as it could be.

Full Answer

What is the difference between 115v and 120V?

May 04, 2020 · You'll often hear voltages in your home referred to as 110V, 115V, or 120V. This can be confusing but the bottom line is they are referring to the exact same thing. 120V is the AC voltage on a single hot wire in your home with respect …

Is there a difference between 110V and 120V?

You'll usually hear 120V, 115V, or 110V in your home. The AC voltage on a single hot wire in your home is 120V. If you have resistance in the wiring in your house, this 120V will likely drop to 115V before it gets to your appliance. Let's Get It Fixed! HomeX virtual experts will assess your issue (for free!) and can resolve simple problems.

Is 120V considered low voltage?

This can be confusing but the bottom line is they are referring to the exact same thing. 120V is the AC voltage on a single hot wire in your home with respect to neutral (or ground). With resistance in the wiring in your house, this 120V will likely have dropped to 115V by the time it gets to the appliance you are powering.

Can you plug a 125v into a 120V?

Dec 22, 2007 · There is no problem with that voltage. As long as the voltage is plus or minus 5% of the nominal voltage of 115 volts it is considered to be in …

Is 115V same as 120V?

You'll often hear voltages in your home referred to as 110V, 115V, or 120V. This can be confusing but the bottom line is they are referring to the exact same thing.

Can I plug 115V into a 110V outlet?

There is no real difference between 110V and 115V circuits. Outlets in your home are standardized to 120V, but due to a number of factors like line length and distance from the grid, you may only get 110V to 115V. In practice, this makes no real difference in how you can use the outlet.

Is US 115V or 120V?

110V > 115V > 120V As of 1984 the official standard US voltage was 120. US utilities are now required to supply power at a voltage that doesn't vary by more than 5% either way from the nominal 120 volts. That means the actual voltage should stay between 114 and 126 volts.

Are regular outlets 115V?

Standard Household Voltage Wires going to standard outlets in your walls are 120 volts and are suitable for 110-volt or 115-volt air conditioners.

What kind of plug is 115 volt?

In most cases, you'll be wiring either a NEMA 5-15 or 5-20 outlet, which are rated for a maximum currents of 15 and 20 amps respectively.

What can you plug into a 115V outlet?

Laptop, iPad, phone, air compressor, lights, and anything with a battery that can be charged. The inverter will switch off if something draws more power than it can handle (150w).

What is the typical voltage in a residential house outlet?

110 voltThe most common electrical outlet in any home is a 110 volt. Sometimes you may hear 110 volt plugs referred to as 120 volt. Do not be confused by this; think of them as one and the same.

What does 120 volt plug look like?

Features. The modern 120-volt power outlet has three holes: two parallel rectangular slots—one connected to the "live" wire and one connected to the neutral wire—and a round hole for the ground wire. Most outlets are "duplex" receptacles, with two places to plug in electrical devices.

Are US outlets 110 or 120?

Standard Supply Voltage In North America, power comes into a home's service panel (breaker box) through two cables, each at a voltage of 120 volts.

How do I know what voltage my outlet is?

Use a multimeter to find an outlet's voltage. Wall outlets in America have two standard voltage amounts: 120 and 240. These numbers can fluctuate a little, but all low-power outlets will measure 110 to 130 volts and high-power outlets will measure 200 to 240 volts.

What does AC 115v mean?

A 115-volt air conditioner plugs into virtually any standard household outlet. A 230-volt air conditioner uses a specialized outlet, much like the type that a clothes dryer uses.

What size breaker do you need for 115 volts?

The lower two voltage ratings are common in smaller units, while units with a rating higher than 15,000 BTUs will require a 220-volt circuit. Smaller units with a 115 volt and 15 amp requirement will be able to operate off a standard household outlet.

What is 120V in electrical?

This can be confusing but the bottom line is they are referring to the exact same thing. 120V is the AC voltage on a single hot wire in your home with respect to neutral (or ground).

What is split phase 240V?

In the United States, utility companies are required to provide a split-phase 240V feed to your house. This consists of two legs of 120VAC that are 180 degrees out of phase with one another. The picture below depicts one 120V leg in red and another in yellow.

What happens when you use both legs of a circuit?

When you use both legs to feed a circuit, like a range or water heater, you end up with twice the voltage (a line that oscillates from +240V to -240V). The neutral wire is not utilized in a 240V circuit as the current is fed by one leg and returned on the other leg.

How many Hz is AC?

AC power oscillates at 60 cycles per second (60 Hz) in the U.S. Other parts of the world use a 50Hz standard. The AC voltage oscillates from +120V to -120V. With the two legs feeding your house being out of phase, can you pick up 240V AC by using both legs rather than one leg and neutral.

Can you drop an extension cord to 110V?

At the end of a long extension cord you could even drop to 110V. This is why you'll see the different terms used. In fact many appliances or devices will be rated to 110V or 115V which basically tells you they are tested to operate down to a lower voltage.

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