Ok CANADA, EXPLAIN this

[WhatTheFlux!]

So I'm helping out at a company that was up in Canada, all of their machines are wired for 600 volts

Curious thing is I've been to auctions cross border and everything I looked at from temp-control units to dryers to process equipment... ALL of them 600 volts.

So what gives? Ya'll don't use 480? If not why?

Just curious...

[Zero_Divide]

Its all a conspiracy to not pay workers compensation when someone gets ele tricuted.

See paying out a one time life insurance is cheaper than paying for healing and rehabilitation.

[Black_Moons]

Oh, dem volts are just bigger up here in canada. Don't know why you americans use that piddly 120v all over the place. Here we just crank er up to 600v and let er rip.

[Jimmer12]

There is everything from 208/220/440/480/575 and 600 volt in use up here but I would say 220 and 600 are the most common. 600 makes sense since amps are inversely proportional to volts so if you run higher volts you use less amps and therefore can use smaller gauge wire and fuses.

[darryl]

We wanted to use an even 1000 volts, but someone with a lot of foresight realized that offshore wire insulation would probably not be up to the task, and we were committed to supporting the economy in all parts of the world.

As it turns out, they were right. Things like offshore motors have shown that they aren't even up to handling 110.

[WhatTheFlux!]

There is everything from 208/220/440/480/575 and 600 volt in use up here but I would say 220 and 600 are the most common. 600 makes sense since amps are inversely proportional to volts so if you run higher volts you use less amps and therefore can use smaller gauge wire and fuses.

Ok, thanks for the answer.

I figured it was something like this, however I am going to tell folks that it's because Canadians use metric volts, and that the actual voltage is 589.37418 volts. However they round it up to 600 volts to make room on the name-plates.

[macona]

There is 575 down here too. You usually find it in places like mills where they have big, big, motors.

[legendboy]

I will say that everything industrial hvac up here is 575 (600)

[flylo]

Go big or go home, eh?

[bandsawguy]

Ever where I work seems to be 600v. We constantly import machines that are 230v. I buy a lot of transformers. What kills me is the electrical inspections. The machines come in with overloads but no short circuit fusing. Apparently short circuits only occur here in Canada.

[motorworks]

Hi
Beer brews better at 600v !

[John Stevenson]

Hi
Beer brews better at 600v !

That accounts why the Budweiser plant runs on 110v then ?

[Dr Stan]

That accounts why the Budweiser plant runs on 110v then ?

Budweiser makes beer? So that's what they call that off color water. I'll stick with my amber ale.

[GNM109]

When we take over and make Canada our 52nd state (right after Puerto Rico) the first order of business will be to lower the voltage to the exact same reading that I get in my shop. That would be 252.6 VAC.

We will of course do this by Executive Order. That's the same method that we use for legislation on all of the more important matters.

[philbur]

Less copper more deaths. No sure what makes the best sense in that one.

Phil

600 makes sense since amps are inversely proportional to volts so if you run higher volts you use less amps and therefore can use smaller gauge wire and fuses.