What is the voltage between any hot line and neutral or ground in a 208 volt WYE power supply?

In a 208 volt WYE (also known as star) power supply, the system consists of three phases. The line-to-line voltage in this configuration is 208 volts, which is the difference in voltage between any two hot lines. However, the voltage measured between any hot line and neutral or ground is different due to the way the WYE connection is set up.

In a WYE configuration, the neutral point is created at the center of the system. The phase voltage, which is the voltage from any single hot line to the neutral, can be determined by dividing the line-to-line voltage by the square root of three, or approximately 1.732. Therefore, when you take the line-to-line voltage of 208 volts and divide it by the square root of three, the result is approximately 120 volts.

This 120 volts is the standard voltage used for outlets in many commercial applications, making it critical for various equipment that requires such voltage levels for operation. Understanding this relationship is essential for anyone working with three-phase power systems, particularly in the context of commercial food service equipment, where correct voltages are necessary for safe and efficient operation.