T&T: 120/240 V Power vs 208 Volts

[Randy Pickelmann]

The conventional wisdom, in my industry, is that motors will operate within a
range of +or- 10% of their rated voltage.  Thais means that a motor rated for
230V will operate at the bottom of its range at 208V.  However, problems occur
when the service voltage is designed at 208V and the there is a loss of
voltage (brown-out, leakage, heavy loads, etc).  Motor life is dramatically
reduced.  With a 240V motor, you are screwed.

On Morning Star we have the option of running our air conditioner off a
separate 30A service or, with proper power management, off the 30A panel that
serves the rest of the "house".  We run off a single 30A connection almost
exclusively.  Two summers ago we took a slip for the season in Solomon's, MD.
We were located at the end of a dock with probably 25 boats between us and the
power source.  When we initially plugged in and turned the A/C on our LCD TV
wouldn't operate properly.  We dragged the extra cord out and hooked it up,
switching the A/C to its own independent circuit  and never had a problem for
the rest of the summer.

Regards,
Randy Pickelmann
MORNING STAR
lying in Clearwater, FL
www.morningstar.talkspot.com