# 240V vs 480V safety



## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

Both are safe when properly designed and installed.


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## bkmichael65 (Mar 25, 2013)

Lower voltages will have lower available fault current, but with a limited power source like a 15kW generator you really won't have much fault current to worry about either way


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

You want to get hit with 480v, trust me.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

15kw is a tiny generator. Are you sure about the size?


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## reldnach (Mar 25, 2014)

jrannis: Yeah, 15 kW is right. We're constrained by weight and size, so we're running everything very lean. It's an on board generator on a construction/automation vehicle.

bkmichael65: So does that mean that with such a small generator, arc faults aren't a major concern. I know either voltage could still easily electrocute/kill me.


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## bkmichael65 (Mar 25, 2013)

reldnach said:


> jrannis: Yeah, 15 kW is right. We're constrained by weight and size, so we're running everything very lean. It's an on board generator on a construction/automation vehicle.
> 
> bkmichael65: So does that mean that with such a small generator, arc faults aren't a major concern. I know either voltage could still easily electrocute/kill me.


Short circuit current is somewhere around 300% of full rated amperage on that generator. 15kW/480/1.73=18 amps x 300%=54amps. That's not going to do much in the way of an arc flash. Still, proper safety guidelines need to be followed as electricity can be an unforgiving b**ch when mishandled.


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## JRaef (Mar 23, 2009)

It's a know fact that if you get electrocuted by 480V, you are more dead than the death you experience from being electrocuted by 240V...
:whistling2:


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## daveEM (Nov 18, 2012)

Yeah, either voltage will smack the sh!t out of you. Go the big stuff and save on the wire size, etc.


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## Rollie73 (Sep 19, 2010)

JRaef said:


> It's a know fact that if you get electrocuted by 480V, you are more dead than the death you experience from being electrocuted by 240V...
> :whistling2:


Since it's twice the voltage then you should end up twice as dead.
Does that mean you would get _two_ funerals??


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## bill39 (Sep 4, 2009)

For power use in the USA, 3 phase 277/480 is far more common in an industrial enviroment than 3 phase 240VAC probably by a factor of 20 or more.


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## reldnach (Mar 25, 2014)

Thanks for all the tips guys


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## denny3992 (Jul 12, 2010)

Heres something to ponder, if u stay 120/208, no need for transformers for control and normal power stuff


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## JRaef (Mar 23, 2009)

Rollie73 said:


> Since it's twice the voltage then you should end up twice as dead.
> Does that mean you would get _two_ funerals??


No, but both wives show up to the one funeral.


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