AboutRobert Wilber Expertise Licensed Philadelphia electrician serving Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Philadelphia County in Pennsylvania. I install and repair residential, commercial and industrial wiring and lighting. Troubleshooting and repair of problems that stump other people is my favorite. I am willing to help people figure out why things don`t work. I understand motor controls, transformers and machine wiring.
I am not willing to teach novices to do installations of advanced work or replace basic personal research.
Experience Experience in the area
I have 35 years experience in residential, commercial and industrial electrical construction and repair, 480 volts and below. Organizations
Electrical Association of Philadelphia, Independent Electrical Contractors Association, International Association of Electrical Inspectors
Question what is the difference between 110 volt plug and 120 volt appliances. I am interested in a 120 volt electric fireplace can this be plugged into a regular outlet?
Answer -
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Robert Wilber
Licensed Philadelphia Electrician
Philadelphia License # 3516 - 16765
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For simplicity's sake:
110 volts, 115 volts, 120 volts, 125 volts - all the same thing.
You get what you get, and have no say about it.
... and here's why ...
Thomas Edison [no kidding] invented the electric light bulb, and needed to distribute electricity to make it usable. He built a system based on 110 volts DC. It was uneconomical and had large conductors and big voltage drops.
George Westinghouse came up with the idea of using alternating current to transmit electricity. This was valuable, in that the voltage could be changed by the use of a transformer, which allowed the transmission of electricity at a higher voltage, thus reducing line losses due to conductor resistance.
The initial voltage level delivered to homes using the Westinghouse method was nominally 100 volts. Over the years, the secondary voltage has been incrementally raised to 110, then 115, and 120 until it is common today to find 125, 127 and 130 or 132 volts in homes.
The reason for this is the upward ratcheting of transmission voltages to allow for higher demand. Every time your neighbor buys a new device that requires electricity to run, it increases the demand for electrical current on your utility's service conductors. Since these wires are not changed to bigger cables [with lowered resistance due to larger conductor cross-section area] every time demand increases, the only variable under the utility control is voltage levels.
The only way to push a certain variable demanded current [which consumers define] through a fixed resistance [unchanging wire] is to increase the voltage [electrical pressure].
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Westinghouse
About Electrical Wiring in the Home
This site answers questions related to home electrical wiring, home wiring, general electrical help,and other electrical questions related to aleternating current (AC). You can find help on the National Electical Code, home electrical issues, wiring electrical outlets, installing lighting, electrical grounding, and general electrical help for do-it-yourself projects not require an electrician. If you do not see your home electrical wiring question answered in this area then please ask your electrical wiring question here
