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277v light fixtures are more efficient to operate and less expensive to install than a 110v fixture of identical wattage. 277v light fixtures are typically installed when 480V 3 Phase primary electric service supplies a commercial or industrial facility. 277v lighting circuits are single phase circuits using one of the 480v primary phases (A,B & C) to Neutral. The higher voltage allows more fixtures per circuit using smaller conductors and longer runs typically required in warehouse lighting applications.

( Amps = Watts/Volts: 400W/277V Fixture = 1.4 Amps, 400W/110V fixture = 3.6 Amps)

With 480V 3 Phase primary service, 110V Single Phase power is created using a Step-down transformer. The voltage transformation process consumes power (kWh) and the 277V fixture will consume less kWh than a 110V fixture if identical wattage, especially in fixtures with ballasts such as fluorescent or High Intensity Discharge (HID), like Sodium, Metal Halide or Mercury Vapor.

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Q: Why use 277v light fixtures instead of 110v light fixtures?
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What is the difference in amps used by lighting wired 277v vs 208v?

Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.Assuming you are using the same fixture, and assuming the fixture can operate on either voltage, you will get fewer amps with 208v than with 277v. However, a fixture designed for 208v will probably burn up on 277v, and a fixture designed for 277v will probably not produce any light on 208v.The two fixtures in reality are quite different. The 277v fixture is using one leg and neutral of a 277/480v 3 phase 4 wire system and the 208v fixture is using 2 legs of a 120/208v 3 phase 4 wire system.In commercial and industrial installations the 277v fixture is most common.As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.Before you do any work yourself,on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOBSAFELY AND COMPETENTLYREFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.


Is there a way to install a 277V light on a 120V circuit?

no ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stepdown transformer. More expensive than buying the correct light fixture. Y-THINK-Y


In a three phase four wire wye system having 277V for lighting the three phase motors operate on what voltage?

480 Volt


Can a 240 volt electric fan be run on 277 volts?

No...that's too much voltage, and 277v is normally three-phase power.


How can you get 277V from residential service?

1You could get 220-240V from using the two live ["hot"] wires rather than one live and one neutral. 2Tim, Industrial control transformers are available to get 120 volts from 277 volt systems. If you feed one of these with 120 volts to the secondary coil, it will put out 277 volt from the primary. However, these are rare and are not cheap. If you are trying to use surplus 277 volt fluorescent lights on a 120 volt system, it would be cheaper to replace the ballasts in the fixtures. Another approach would be to use an autotransformer with a 240 volt primary and a 32 volt secondary. If you feed it with 240 volt and wire it to boost +32 volts that will give you 272 volt which should run the lights. But again, you are looking at $60 - $100 for one circuit of lights. 3If you have access to three phase power..... Phase to ground on a 480v 3 phase system is 277v.

Related questions

Can incandescent lamps be 277V?

High Intensity Discharge fixtures can use 277 input voltages. These types of fixtures have ballasts and different wattage lamps available. The fixtures are mostly used in industrial and commercial applications.


What is the difference in amps used by lighting wired 277v vs 208v?

Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.Assuming you are using the same fixture, and assuming the fixture can operate on either voltage, you will get fewer amps with 208v than with 277v. However, a fixture designed for 208v will probably burn up on 277v, and a fixture designed for 277v will probably not produce any light on 208v.The two fixtures in reality are quite different. The 277v fixture is using one leg and neutral of a 277/480v 3 phase 4 wire system and the 208v fixture is using 2 legs of a 120/208v 3 phase 4 wire system.In commercial and industrial installations the 277v fixture is most common.As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.Before you do any work yourself,on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOBSAFELY AND COMPETENTLYREFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.


Is there a way to install a 120V light on a 277V circuit?

no ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stepdown transformer. More expensive than buying the correct light fixture. Y-THINK-Y


Can you lower 277v to 240v?

With a transformer.


Is there a way to install a 277V light on a 120V circuit?

no ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stepdown transformer. More expensive than buying the correct light fixture. Y-THINK-Y


Where does 277v power used in America?

It is used in Industrial lighting.


Wiring diagram for 277 v ballast?

wireing diadram for 277v ballast


Can you use 240V single phase power to power 277V fluorescent light fixtures?

No...but you can buy an "autotransformer" that will boost the 220 to 277. Transformers of this kind can be the auto type or isolation type and are available at a much higher cost that it would be to just buy 220 volt ballasts and sell the 277 ones at your next yard sale. The fluorescent lamps probably won't start with such a severe undervoltage (80% rated). If they do start, they won't work well and the lamps will have reduced life.


What's wrong with a 240V outlet that tests at 277V?

What's the reading at the service panel? What do regular 115V outlets read at? What kind of meter are you using? Chances are you have 480/277V 3 phase power to this building. Whoever wired the outlet used a 277V feed, possibly because 240V was not avaliable. You should call an electrician, repair of this problem may involve instalation of a transformer.


How do you convert 380v 3 phase to 220v 3 phase?

Mathematically, just divide 480 by the square root of three. Electrically, 480V refers to the line-to-line value of a three phase system. For example, measure the voltage across A-phase and B-phase and you'll get 480V. 277V is the line-to-neutral value. Measure the voltage across A-phase and the neutral conductor and you should get 277V.


Will 120 - 277 volt electronic fluorescent ballasts work on 208 volts?

NO! a 120-277 electronic ballast requires one "hot" wire and a neutral from either a 110V or 277V supply. If you supply it with two "hot" wires from a 208 V supply, it will instantly burn up.Yes. A ballast with a specification range of 120 volt to 277 volt will work on 208 volt. These ballast use intelligent voltage sensing technology and it does not matter if the source is a hot and neutral or two (2) hots. Don't believe it? Call a ballast manufacturer instead of giving incorrect answers.


What is use of step up transformer?

A step-up transformer increases (or "steps up") the voltage of an alternating electrical current. For example, a step-up transformer could be used to increase 120V AC to 277V AC to provide power to 277V electrical equipment in a building that does not already have a 277V electrical system.Other examples where a step-up transformer might be used include these:Using 240V AC equipment with a 120V AC mains supply.Generating high voltage for use with tubes, such as a CRT.Generating high voltage for use in electric energy distribution.