Is there any advantage of 208V vs 480V three phase?

Answer 1

208 v. equipment is a little smaller and cheaper, and 208v. is slightly safer to use. However, 480v. runs on half the amperage 208v. equipment does, which means equipment or devices cost almost 50% less to operate.

With respect to energy consumption, the answer above is incorrect. It is true that equipment that operates at 480v does operate at roughly half the amperage vs. 208v, however, it operates at over twice the voltage. Your local power company charges you per kilowatt hour (voltage x amperage), not on amperage alone.

Example, a 208v motor that draws 10 amps would consume (208v x 10a) 2.080 kilowatts per hour.

The same motor on 480v would draw roughly half, 4.3 amps (480v x 4.3a) and would also consume 2.080 kilowatts per hour.

So in terms of power consumption, they are virtually the same. The main reasons one would opt for higher is the fact that you can install smaller wire and you can run longer distances.

It's a ratio that is directly proportional (at least with electric motors/inductive loads). If you were comparing a 240v motor to a 480v motor the ratio would be exact, if a 480v motor draws 5 amps, the same motor on 240v would draw 10 amps.

Answer 2

There can be an advantage for larger equipment. For the same amount of power delivered, the 480v circuit will have lower current than the 208v circuit, and thus smaller (and less expensive) wire can be used.

Answer 3

your equipment will not run as hot (motors & drives will stay cool)

the higher the voltage the less the amps

so when running circuits to equipment you will be able to run smaller conductors, smaller pipe. It's cheaper

To install high power equipment it is not always feasible to increase the current rating of the equipment.

for a 3 phase system power P = 1.732VI. where V stands for voltage and I stands for current.

Increasing voltage instead of current is more feasible for achieving higher power in most of the cases.