110V and 220V: know the differences between them and find out which is the best option
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When buying a new electrical appliance, it is common to come across specifications that show different voltages in the technical details of the product in question. 110V e 220V are the ones that are currently adopted throughout the national territory. There are still devices dual voltage, those that accept two types of voltage. But what explains the existence of these three types of voltage? And what are the main differences between them? O showmetech tell you these and other curiosities in this matter.
The origin of 110V and 220V
Eventually, you must have traveled to other cities in Brazil where the outlets had a different voltage than what you were used to, thus not being able to use your hair dryer, shaver or even your battery charger. smartphone. But why is there this variation? To answer this question, we need to go back in time a little.
At the end of the XNUMXth century and the beginning of the XNUMXth century, period in which the electrical network was installed in the country, several companies that existed here began to take care of each region of Brazil. This means that there was no convention on electricity at the time, allowing each concessionaire to follow influences from their country of origin. For example, in the United States, 110V stood out, and Brazilian regions that were influenced by the Americans, such as the Southeast, opted for this type of electrical potential. Few were the cases of concessionaires that adopted both voltages in the same installation.
The choices of methods that would be used were made taking into account, mainly, the economy and security that one system could present in relation to the other. Electricity distribution tends to be cheaper with transformers and pole wiring at 220V. Despite this, 110V is a safer option, being for this reason the most used in the country. Currently, the entire American continent uses 110V more, while Europe, Africa and Asia mostly opt for 220V.
Is there a difference between the voltages?
Basically, the The only difference between both voltages is related to the electrical installations, that is, what differentiates the use of 110V and 220V is the dimensioning of the components of the electrical installation. A 220V installation allows the wires that run through the rooms of a residence to be thinner than those used in 110V installations. This means that there is no technical difference between the two voltages. Devices will perform exactly the same regardless of whether they are connected to a 110V or 220V outlet.
Many people mistakenly believe that 220V voltage appliances consume less energy — there are those who also think that the expense will be higher — when compared to lower voltage ones. Electricity consumption depends exclusively on the power (in Watts) and time of use of the equipment. Houses and apartments that have 110V or 220V voltage have the same performance and identical energy consumption.
Which one is the safest?
According to experts, taking a shock to a 220V outlet is twice as dangerous, simply because this voltage is twice that of the other. Therefore, if you are looking for greater security, the best choice will be to adopt the voltage of 110V. However, with the implementation of the new standard for outlets in Brazil, this risk significantly decreases. You new plugs make it practically impossible for the consumer to get a shock when plugging in equipment.
However, it is necessary to pay attention to the voltage supplied by the outlet and that accepted by the electronic device. If your device is automatic bivolt, there is nothing to worry about, as there is a protective electronic circuit that detects and operates on the voltage of the outlet. In most cases, automatic dual voltage appliances work on voltages from 100 to 240 volts.
The problem is connecting a device to a voltage above what it supports. When we connect a 110V device, for example, to a 220V outlet, it will burn because it is not prepared for that electrical voltage. In this case, it will be necessary to use a voltage transformer. They will convert the 220 volts of voltage from the outlet to the 127 volts of voltage accepted by your appliance.
On the other hand, connecting a 220V appliance to a 127 volt outlet will not cause damage to the appliance, however, it will not work properly, that is, with less force, as is the case with a fan or electric shower, for example. In cases involving digital devices, it is more likely that they will not even turn on, as there is not enough “power” to allow the equipment to function fully.
But what about 127V?
As you noticed throughout the article, we use 110V to refer to one of the voltages existing in the country. However, the nominal voltage of 110V has not been used for a few years, precisely because it is no longer recognized by the Brazilian government, since in December 1999 all energy concessionaires had to replace the 110V networks for the standard 127V system or 220V. However, as the popular language understands 127V as 110V, we use this term, after all, the important thing is to be understood by everyone.
However, there are still older equipment that operate on the defunct voltage of 110V. But, after all, is it safe to use them at a voltage of 127V? This is a question that generates confusion even when performing quick searches on Google, since very controversial answers on the subject are displayed in the search engine.
To clarify this issue once and for all, the showmetech talked to the electrical engineer and professor at UNIFTC, Henrique Correia Santos. According to the expert, the use of devices designed to operate at 110V in 127V networks Yes, it can shorten the life of the equipment.. It is still necessary to be careful, because continuous use can compromise the electrical part of the property, causing eventual problems, such as power outages, circuit breakers turning off and even short circuits.
The best tip to avoid frustrations and even incidents is to always be attentive to the details about energy and voltage presented by the equipment's technical sheet. In addition, maintaining periodic maintenance on the electrical network of the residence helps in the useful life of the appliances used in the property.
The difference between 10A and 20A outlets
As stated earlier in the text, in force since 2011, the new standard for outlets in the country brought some changes and was responsible for allowing greater safety in the use of electrical equipment in residential, commercial and industrial environments. Among the novelties are the two models of outlets available here: 10A and 20A.
The 10A standard is thinner and has 4mm diameter plugs and sockets. In general, sockets in this pattern are used to power equipment such as home appliances, low and medium performance computers, chargers and TVs. In this model, the maximum power allowed at 127V is 1270W, and at 220V the maximum power supported is 2200W.
In the case of more powerful equipment, which requires a reinforced load to work, such as air conditioners, professional hair dryers and washing machines, 20A outlets are necessary. They have thicker plugs and holes, 4,8mm thick, and a greater ability to safely transmit power. In these outlets, the maximum power allowed in 127V is 2540 W, and for 220V, the maximum power is 4400 W.
The differences in the sizes of the components were also thought to avoid possible accidents when using electrical equipment. This avoids connecting a 20A plug to a 10A outlet, preventing wires from overheating and risk of fire.
It is also necessary to pay attention to the thickness of the lead wires of the socket. If the cables are too thin, this cable may overheat. Check below the ideal thickness for the cables:
| 1,5 mm² | 15,5 amps |
| 2,5 mm² | 21,0 amps |
| 4,0 mm² | 28,0 amps |
| 6,0 mm² | 36,0 amps |
| 10,0 mm² | 50 amps |
It is important that the electrical project of the property contemplates the two patterns of sockets. It is possible to use 10A equipment in 20A outlets without major problems. However, the opposite should not be done under any circumstances. Therefore, even if there is a need, never use adapters to use equipment that requires 20A in 10A outlets.
Voltage in states and cities
As we explained at the beginning of the text, currently there are different tensions between Brazilian cities because the electricity grid was implemented by different companies without a standard at the beginning of the XNUMXth century. This was never standardized because the cost would be too high. Below, you can check a table with the voltages used in several states and cities in Brazil.
| STATUS | VOLTAGE IN MAIN CITIES |
|---|---|
| ACRE | 127V – Rio Branco, Cruzeiro do Sul and other cities |
| ALAGOAS | 220V – Maceió, Maragogi, São Miguel dos Milagres and other cities |
| AMAPÁ | 127V – Macapá and other cities |
| AMAZONAS | 127V – Manaus, Parintins, Tabatinga, Tefé and other cities |
| BAHIA | 127V – Salvador, Ilhéus, Itacaré and Feira de Santana 220V – Porto Seguro (Caraíva, Trancoso and Arraial d'Ajuda), Morro de SP and Praia do Forte |
| CEARÁ | 220V – Fortaleza, Jericoacoara, Canoa Quebrada, Aquiraz, Juazeiro do Norte and other cities |
| FEDERAL DISTRICT | 220V – Brasilia and other cities |
| ESPÍRITO SANTO | 127V – Vitória, Vila Velha, Guarapari, Conceição da Barra, Colatina, Itaúna and other cities |
| GOIÁS | 220V – Goiania and other cities |
| MARANHÃO | 220V – São Luís, Barreirinhas, Alcântara and other cities |
| MATO GROSSO | 127V – Cuiabá, Chapada dos Guimarães, Nobres and most cities |
| MATO GROSSO DO SUL | 127V – Campo Grande, Bonito, Corumbá and other cities |
| MINAS GERAIS | 127V – Belo Horizonte, Ouro Preto, Mariana, Tiradentes, Diamantina, Juiz de Fora, Uberaba, Caxambu, São Lourenço, Monte Verde, São João del Rei and most cities 220V – Uberlândia and some other cities |
| PARÁ | 127V – Belém, Santarém, Marabá, Alter do Chão, Altamira and other municipalities |
| PARANÁ | 127V – Curitiba, Foz do Iguaçu, Cascavel, Ponta Grossa, Ilha do Mel and most cities 220V – Rio Negro and Guarapuava |
| PARAÍBA | 220V – João Pessoa, Campina Grande and other cities |
| PERNAMBUCO | 220V – Recife, Porto de Galinhas, Olinda, Fernando de Noronha, Tamandaré, Petrolina and other cities |
| PIAUÍ | 220V – Teresina and other cities |
| RIO DE JANEIRO | 127V – Rio de Janeiro, Niterói, Búzios, Cabo Frio, Arraial do Cabo, Ilha Grande, Angra dos Reis, Paraty, Trindade, Petrópolis, Teresópolis and most cities 220V – Nova Friburgo |
| RIO GRANDE DO NORTE | 220V – Natal, Tibau do Sul (Pipa) and other cities |
| RIO GRANDE DO SUL | 110V – Porto Alegre, Rio Grande, Canoas, Torres and some other municipalities 220V – Gramado, Canela, Caxias do Sul, Bento Gonçalves, Bagé, Pelotas, Uruguaiana and other municipalities |
| RONDONIA | 127V – Porto Velho, Vilhena, Guajará-Mirim and other cities |
| RORAIMA | 127V - Good view |
| SANTA CATARINA | 220V – Florianópolis, Balneário Camboriú, Joinville, Blumenau, Bombinhas and other cities |
| SÃO PAULO | 127V – São Paulo, ABCD, Guarulhos, Campinas, Guarujá, São Vicente, Praia Grande, Ilhabela, Ubatuba, Brotas, Ribeirão Preto and most municipalities 220V – Santos, Jundiaí, Bertioga, Caraguatatuba, São José dos Campos, Mogi das Cruzes, Vinhedo and some other cities |
| SERGIPE | 127V – Aracaju and most municipalities |
| TOCANTINS | 220V – Palmas and other regions, including Jalapão |
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