230 volts vs 115 volts

[Hal3]

I thought my pool equipment was running on 230 volts but when I measured it it was 115.

What is the cost in less efficiency to run 115 instead of 230?

Is is ever worth running a new 230 line out to the equipment?

 

[JasonLion]

It is usually only a few percent, thought it can be larger than that, especially with a particularly large pump. The main issue is that you need to run heavier gauge wires at the lower voltage than you would at the higher voltage.

 

[Guest]

It is more efficient to use 240.

At a lower voltage more amperage must flow through the wires to accomplish the same amount of work. Higer amperage means higher resistance which means more energy lost.

Hence why high voltage transmission lines are 600,000 volts. They can flow more power through the lines at a higher efficiency.