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Low voltage is an electrical engineering
Electrical engineering

Electrical engineering, sometimes referred to as electrical and electronic engineering, is a field of engineering that deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism....
 term that broadly identifies safety considerations of an electricity supply system based on the voltage
Voltage

Electrical tension is the potential difference between two points of an electrical or electronic circuit, expressed in volts. It is the measurement of the potential for an electric field to cause an electric current in an electrical conductor....
 used. While different definitions exist for the exact voltage range covered by "low voltage", the most commonly used ones include "mains voltage". "Low voltage" is characterised by carrying a substantial risk of electric shock, but only a minor risk of electric arc
Electric arc

An electric arc is an electrical breakdown of a gas which produces an ongoing Plasma Electrostatic discharge, resulting from a current flowing through normally Electrical conductance media such as air....
s through air. "Low voltage" is distinguished from:






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Low voltage is an electrical engineering
Electrical engineering

Electrical engineering, sometimes referred to as electrical and electronic engineering, is a field of engineering that deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism....
 term that broadly identifies safety considerations of an electricity supply system based on the voltage
Voltage

Electrical tension is the potential difference between two points of an electrical or electronic circuit, expressed in volts. It is the measurement of the potential for an electric field to cause an electric current in an electrical conductor....
 used. While different definitions exist for the exact voltage range covered by "low voltage", the most commonly used ones include "mains voltage". "Low voltage" is characterised by carrying a substantial risk of electric shock, but only a minor risk of electric arc
Electric arc

An electric arc is an electrical breakdown of a gas which produces an ongoing Plasma Electrostatic discharge, resulting from a current flowing through normally Electrical conductance media such as air....
s through air. "Low voltage" is distinguished from:
  • Extra low voltage
    Extra low voltage

    In electricity supply, using extra-low voltage is one of several means to protect against electrical shock. The International Electrotechnical Commission and its member organizations define an ELV circuit as one in which the electrical potential of any electrical conductor against ground is not more than either 50 volts root mean square f...
     – which carries a much reduced risk of electric shock
  • High voltage
    High voltage

    The term high voltage characterizes electrical circuits, in which the voltage used is the cause of particular safety concerns and insulation requirements....
     – where electrical arcing is a substantial additional risk.


Commonly used definitions include:

  • The International Electrotechnical Commission
    International Electrotechnical Commission

    The International Electrotechnical Commission is a Non-profit organization, non-governmental international standards organization that prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies ? collectively known as "electrotechnology"....
     defines low voltage as any voltage in the range 50–1000 V AC
    Alternating current

    In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. An electric charge would for instance move forward, then backward, then forward, then backward, over and over again....
     or 120–1500 V DC
    Direct current

    Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as battery , thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type....
    .


  • The United States 2005 National Electrical Code (NEC) defines low voltage as any voltage under 600 V (article 490.2).


  • British Standard BS 7671
    BS 7671

    British Standard BS 7671 "Requirements for electrical installations" is the national standard in the United Kingdom for low voltage electrical installations....
    :2008 defines low voltage as
    • 50–1000 V AC or 120–1500 V ripple-free DC between conductors;
    • 50–600 V AC or 120–900 V ripple-free DC between conductors and Earth.


See also

  • Extra low voltage
    Extra low voltage

    In electricity supply, using extra-low voltage is one of several means to protect against electrical shock. The International Electrotechnical Commission and its member organizations define an ELV circuit as one in which the electrical potential of any electrical conductor against ground is not more than either 50 volts root mean square f...
  • High voltage
    High voltage

    The term high voltage characterizes electrical circuits, in which the voltage used is the cause of particular safety concerns and insulation requirements....
  • Potential difference
    Potential difference

    In physics, the potential difference or p.d. between two points is the difference of the points' scalar potential, equivalent to the line integral of the field strength between the two points....
  • Voltage converter
    Voltage converter

    A voltage converter changes the voltage of an electrical power source and is usually combined with other components to create a power supply. The term "voltage converter" is sometimes used as a generic term for a power supply....
  • Transformer
    Transformer

    A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one electrical network to another through inductive coupling conductors — the transformer's coils or "windings"....