The Differences Between Low, Medium, and High Voltage

This blog provides commentary on high voltage switching power supply demands.

What is the difference between low, medium, and high voltage? This is an important question in the age of microelectronics.

A voltage transformer, also known as a potential transformer, is a device that reduces voltage. It takes the voltage from a higher level to the safer, acceptable one. It’s connected parallelly, as a transformer, presenting the negligible load to the supply.

These voltage transformers have an accurate voltage ratio as well as a phase relationship, enabling accurate secondary connecting metering.

There are three types:

      High voltage

      Extra high voltage

      Ultra-high voltage

High voltage switching power supply needs to be controlled remotely (and/or manually). Options include high voltage windings, high voltage isolations, or both.



Some industries have high power demands. They usually use medium supply voltage. Remember that voltage is inversely proportional to amperage. In other words, when one goes up, the other goes down.

There is a larger need for power than with a low voltage transformer.

Also on the menu are low voltage, high current DC power supply transformers which have a rectifier to convert output into RFI (radio frequency interference) and direct current. Here, the electricity is converted while going from one current to the next via a set of windings.

According to the American National Standard Institute (ANSI), high voltage transformers can handle of a minimum of 115,000 watts. On the max side, it’s 11,000,000 volts. Medium voltage handles 2,400 to 69,000 volts. Low ranges from 240 to 600 volts.

If there is a need for more information, a handy resource can be found at www.hvmtech.com.