Why does Vietnam use 220v voltage but Japan only uses 110v?

Electric - electronic devices on our Vietnamese market currently use at 220V. However, there will be times when you encounter items of American or Japanese origin that require the use of 110V and to use at the grid in Vietnam, we need a 220V voltage converter. 110V. In addition, for some of you who often go abroad, you will probably be familiar with the difference in voltage of electrical grids between countries.

So what is the cause of this difference? Let's find out the answer through the article below.

Electric current history
In order to solve this problem, we should go back to the past to understand more clearly. Thomas Edison was not the first person to discover electricity, but he was one of the individuals who made the most significant contributions to electricity to mankind.

Thomas Edison.

A typical example is the one-way power system, a model he designed and used in the US with a voltage of 110v. Direct current can be understood simply as the current flowing in a certain direction and there is no change no matter how much its intensity increases or decreases.

But the problem is that it is not optimal grid, can not afford to provide on a large scale as cities and countries.

And that was when the name of the famous scientist but very different from the Nikola Tesla people was once again resounded. According to many stories, he and Edison regarded each other as archeless enemies because of the contradictions in the thought of inventing and using them.

But one thing is indisputable, Tesla is one of the scientists who possess many of the most innovative ideas on the planet. Some even compare him to the almighty genius Leonardo Da Vinci in the Renaissance.

Nikola Tesla.

At that time, Tesla introduced the world to the alternating current grid, which is the direction of electric current and the intensity that changes over time. And it has clearly shown the advantages compared to DC and most typically the distribution and use on a large scale.

This led to a battle between two great scientists of the time. Tesla can guarantee the use of alternating current on a national scale. On Edison's side, he thought that his 110v grid would be much safer.

So what is the difference of voltage 110v and 220v?
The first thing everyone says is that 110v is safer than 220v. Therefore, countries like Japan and the US use 110v due to safety first. This is both true and false!

The truth is that 110v voltage is safer, but only 220v. Because any voltage is dangerous to human life. According to the study, the bigger the voltage, the more dangerous it is, an electric current of 24v and a intensity of 10mA or more is enough to take the life of an adult.

80% of the world uses 220v voltage.

Second, we can mention the loss of electricity, the 110v current requires a much stronger current than 220v. Not to mention that the investment cost for the infrastructure of 110v voltage is very large because it requires higher quality lines, stations, poles.

Therefore, in the beginning, many countries used 110v electricity, but due to the increasing demand, they had to replace wires to withstand larger currents. At this time, some countries have switched to using 220v voltage so that they do not have to bear the pressure of investing in facilities too large.

From a macroeconomic perspective, voltage is also a tool to regulate national trade, avoiding cheap goods from one country to the other.

The choice of which voltage to use on a national scale is based not only on purely technical factors but also on a number of other factors such as grid size, historical and political contexts. ..

The change and keep the voltage
In fact, 80% of countries in the world use 220v voltage, including European countries, Asia, including Vietnam due to higher efficiency. Meanwhile, some countries like the US and Japan use 110v due to historical factors.

After World War II, European countries gradually switched to 220v voltage, partly because of economic reasons, partly because the war destroyed the facilities so much, the conversion seemed easier.

World War 2.

In contrast to Europe, there was a time when the US considered switching but due to the high cost, plus all the old 110v electrical appliances that had to be replaced, they canceled this plan. The US is also trying to replace it to the 240v standard, but it can still lower the voltage to use old equipment.

For Japan it was a completely different story, after World War 2, the US was in charge of rebuilding the electrical system in the western part of Japan, and the UK would be in the east. Of course the US will also rebuild for Western Japan like itself.

And the East in charge of the UK also uses 110v voltage even though the UK and European countries have all set the 220v system.

The electricity system is divided into 2 parts by Japan, which is in charge of regenerating.

Another point worth mentioning is that Vietnam uses 220v electricity in part because the infrastructure has been built in accordance with this voltage. In addition, the use of 220v will save us economy by reducing a lot of electricity loss if using 110v voltage.

Exceptions - Where the common voltage standard cannot be determined
In Brazil, many places mainly use voltage from 110V to 127V. However, some hotels use 220V voltage. The capital of Brasilia and the northeastern region of Brazil use a voltage of 220-240V.