Why the USA Uses 110V and India Uses 220V?
Why the USA Uses 110V and India Uses 220V?
The difference in household voltage between the United States and India is due to the different standards in feeding electricity to residents ¹²³.
The USA uses **110V 60Hz AC current**, whereas India uses **230V 50Hz AC current**.
The reason for this difference can be traced back to the early days of electricity transmission and the feud between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison.
Edison’s invention, Direct Current (DC), was not good over long distances, while Tesla’s invention, Alternating Current (AC), was great for long distance transmission ¹.
When electricity became widely available, 110 volts was much more economic and hence became the standard for American power ¹.
At the time of the first widely available electric grid, it was mainly used to light houses, which used bulbs that worked best between 100 and 110 volts ¹. In contrast, India acquired its electricity technology from the British, who used a 220V standard ².
The higher voltage is more efficient for transmitting power over long distances and is better suited for powering large appliances such as air conditioners and refrigerators.
