For a wye connected device, the line voltage is higher than the phase voltage by what factor?

For a wye connected device, the relationship between line voltage and phase voltage is defined by the square root of 3 (approximately 1.732). Specifically, the line voltage (the voltage measured across two lines) is equal to the square root of 3 times the phase voltage (the voltage measured across one phase).

This relationship arises from the geometry of the wye configuration, where the line voltages are effectively the hypotenuse of a right triangle formed by the phase voltages. Because the line voltage incorporates contributions from two different phase voltages, the factor by which the line voltage is higher than the phase voltage is indeed the square root of 3, or approximately 1.73.

Understanding this relationship is crucial in electrical engineering, especially when working with three-phase systems, as it helps in accurately designing circuits and ensuring that devices are rated correctly for the applied voltages.