If a voltmeter connected to a 14,400 volt bus reads 120.8 volts, what is the voltage on the bus?

To determine the voltage on the bus when a voltmeter connected to a 14,400-volt bus reads 120.8 volts, it is important to understand how voltage measurement works, particularly in high-voltage systems.

The voltmeter reading (120.8 volts) represents a small sample of the line-to-ground voltage relative to a different reference point, likely due to the impedance or characteristics of the measuring device and the system configuration. In a high-voltage system, such as a 14,400-volt bus, voltmeters often have scaling factors or can be impacted by the presence of stray voltages or capacitive coupling to the ground.

When we interpret the voltmeter reading correctly, we apply a scaling factor commonly associated with high-voltage systems. In this case, a typical scaling factor might indicate that the actual measured voltage is significantly higher than what the voltmeter indicates. By calculating based on the scaling factor common in these measurements, the actual voltage on the bus can be derived.

From the given options, if a voltmeter reading of 120.8 volts corresponds with a scaling by a common value used in industry, we would arrive at an effective voltage reading close to 14,496 volts. This makes option B