Running High voltage with Low voltage

[AsAboveSoBelow]

I hear circuit board designer talk of 12VDC as high voltage because their circuits run on 3.3V. Guys in the lab have a whole different idea compared to the shop floor as to what is a large motor. (10HP is big in the lab but a wee baby out in the shop.)

^This made me lol.
Like a funny because it's true kinda thing.
The difference between low and high voltages seems to be a matter of opinion belonging to whoever you ask. As a matter of fact this discussion was going on at my job just last week where an engineer was arguing that HV is 600VAC and a technician was arguing that HV is 1000VAC.
Pertaining to the discussion though, I've had to run 600V wire in the same conduit as 120V before with no arguement from anyone overseeing the operation. I'm still a rookie though, so I'm just giving my two cents

 

[Helliana]

I grew up with my father being a lineman for a power utility company, therefore I have always thought of high voltage as being 8kV or higher.

 

[Winklehoffen]

To back up my definitions I turn to the all knowing and most wise protector of the full extent of human knowledge, wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_voltage

"The International Electrotechnical Commission and its national counterparts (IET, IEEE, VDE, etc.) define high voltage circuits as those with more than 1000 V for alternating current and at least 1500 V for direct current, and distinguish it from low voltage (50–1000 V AC or 120–1500 V DC) and extra-low voltage (<50 V AC or <120 V DC) circuits. This is in the context of building wiring and the safety of electrical apparatus."

Although I do see that it goes on to say "In the United States 2005 National Electrical Code (NEC), high voltage is any voltage over 600 V (article 490.2)."

You yanks do love to be different, don't you. Who cares what the rest of the worlds doing? We're the US of A, goddammit!