Somehow I don't think the author was contemplating a 20kW HPC. Good read, though -- it'd be great not to have the parasitic load of all those AC/DC converters for all of our gadgets and modern lightbulbs.
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I don't know there is a lot glossed over in there.
All of the big power draws in your house are probably AC induction motors (AC, Refridge, Blowers/Fans) These run off AC power. It would be stupid to take DC->AC losses on the largest power draws in your house to save on the rest.
The other big power draws are heating elements. Sure they work with either current, so they are a wash. Besides any conversion losses wouldn't be net losses because they produce heat.
Line losses are lower with higher voltage. There is a reason why home power is 100VAC and higher. The line losses below 100V are just to great. This won't change with DC.
DC->DC voltage change equipment is much more complicated and expensive than AC->AC. This is why AC won the current wars. And I believe that DC->DC conversions are also less efficient. So going AC->DC might not be that much worse than going DC->DC stepdown. I really don't know much about DC->DC step-up and step-down. Especially if you consider greater line losses for a 24VDC system.
And this nonsense about your AC and other induction motors running more efficiently on a VFD (Inverter). NO. First refrideration cycles don't need modulated speed. They just cycle. The motor is always run at its most efficient point. Besides a VFD is a conversion device. You would have DC->AC conversion losses. VFDs (Inverter) are common going AC->DC->AC in industry but they are expensive, and if they would work in the home the extra AC->DC line losses wouldn't be a factor. Same with induction charging. That is AC. I can't fathom a scenario where DC supply would be more efficient than AC supply in an induction charging application.
I really like DC. It is way easier when taking electronics classes. But really this is just a guy looking at his phone, iPad, laptop, and other battery/usb devices thinking it would be great if they didn't require an AC->DC conversion. And he is right. But it is stupid to drop AC power. Truth is AC works better and will for a very long time.
Add on to that fact you can't use any high power devices on your home wireing. No vacuum. No Toaster. No Microwave. No slow cooker. No blender. No kitchen-aid. No Gaming PC. Hell even laptops draw 100W, which would overload his suggested 24VDC 4.1A circuit.
None of that really matters this is why AC will be prevalent for a very long time:
AC->AC is easy and cheap
AC->DC is easy and cheap
DC->AC is complex and expensive
DC->DC is complex and expensive
Seems like the best solution is to leave most of the house wiring unchanged, but to have a parallel DC system, fed from a single converter at the main circuit board. Assuming, of course, that all the gadgets could even agree on a common voltage level!
DC is great for lots of things, but don't try distribute it beyond the premises.
HVDC is used for long distance transmission because underwater cables have too much capacitance for long distance transmission, which eats up AC power, but does not affect DC. The conversion stations at each end are very expensive, HVDC is used only where AC would suffer too high losses or when you want to transmit power between different grids and still keep them decoupled.
Edison was right that DC is great. Tesla was right that AC is great too, but is much easier to handle, and can directly power his flawless gem of an invention, the induction motor. Tesla wins :biggrin:
HVDC is used for long distance transmission because underwater cables have too much capacitance for long distance transmission, which eats up AC power, but does not affect DC. The conversion stations at each end are very expensive, HVDC is used only where AC would suffer too high losses or when you want to transmit power between different grids and still keep them decoupled.
Edison was right that DC is great. Tesla was right that AC is great too, but is much easier to handle, and can directly power his flawless gem of an invention, the induction motor. Tesla wins :biggrin:
This is somewhat cross-posting, but is relevant in this thread too:
Why Nikola Tesla was the greatest geek who ever lived - The Oatmeal
Why Nikola Tesla was the greatest geek who ever lived - The Oatmeal
I find it intereting that this is the thread that preciptated my registration as a member. This is too good not to share however.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gOR91oentQ
Caution - Some NSFW langauge.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gOR91oentQ
Caution - Some NSFW langauge.
Epic Rap Battles of History: Nikola Tesla vs. Thomas Edison
Nikola Tesla vs Thomas Edison. Epic Rap Battles of History Season 2. - YouTube
Nikola Tesla vs Thomas Edison. Epic Rap Battles of History Season 2. - YouTube
Nikola Tesla vs. Thomas Edison
Huff Post Science today has an article comparing Nikola Tesla with Thomas Edison, and is conducting a poll asking who was the better inventor: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/11/nikola-tesla-thomas-edison-poll_n_5577512.html
Huff Post Science today has an article comparing Nikola Tesla with Thomas Edison, and is conducting a poll asking who was the better inventor: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/11/nikola-tesla-thomas-edison-poll_n_5577512.html
caddieo
Member
Nikola Tesla by a mile. I logged on to the website, voted and found I was only one of about 94% who voted for him. BTW cartoonist/humorist The Oatmeal had a nice piece on both the car and the man on his website which was the subject of a thread on this forum. Basically he called Tesla a geek and Edison a CEO in addition to bad mouthing the latter. A project to create a Tesla museum on the site of his old laboratory has been started and the last news I heard is that Musk is donating $1 million.
cgiGuy
Active Member
Tesla was responsible for everything from the type of motor in your car to the fob in your pocket. Edison was responsible for the light bulbs -- or are those being replaced by LEDs and CFLs in most people's homes? I like phonographs despite optical disks, hard disks and thumb drives. But Edison was 99% perspiration and a liar to boot. Tesla started working for Edison because of the money he promised, but he later said he was only joking. Tesla's innovations are a key part of everyday life. Edison's were other people's ideas that he refined through brute force and dumb luck, and were interim steps.
Edison did things that people knew could be done, while Tesla did things that people knew couldn't be done. An AC motor was impossible because it defied the laws of physics. How could it spin if the current kept changing directions? Tesla modeled it in his head.
Edison did things that people knew could be done, while Tesla did things that people knew couldn't be done. An AC motor was impossible because it defied the laws of physics. How could it spin if the current kept changing directions? Tesla modeled it in his head.
richrootes
Member
Ha ha - seen this KickStarter campaign...........?
https://www.kickstarter.com/project...Mar+19&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter
https://www.kickstarter.com/project...Mar+19&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter
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