Re: MAE-East still no generator

8 Sep 1996

      Howdy,

  As a few folks have pointed out, my less than eloquent
  explanation of why AC is more economic than DC over distance is
  not as accurate as it could be.  I could argue what I meant as
  opposed to what I wrote, but I'd still be a bit off :)

  Regardless, the point still stands that there's nothing inherently
  "modern" about AC as opposed to DC.

  The larger issue is having the appropriate pieces of
  telephony/routing/switching backed up w/ a reliable supply.

  Or mischievous hands moving power cables around :)

  -alan

.........  Matthew Kaufman is rumored to have said:
] 
] Original message <199609080429.XAA10713@westie.gi.net>
] From: Alan Hannan <alan@gi.net>
] Date: Sep  7, 23:28
] Subject: Re: MAE-East still no generator
] > 
] > 
] >   Howdy,
] > 
] >   To stay in the tradition of the NANOG mailing list, I will take
] >   this subject a bit off topic.  :-)
] > 
] >   The common American household and business operates on Alternating
] >   Current mainly because of distance.
] > 
] >   Over long distances, Alternating Current loses less energy in
] >   transferring energy than Direct Current.  For proof, imagine the
] >   energy actually moving from point a -> point b (as in DC) or
] >   moving back and forth in millions of sets between points a and b.
] >   (and not moving as far) (as in AC).
] 
] The real reason that AC is more efficient to transmit is that transformers
] work on AC, and that means you can, with little effort, trade amps for volts.
] Then you get to transmit the power at high voltage, but low current draw. 
] That means thin wires (saves copper) and less resistive loss (saves energy). 
] 
] Are we far enough off topic yet?
] 
] -matthew kaufman
]  matthew@scruz.net
] 
] 
]