On Jan 28, 4:08*am, wrote:
On Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:14:39 -0800 (PST), Bob_Villa

wrote:
In manufacturing where many large inductors (motors) are used, the
electric grid has to use huge capacitors to put the current back in
phase.

I have noticed some things on power poles that look like pole
transformers without any secondaries and they are smaller. *The HV line
just enters and exists then midway to a farm or industrial complex.
Maybe those are the caps. *I never understood their purpose.

Besides industry, large farms have lots of power hungry motors. *I just
operate a small farm, but even I have hay elevators and augers and other
devices with fairly large 110 or 220 volt motors.

Also, in reply to others speaking in electronics terms I am familiar
with non polarized as well as electrolytic caps. *I worked on a lot of
electronics when I was a kid. *Mostly tube stuff back then, and back
then, mf meant micro-farad, and mmf meant miro-micro-farad. *Oddly
enough they were also called condensors in those days. *I still fart
around with a few home repairs of electronic stuff, but these days
finding parts is a challenge, if not impossible. *Especially ICs. *That
takes the fun out of it.

Power grid capacitor bank: http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-fr...nk-image685808