On 28 Sep 2005 18:54:25 GMT, Dave Hinz wrote:

On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 18:42:00 GMT, Emmo wrote:
Not only dogs - there is a remarkable film of the electrocution of an
elephant that he tried to use to scare the gullible public about the dangers
of AC...

I've also heard, but cannot provide a cite for, claims that Edison
actually pushed for executions to take place in AC-powered electric
chairs, and referred to those so executed as being "Westinghoused".
Actually, if about.com is a credible source, check this:
http://inventors.about.com/od/hstart...tric_Chair.htm

This has been covered extensively on The History Channel - Edison
tried to buy a Westinghouse AC Generator set to use it for the
demonstrations of "How Dangerous AC Current Is" but for some unknown
reason they wouldn't sell one to him. (Gee, wonder why?) Edison
had to have a shill buyer purchase a used generator.

Joke was on Edison - Westinghouse had a better system, and they both
knew it. DC can't be transmitted for long distances efficiently, and
until the advent of modern solid state electronics you couldn't boost
the voltage for transmission or drop it back to a convenient
distribution voltage efficiently.

Even now, it's a PITA to work with HV DC - they have the 500KV DC
"Pacific Intertie" transmission line that has one end in Sylmar, CA.,
but it's only real advantage is in that the AC power grids at each end
don't have to be in lock-step phase with each other - they can each
establish their own system frequency independently.

-- Bruce --

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
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