Date:         Sat, 5 Oct 2002 15:21:46 -0400
Reply-To:     David Brodbeck <gull@CYBERSPACE.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Brodbeck <gull@CYBERSPACE.ORG>
Subject:      Re: Sanity Check - Wire gauge for wiring SA headlights
Comments: To: Mike Miller <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <B9C48758.10BB%mwmiller@cwnet.com>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

On Sat, 5 Oct 2002, Mike Miller wrote:

> Uhh, I think it's the other way around.  DC is more efficient for long
> distance, high voltage.  I believe that's why the Pacific Intertie is DC and
> USSR set up DC nets.

DC is more efficient because AC lines radiate an electromagnetic field,
just like an antenna does.  It takes power to create that field.  The
problem with DC is it can't be stepped up to high voltages or down to
lower voltages with transformers like AC can, so for DC transmission lines
the power has to be converted from AC to DC for transmission and then back
to AC again at the other end.  The conversion process is inefficient, so
it doesn't pay off except for very long lines.

             _ _
  __ _ _   _| | |  | David M. Brodbeck (N8SRE)              Ypsilanti, MI
 / _` | | | | | |  +-----------------------------------------------------
| (_| | |_| | | | @ cyberspace.org
 \__, |\__,_|_|_| "There is something ironic when the developers name
 |___/             housing development after what they bulldozed to build
                   it, but I think you have to allow some latitude in
                   naming, so that not every street is called "Suburban
                   Drive." -- Jan Wolter