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pmfinnegan2
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Utility companies AC instead of DC??
Why do utility companies transmit electric power via AC instead of DC?
Why do utility companies transmit electric power via AC instead of DC?
Dathascome said:Are there any countries that use primarily DC?
Dath said:I'm sure this is probably not true but this guy I used to work with told me that he thought the big reason we use AC over DC is money. He said things about how for DC the one thing that you really need is just resistors for changing things like voltage. For AC you need all sorts of things like transformers and what not for stepping down/up voltage. He thought it was simply a matter of money, if you need transformers than you need people to make them and you see where this all leads. I can't say, based on my own knowledge whether this is true or not. Maybe someone else here can?
The main difference between AC (alternating current) and DC (direct current) electricity is the direction of the current flow. In AC, the current periodically changes direction, while in DC, the current only flows in one direction. This difference has implications for how electricity is generated, transmitted, and used.
Utility companies use AC instead of DC because it is more efficient for long-distance transmission. AC can be easily converted to different voltages using a transformer, which allows for lower loss of energy during transmission. Additionally, AC generators are simpler and cheaper to build than DC generators, making it more cost-effective for utility companies.
There are some advantages to using DC over AC in utility systems. DC is generally considered to be safer to handle and can be more efficient for certain applications that require constant voltage, such as electronic devices. DC is also better for long-distance underwater transmission, as it experiences less energy loss compared to AC.
The use of AC or DC does not significantly impact the performance of appliances and devices. Most electronic devices are designed to operate on both AC and DC power, and the type of electricity used in the utility system does not affect their performance. However, some devices, such as motors, may operate more efficiently on one type of electricity than the other.
There is a possibility of utility companies switching to DC in the future, especially as renewable energy sources that produce DC electricity, such as solar panels, become more prevalent. However, the cost and complexity of changing existing AC infrastructure would be significant, so it is unlikely that a complete switch to DC will happen in the near future.