[Milsurplus] Edison/Tesla battle finally ends in NYC.

[Radioman390 at cs.com]

Con Edison, the local electric utility has finally stopped generating 120 VDC 
current for an older section of Manhattan. Edison fought Nichola Tesla's 
invention of AC current with a vengeance. He would have public demonstrations 
where AC was used to electrocute animals after they survived a DC jolt. (Yes, 
animals were harmed in this research).

AC allowed step-up andd step-down transformers to make for easy long-range 
distribution of power; whereas DC networks required motor/generator setups. 
(high voltage on long lines also have a lower voltage drop because of Ohms Law, 
and recovering lost voltage can be accomplished by a step-up transformer).

NYC had for the longest time into the 60s, a second AC system of 25 Hz, which 
is why older radios have 25-60 Hz ratings. But DC only radios are doomed.

BTW, 400 Hz is used in aircraft beceause less iron is need in the 
transformers than a 60 Hz design, saving weight.    
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