War of Currents - AC vs. DC

In the "War of Currents" era in the late 1880s, Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison became adversaries due to Edison's promotion of direct current (DC) for electric power distribution over the more efficient alternating current (AC) advocated by Tesla. During the initial years of electricity distribution, Edison's direct current was the standard for the United States and Edison was not disposed to lose all his patent royalties. Direct current worked well for the incandescent lamps that were the principal load of the day. From his wo ...

Including:

• War of Currents - Electric power transmission
• War of Currents - AC vs. DC
• War of Currents - Niagara Falls
• War of Currents - Edison's propaganda
• War of Currents - Westinghouse the condemned
• War of Currents - The Falls to Buffalo
• War of Currents - Outcome
• War of Currents - Recent innovations

Read more here: » War of Currents: Encyclopedia - War of Currents

The direct current electric power transmission system had limitations that were recognized and solved by Tesla's alternating current. High loads of direct current often melted copper wires and DC could rarely be transmitted for distances of greater than one mile without introducing excessive voltage drops. The three-wire distribution system provided some improvement in voltage drop and conductor sizes, but did not eliminate the problem. Edison's response to the DC system limitations was to generate power close to where it was consumed (distr ...

See also:

War of Currents, War of Currents - Electric power transmission, War of Currents - AC vs. DC, War of Currents - Niagara Falls, War of Currents - Edison's propaganda, War of Currents - Westinghouse the condemned, War of Currents - The Falls to Buffalo, War of Currents - Outcome, War of Currents - Recent innovations

Read more here: » War of Currents: Encyclopedia II - War of Currents - Electric power transmission

Edison's inventions using DC ultimately lost to AC devices proposed by others: primarily Tesla's polyphase systems, and also other contributors, such as Charles Proteus Steinmetz (of General Electric). With the financial backing of George Westinghouse, Tesla's AC replaced DC, enormously extending the range and improving the safety and efficiency of power distribution. Tesla's Niagara Falls system marked the end of Edison's roadmap for electrical transmission. Eventually, Edison's General E ...

See also:

War of Currents, War of Currents - Electric power transmission, War of Currents - AC vs. DC, War of Currents - Niagara Falls, War of Currents - Edison's propaganda, War of Currents - Westinghouse the condemned, War of Currents - The Falls to Buffalo, War of Currents - Outcome, War of Currents - Recent innovations

Read more here: » War of Currents: Encyclopedia II - War of Currents - Outcome