Hey everyone,
I’m getting into electric speciality and, to be honest, never understood (made it clear in my head) how does AC or DC work, why there are three/single phases used?
by „Make clear in my head” I mean I generally have some knowledge, but couldn’t be able to explain it to somebody else. Thanks!
In: 5
AC = current alternates, plus a voltage to minus a voltage, in a wave pattern
DC = current is constantly applied at a voltage, think of the average battery
DC is good for short distances, but AC is easier to generate, has less loss over longer distances, and is easier to step voltage up or down, so AC is used from the power station to your house.
Based on the technical explanations, think of the three phase advantage this way.
[This is single phase power.](https://www.electronicshub.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Single-Phase-Supply-Waveform.jpg) Peak power is delivered only twice per cycle, and we are delivering no power every time the wave crosses the middle line.
[This is three phase power](https://www.electronicshub.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Three-Phase-Supply-Waveform.jpg). It’s much more evened out, some power is always delivered, and peak power comes six times per cycle.
This lets us get nearly twice the wattage out of a power source by adding only one more pin (now four).
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