What comes to mind when someone mentions AC? Is air conditioning is the first thing that you think of? If so, then this post is for you. So take a few minute and take the next step with electricity. By the end of this post, you will know the basics of electricity and how that affects all things technology.
In the USA we use generators and transformers to create high voltage three-phase AC (alternating current). Together they send electricity from the power plant to your house at 120 volts and 60 hertz. Every country deals with mains electricity distribution a little bit differently. Many countries use 220 to 250 volts natively but North America exclusively uses 120 volts.
It sounds very complicated but it will make more sense in a little bit. Through a system of transformers, electric companies boost the voltage of the electricity. This makes it much more efficient for traveling long distances from point A to point B. Then local substations use other transformers to turn the electricity back into voltages common in homes and businesses.
Most homes are fed one leg of the three phases. At the substation, they use another transformer to double the voltage to 240 volts. A “split-phase” system is brought into the neighborhood. This uses three wires to send your entire house electricity that can be the normal 120 volts for most electronics. When you connect both sides of the split together you get the full 240 volts. That higher voltage is needed for power-hungry devices like dryers and electric stoves.
Businesses usually are fed with all three phases. 120 volts of electricity per phase, using 5 wires. A red, black, and blue line for each phase, a white neutral, and a green ground connection. With this configuration, you can connect two phases together to create a single leg of power at 208 volts. Again that voltage is needed for more demanding equipment.
Basically, electronics made for use in America are generally designed to work with 120 volts. This is why when you travel abroad you need converters to power your electronics. These adapters adjust the physical plug that goes in the wall. They also adapt the electrical feed to match the device you are using.
That’s all for now, next time we will talk about the alternative form of energy called DC. Electricity is complicated and important for the AV world to function. Modern electronics are complicated machines. It is important to have a basic understanding of what electricity is and how it works. This will help you figure things out when something isn’t working the way it is supposed to. Come back soon for more articles where we will break down all things AV into more digestible bites.