[SGVLUG] Off-topic - home guerrilla solar systems

[David Lawyer]

On Tue, Feb 20, 2007 at 10:56:18AM -0800, Emerson, Tom (*IC) wrote:
> 
> After all, consider "AC", or "Alternating Current" in the first place --
> this is the biggest "scam" of them all (according to at least one
> website -- reference below) -- think about it: what the "power" company
> is selling you is "electrons", these move into and out of your home at
> amazing speeds AND they change direction 60 times each second!  While
> it's true that the path any given electron takes is essentially random,
> chances are extremely good that a fair number of them that "just left"
> your house will turn around and re-enter every time the current flow
> changes, which means that the power company is selling you THE EXACT
> SAME ELECTRON OVER AND OVER AGAIN ;)

The power Co. is not selling electrons by themselves which are nearly
worthless.  The are selling electrons at a voltage which is potential
energy per unit charge.  100 volts is 100 Joules per Coulomb of
electrons, moved across the 100 volt potential.  And if you have
2-wire electric service, the potential exists between the two wires.
So when the electrons flow across the potential they do work.  So it
makes no difference whether or not the electrons are the same ones or
not.
			David Lawyer

> [http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/humor.htm -- scroll down to or search for
> "some 'facts' about electricity"]
> 
> (while you're there, you might want to check on "Horsepower ratings and
> AC line magnets"...)
> 
> 
> 
			David Lawyer