Fuddy1952
Elite Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2018
- Messages
- 3,191
- Location
- South Central Virginia
- Tractor
- 1973 Economy and 2018 John Deere 3038E
One way to think of a sine wave is it's like a kid on a swing. Kid at rest it's zero volts. Then the kid swings high as he/she can let's say 8 ft. up. So up 8ft., back to zero (bottom) backwards up to 8ft.
Now you have two kids on a two swing set.
They swing opposite,* so as one kid is at forward top, other is at backward top.
When each kid is at top it's double the 8ft. or they're 16ft. apart.
The swing set frame is neutral...grounded.
Just like household power. 240 volts it's like the kids when they're 16ft. apart...but EACH kid is only going up 8, to ground, then back 8.
The kids are swinging really fast! 60 times a second!
So each kid is a phase...one goes up as other swings back.
If a person had reflexes like a cat, you could hold onto neutral/ground and with other hands finger touch either side hot wire exactly when sine wave is at bottom (SUPER fast) and not get shocked. But...we don't so don't try it.
James (kOua) gave good explanations.
Now you have two kids on a two swing set.
They swing opposite,* so as one kid is at forward top, other is at backward top.
When each kid is at top it's double the 8ft. or they're 16ft. apart.
The swing set frame is neutral...grounded.
Just like household power. 240 volts it's like the kids when they're 16ft. apart...but EACH kid is only going up 8, to ground, then back 8.
The kids are swinging really fast! 60 times a second!
So each kid is a phase...one goes up as other swings back.
If a person had reflexes like a cat, you could hold onto neutral/ground and with other hands finger touch either side hot wire exactly when sine wave is at bottom (SUPER fast) and not get shocked. But...we don't so don't try it.
James (kOua) gave good explanations.
