An Electric Lesson

StoneHeartFarm · Aug 4, 2001

Joe

An electrical generator that you can build which requires only one wire connected to a rod driven into the ground and no fuel (according to the website info) is described at the following website:

http://www.algonet.se/~johnnyfg/freenrg/fieldgen/fieldgen.htm

The site includes plans and diagrams. Construction appears simple, with readily available materials, primarily Tuff-R insulated sheeting. Apparently, the ground rod is a requirement and is part of the generation process. Don't know if this works, haven't tried it.

SHF

s1120 · Aug 4, 2001

After Franklin came a herd of electrical pioneers whose names have become part of our electrical terminology: Carl Volt, Frank Amp, James Watt, Bob Transformer and many others

We can not forget Oliver outlet. With out him we would all be scuffing our feet, and grabbing cords all day. Now we just have to plug in/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

jinman · Aug 4, 2001

Dave, don't believe any of these guys. They've all been eating too many prunes. Anyone with half a brain knows that the power company sends electricty through the primary of a transformer on a post (or a ground transformer) and that the primary of that transformer is in no way connected to the secondary of the transformer which comes to your house. The current in your house (every electron - no matter how energetic) is induced rather than coming from the power company. The "juice" from the power company never gets any closer to your house than the transformer; however, the prune juice flows in directly, carried by this thread. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif/w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

JimI

TWINKLE_TOES · Aug 4, 2001

JimI

/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif the prune juice flows in directly, carried by this thread. I can appreciate that comment. The transformer primary is ground referenced just like the secondary which feeds your home. Again, no intentional current flows in that ground reference. For example I have underground power to a transformer out in the field. The feeder is a 7500 volt cable that has a single center conductor. The return current for the primary is a heavy braid surrounding the exterior of the cable. It looks like a coaxial cable if you removed the outer insulation, except a lot bigger about 3/4 inch dia. This cable is buried directly in the ground, i.e outer conducter (braid) is in direct contact with the ground. At the transformer this braid is connected to the neutral wire to the house and also to ground at the transformer. None of the induced current that flows in the neutral wire to the house is returned directly through the feeder return (braid). The current that is returned through the primary (braid) is the secondary current reduced by the turn ratio of the transformer 120/7500.

In short the transformer primary is connected to the transformer secondary, no intentional current flows in that connection.

Whew I think I'll have another prune. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Al

jinman · Aug 5, 2001

Okay, Al. I have prune juice running down my chin and I think the flow from the "ground" part of my circuit is about to begin./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

You failed to mention if the secondary of the transformer is center tapped. If so, is it that center tap that is attached to the primary shield/return? I'm truly curious...no joke.

JimI

Billc · Aug 5, 2001

Joe, just read you opening post to this thread. Very funny! Thanks.

Bill Cook

hayden · Aug 5, 2001

In fact, the last year any new electricity was generated was 1937;

That's because in 1937 they switched over to generators powered by electric motors that just plugged into the outlets. It's been running ever since.

Peter

TWINKLE_TOES · Aug 5, 2001

I'm truly curious...no joke.

Truly (a.k.a. jinman)

Yep the transformer on the pole or in your yard is center tapped. The center tap is ran to earth ground @ the transformer and also @ your house. The other two wires to your house are connected to the other terminals of the transformer. Voltage is ~120 volts between the center tap and each leg. The two 120 volt lines are 180 degrees out of phase and hence add to 240 volts between the legs.

Al

PBMAX · Aug 6, 2001

I don't believe they have not generated any new electricity since 1937.What about the energy lost through heat?Such as dryers,condinsers(friges,frezzers,hvac)electric heating elements,stoves portable heaters and so on.Maybe thats what they ment.That since energy only changes form and can't be distroyed theory.I figure you could answer this one better than I.Also some one mentioned not getting shocked by the return line.True for single phase usually.Have been bit when there was a high load and got grounded.You now the difference thing but thats just my luck .Also Got bit by 277v nutruel.It had 50 Floresent lights on it and let me tell you OUCH!Q!!I don't recall the pwr (amp) draw of them but I can tell you every body on the 7th floor new I had just learned something.....Boss came around the corner, You ok? yep..What you do? (told him)he laughed,By the way he says; the nutruel (return)can bight you in 277v system....

I just missed him with my linemans pliers........I was quite PO'd as it was....Funny how getting buzzed makes you angry.I figure it's cause we no better and we do it any way....and feel stupid for it...

Laziness is the Father of invention.../w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Lil' Paul
Proud owner of TC21D

ddl · Aug 6, 2001

I was not getting uppity, I was just responding to your reply, which sounded upity to me, "I don't hafve to time to completely explain it to you"" Your quote. There is two ways to look at this idea. The high school way of electrons moving or by looking at it at the atomic level. Electrons do not move except around the nuclues. Charge from one electron to the next lower enegry electron is what moves. Current is Charge per time not electrons per time. As the charge moves down the wire from electron to electron, the amount of charge decreases, which is way we use substations to step the charge back up to a higher level. The orginal post stated that the electron is passed down the line and back to the generator, which is not true, too many transformers without center tap between the generator and the actual load.

Dan L