548 Chapter 12 AC Power and Three-Phase Systems New Worps ror Mr. Wesster's Dictionary: AC versus pc the system profitable, If every ‘building in the country was to have electricity, there would have to be a. generating sta- tion literally on every comer. Once the transformer was vented,’ however, altemating current could be stepped up to thousands of volts at a cen- tral generating station, trans- ported long distances over high-tension wires, and then stepped down to more usable voltages at the point of use. AAs his first step into the world of electricity, Westing- hhouse bought the tights to the transformer patent in 1885. ‘Then, while Edison was elec- jhe guillotine used for ex- | Te im Ene er joe the French Rela sion was named after te in tentor of that grim machine | De osepintgnce Gull Uking tat eponymous even this precedent, Thoms Ea son one proposed the noun “Sesingotse asthe offal name of the eleotic en and the verb to westnghouse for fe proces we know a elo toctin, I was another me never inthe reat financial |. gie nwa athe cle | bate: Tike al oherdown-an Execution by electrocution using ac (rather than de) ‘electricity was first used in 1890 by New York tate as 4 humane alternative to hanging and the guillotine. ‘But this evidence of the lethal power of ac electric: ity filed 10 override its advantages of thimer cop: er wires and greater transportability. (University of ny fights in the business ‘world, this one came down 10 ‘money, By'the end of the 1880s, Edison was totally invested in the direct-current system he had developed in the years since he came up with his first working lightbulb in 1879. Out in Pittsburgh, though, was another clever and very rich inventor, George West- Jnghouse (1846-1914), who had made his fortune by inventing air brakes for trains. Once he got inter- ‘sted in electricity and particularly in the challenge of bringing this marvelous new power into the American home, Westinghouse decided that altemating current was the way t0 g0. ‘The problem with direct current in the early days, was that it could not efficiently be transported any great distances. It was generated at the 120 volts the consumer needed, and any long-distance movement through wiring would mean too much loss to make Minos) trifying: New York City: with direct current, Westinghouse was establishing ac sys- tems in other areas of the country. Slowly he made inroads into Edison’s:territory, but one big problem still had to be solved: "The only thing alternating current: could do so: far was light; it could not rin the motors of American industry becatise a motor that could run on altemating current did. not exist Surely no one. was. going to want two systems— ‘Westinghouse’s ac for lighting and Edison's de for everything lse—and surely no one was ready 10 ive up this wonderful new invention called the electric motor, No, if he was going to topple Edi- som from his lofty position as King of the electric- ity hill, Westinghouse needed a. motor that ran on altemating current. Enter Nikola Tesla, inventor of the ae induction. motor in 1888: One’ million dol-New Words for Mr. Webster's Dictionary: AC versus DC Jats changes hands and. Westinghouse hes the ‘motor \ be’ needs to take on Edison in New York. ‘This was oul” part of Edison's troubles. , The financia} picture was begining to favor alternating crtent because dome stock manipulators (as busy in the 18806 as they ‘were going 06 be in the: 1980s) had dtiven the price of copper from nine cents & pound all the way up to twenty cents. DC needs fat, there- fore expensive, copper wires, but ac can be carried fon skinny, therefore much cheaper, wires. Edison's ‘whole empire was threatened. All along he had been proclaiming the safety of dc and the danger of ac. All those thousands of volts' would be killing people left and right, whereas there. was.no danger whatsoever inhhis mere 120.volts. Self-anointed electrical experts were hired by Edison to educate.the public: about the, dangers of aljermating curreat: : ‘The de forces acquired a powerful ally: the State of New’ York,” which, was sovestigating. “more, hu ‘tbe? ways pf execatjon, "Partly becuse of Edi- 4 effoms, the, ste oped for elcticity as its ‘The sthte: eas convinced nd cacried out its fist leetrocution on: August 6, 1890. To be helpful to the. journalists ‘covering ‘this history-making: event; the Edison camp sugwested that tte ‘newly built elec- trig chair be called a “westinghouse” in hondr of that great electrical pioneer ‘whose alternating cur rent made possible such a way of Iéaving this world: ‘To further honor this pioneer, the process should be referred to as “westinghousing” the criminal, as in, “This murderer i scheduled to be westinghoused next oath.” Despite: Edison's bid to expand the English lan- ‘puage by a couple of words, the expressioas never took hold and bad press for Westinghouse never ma- terialized, The price’of copper stayed high, favoring “The problem with direct / curyent in:the early days wa fo, that is could not efficiently be; fansported ary great i “the world of electricity) in 1993, he essentially Won the wat. Th the dal _ Blectric Company was’awarded the contract the world’s first hydroclecttic plant et Niagara and supply elecrcty—ae, of éoutse—to the ty of ‘Boffo. ‘Apd whit i why the Gomer this story wa typed inca ind the amp’ you read:it By ané powered ‘by alternating current electricity. a ‘hat Year) This Westinghouse: |