18 Common Electrical Terms You Should Know

AC Power

Ever since the Tesla-Westinghouse power plant at Niagara Falls came online in 1885, alternating current (AC) power has been the standard in North America and eventually the rest of the world.

Alternating current changes direction cyclically because it’s produced by a spinning turbine. This means that AC current has a characteristic frequency. In North America, it’s 60 cycles per second.

Unlike direct current (DC) voltage, AC voltage can be increased and decreased via transformers, which makes it possible to transmit electricity over large distances. Centralized generating stations using wind, solar, water, nuclear fuel or fossil fuels can power communities hundreds of miles away.

Understanding AC electrical terminology can help homeowners understand how power comes into the house, what happens when it gets there, and how to work with it.

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