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Two different varieties of electric current flow through our devices in the modern world: AC and DC. One type comes out of the outlet in your home provided by your electric services provider, and the other is used to power your cell phone. The guide below explains what makes these two power sources different and how they’re both valuable to our society.

AC

AC stands for alternating current, meaning that the current changes direction periodically. When represented on a graph, it looks like a wave. Flickering at rates that are impossible for the human eye to detect, it was first harnessed by Nikola Tesla when he invented a motor capable of utilizing it in the 1880s. 

You use alternating current every day to power your kitchen appliances and television. It can be put out in higher voltages, making it more efficient to transmit through power lines.

DC

electric servicesDC stands for direct current. This type of power runs in a loop from a higher voltage to a lower voltage before being increased again by a battery or other power supply. If you looked at a visual representation of DC power, it would appear as a straight line. Thomas Edison championed its use around the same time as Tesla was promoting AC.

Most small electronics can’t handle the power flickers that are caused by AC. This is why laptops and other similar devices often come with an AC converter that turns the energy into DC, where it can be stored inside batteries.

 

Jemez Mountains Electric Cooperative is an electric services cooperative located in Espanola, NM. Unlike investor-owned electric companies, electric cooperatives are managed by and for people who live in the community they serve. They offer low-cost and dependable electricity to residents across Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, San Juan, McKinley, and Sandoval counties. Visit their website for more about their offerings or call (505) 753-2105 with electric service questions.

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