Thomas Edison launched his 110 Volt DC grid in 1882 in the face of stiff competition from fellow-inventor George Westinghouse. By 1884, the latter was already developing his own 110 Volt DC electricity network. Then he discovered the new-fangled European alternating current in 1885, while battling the shorter transmission range of direct current. Alternating current, or AC, allowed the current to be ‘stepped up’ and travel longer distances. This lead to what went down in history as the War of Currents.
How the Game Played Out in the War of Currents
Other developers soon followed in George Westinghouse’s wake. Some, like him, initially used 110 Volts AC, while others preferred 220 volts.
With Edison’s back against the wall, he started spreading rumors that AC in general, and 220 volts in particular were recklessly dangerous. In so doing, several contemporary newsworthy events assisted him in the War of Currents.
- Inexperienced installers emerged as 220 Volt AC specialists, helping grids spread faster that the American railroad network. Crowds gathered everywhere they connected them on top of high poles. Almost inevitably, there were a few fatal accidents as there was no live-wire technology yet.
- Support for the electric execution chair was gaining ground, with Westinghouse insisting his AC power would make it safer but more effective. Edison seized the moment by electrocuting horses in public. 220 Volts of Alternating Current was on its way to be becoming Public Enemy # 1.
Nowadays of course electricity is entirely safe, when used correctly as we do, and there are laws protecting animals. We also have laws regulating worker safety and how marketing should behave.
How We Eventually Ended Up with 110 Volts AC
Stepped-up alternating current proved a cheaper, more effective way than sending 110 Volts DC along short distances in ‘solid form’. Moreover, Edison could not take the heat after becoming a minor partner following a merger with General Electric.
So he left the industry to go into ore mining. With that, DC’s day as a major force in the War of Currents was over.
After the dust settled, the U.S. electricity distribution industry agreed on 110 Volts AC as their standard. This was to quieten the idea that 220 volts were far too dangerous in the public mind. Thus Edison had his way with the numbers 110, but not with the letters DC. And so, the War of Currents ended with a whimper, and not a bang.
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Different Volt Standards in Use Today
Thomas Edison and the 110-Volt Light Bulb
Preview Image: Westinghouse Alternating System