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Author Topic: Somebody Explain Electrical Flow To Me ??  (Read 4092 times)

billt

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Somebody Explain Electrical Flow To Me ??
« on: January 02, 2021, 08:12:38 AM »
Help me out here guys. I was surprised to see this type of plug available. And I don't understand how it works? How can I plug this adapter into the big 50 AMP outlet on my generator, that accepts the bulk of the power the generator can make. (9,500 Watts). Then plug a low draw, 120 Volt electrical device, (say like a kitchen clock), into the other end, and not have the clock explode?

I know batteries don't push current. You can take a small 12 Volt light bulb, and attach the leads to a giant 12 Volt storage battery, and it will just burn forever. But don't generators push current? If you stick your finger into a 50 AMP receptacle, you're going to get a hell of a bigger jolt, than you would if you did the same thing with a 120 Volt 15 AMP wall outlet. So again, why wouldn't the clock explode? 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/AC-WORKS-1-5-ft-4-Outlet-NEMA-14-50P-RV-Range-Geneator-Plug-to-4-NEMA-5-15-20R-20-Amp-Household-Female-Connectors-Adapter-Cord-S1450F520-018/305439343

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Big Frank

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Re: Somebody Explain Electrical Flow To Me ??
« Reply #1 on: January 02, 2021, 08:33:18 AM »
Your appliances and things take as much power as they need and that's all. Your finger will take everything it gives you. That's just how it is I guess. Electrical flow in its simplest terms is a whole lot like plumbing in many ways. You need connections going to all the right places and the "pipes" have to be big enough to meet the demand. There are other similarities too. Someone else will have to explain 3-phase and all that stuff because I only use regular AC.
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""It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal services to the defence of it, and consequently that the Citizens of America (with a few legal and official exceptions) from 18 to 50 Years of Age should be borne on the Militia Rolls, provided with uniform Arms, and so far accustomed to the use of them, that the Total strength of the Country might be called forth at a Short Notice on any very interesting Emergency." - George Washington. Letter to Alexander Hamilton, Friday, May 02, 1783

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Timothy

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Re: Somebody Explain Electrical Flow To Me ??
« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2021, 09:16:38 AM »
Resistors are used to reduce current in order to prevent light bulbs and other electrical components from “exploding”.

Snip
“Electrical components are given a “power rating” in watts that indicates the maximum rate at which the component converts the electrical power into other forms of energy such as heat, light or motion. For example, a 1/4W resistor, a 100W light bulb etc.

Electrical devices convert one form of power into another. So for example, an electrical motor will covert electrical energy into a mechanical force, while an electrical generator converts mechanical force into electrical energy. A light bulb converts electrical energy into both light and heat.

Also, we now know that the unit of power is the WATT, but some electrical devices such as electric motors have a power rating in the old measurement of “Horsepower” or hp. The relationship between horsepower and watts is given as: 1hp = 746W. So for example, a two-horsepower motor has a rating of 1492W, (2 x 746) or 1.5kW.”
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billt

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Re: Somebody Explain Electrical Flow To Me ??
« Reply #3 on: January 02, 2021, 09:30:21 AM »
But isn't that 50 AMP outlet at 240 Volts? If that's the case, how can it not "blow up" the 120 Volt clock? Or is the wiring inside splitting the 1, 240 Volt 50 AMP outlet, into 4, 120 Volt lower amperage outlets??
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Timothy

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Re: Somebody Explain Electrical Flow To Me ??
« Reply #4 on: January 02, 2021, 09:47:59 AM »
Similar to the voltage coming into your house, yes the device is splitting the voltage.

Take a look at your breaker box.  Your dryer, range, AC etc. are two branches of 120 off of the buss bar to equal 240.  The device is designed to do the same.  Current into the house is 100 or 200 amps at probably 600V.  A device is designed with resistors to only draw what current needed to power said device.

100 watt bulb @ 120 V draws about 0.90 amps.

100/120 = 0.83 amps

Power (watts) divided by Volts equals current flow (amps)
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Sponsor

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Re: Somebody Explain Electrical Flow To Me ??
« Reply #5 on: Today at 05:40:32 PM »
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Timothy

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Re: Somebody Explain Electrical Flow To Me ??
« Reply #5 on: January 02, 2021, 09:49:45 AM »
It’s been about 50 years since I learned all this crap so forgive me if I miss a few things!

👍
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Big Frank

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Re: Somebody Explain Electrical Flow To Me ??
« Reply #6 on: January 02, 2021, 10:45:05 AM »
Most of the time we have a steady voltage and know the wattage of a tool or appliance from the label, but need to figure out the amperage to see how much stuff we can plug in on one circuit. Let's say you have a 1500 watt space heater that runs on 120 volts. Watts / Volts = Amps. 1500/120 = 12.5 amps. If you plug that into a 15 amp circuit that a lot of old houses have and crank it up all the way, you better not have too many other things plugged in or the wiring in the house can heat up.

ETA: Corrected. Watts / Volts = Amps. Watts / Amps = Volts. Amps X Volts = Watts.
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""It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal services to the defence of it, and consequently that the Citizens of America (with a few legal and official exceptions) from 18 to 50 Years of Age should be borne on the Militia Rolls, provided with uniform Arms, and so far accustomed to the use of them, that the Total strength of the Country might be called forth at a Short Notice on any very interesting Emergency." - George Washington. Letter to Alexander Hamilton, Friday, May 02, 1783

THE RIGHT TO BUY WEAPONS IS THE RIGHT TO BE FREE - A. E. van Vogt, The Weapon Shops of Isher

Big Frank

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Re: Somebody Explain Electrical Flow To Me ??
« Reply #7 on: January 02, 2021, 11:01:21 AM »
QUICK TIP — What’s the difference between Amps, Volts and Watts?

We get the question, “What’s the difference between amps, volts and watts?” enough that we thought we would address it here. There are some fairly complicated answers to this question but we thought we’d try to simplify the answer by using an analogy.

If we think of electricity as water flowing through a pipe it can help us understand amps, volts and watts. Amps would be the volume of water flowing through the pipe. The water pressure would be the voltage. Watts would be the power (volts x amps) the water could provide (think back to the old days when water was used to power mills). So with this analogy in mind the definitions below for amp, volt and watt should be easier to understand:

Amp – an ampere is the unit for measuring electricity. The accepted standard unit used for measuring how fast an electric current flows is an example of an ampere.

Volt – the basic unit of electromotive force in the SI and MKS systems, equal to the electromotive force, or difference in potential, that causes a current of one ampere to flow through a conductor having a resistance of one ohm.

Watt – the basic unit of electric, mechanical, or thermal power in the SI and MKS systems, equal to one joule per second or 10 ergs per second (of a horsepower): for electric power it is equal to one volt-ampere.

Back to our analogy; electricity is the flow (like water) of electrons through a conductor like a wire. The rate at which electricity flows is measured as an electric current. The electric current is measured in amps. What makes the current flow? In our water analogy we could say a battery would be the pump that makes the water flow which creates pressure in the pipe. The pressure is the voltage. And as we said before the watts are the power the water could provide (like to a mill wheel). The watt is a measure of how much power is released each second.

We hope you now have a better understanding of the difference between amps, volts and watts.

http://www.newelectric.com/whats-the-difference-between-amps-volts-and-watts/
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""It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal services to the defence of it, and consequently that the Citizens of America (with a few legal and official exceptions) from 18 to 50 Years of Age should be borne on the Militia Rolls, provided with uniform Arms, and so far accustomed to the use of them, that the Total strength of the Country might be called forth at a Short Notice on any very interesting Emergency." - George Washington. Letter to Alexander Hamilton, Friday, May 02, 1783

THE RIGHT TO BUY WEAPONS IS THE RIGHT TO BE FREE - A. E. van Vogt, The Weapon Shops of Isher

Majer

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Re: Somebody Explain Electrical Flow To Me ??
« Reply #8 on: January 02, 2021, 07:58:05 PM »
All I know about electricity is it's invisible and if you let the smoke out it stops working.(Triumph motorcycle owner)
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billt

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Re: Somebody Explain Electrical Flow To Me ??
« Reply #9 on: January 02, 2021, 11:09:09 PM »
Quote from: Majer on January 02, 2021, 07:58:05 PM
All I know about electricity is it's invisible and if you let the smoke out it stops working.(Triumph motorcycle owner)

Was it equipped with a Lucas, "Get Home Before Dark", electrical system?
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