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Questions tagged [electricity]

13 questions
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Can we create electricity through an hourglass?

So imagine this, an hourglass that is the size of a two storey house in height but is wide as an average sedan car that can trickle sand for 5 hours, and at the middle there's a gear which is turned as the sand trickles through it (thus creating…
Bheka Majola
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When working with generic electrically shielded signal cable, can I treat the unshielded strands of wire as signal reference ground?

I am working on a CNC application where one controller board will be sending signals to another board. The environment may have electromagnetic interference (EMI) from nearby motor activity, so these relatively low voltage (3-10V) signals may…
user391339
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Trying to understand Nathan Stubblefields 1898 American Patent #600,457

I find this solenoid to be intensely interesting. It has a number of unique properties: The coil wire is made from dissimilar metals so that the voltage is internally produced in the coil. The voltage available at the terminals is low, 0.78 V,…
Instrumentation-Tech
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Why do identical-looking power plugs randomly not fit in some sockets in the same power strip?

This has bothered me for many years, but I'm only now coming around to ask about it. I don't know if this is unique to Sweden or something, but for whatever reason, when I try to plug things into the standard power strips (see photo), they…
G. Flurer
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Why am I getting such conflicting safety advice regarding opening up and dedusting/servicing my CRT TV?

I have asked questions on Stack Exchange. I have watched many videos on YouTube. I have asked professional TV repairmen. I get wildly different advice on the safety of opening my 1989 28" CRT TV. The videos talk about keeping it unplugged (and…
L. Yerke
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How to Create Real Levitating Clouds in an Enclosed Space? Is It Possible?

How to Create Real Levitating Clouds in an Enclosed Space? Is It Possible? Important Points First, I want to highlight some key aspects: We apologize in advance if there are any contradictions in the text. Please understand that we are dealing with…
Wenty Tek
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High temperature in seal oil vacuum pump (not in the bearing), steam power plant. Why the seal oil vacuum pump suddenly increased in temperature?

Seal oil vacuum pump in steam power plant, suddenly have temperature increased, it's in the pump's body, not in the bearing. Why is that happen? I noticed that temperature of main seal oil tank in this unit is higher than in another unit, thus, in…
Ferdiansyah Zhultriza
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Why don't power plants ALSO use smoke and water vapor to generate electricity?

Most power plants work by heating water in order to create steam that is then used to turn turbines which then generates electricity. As a side effect of generating this heat, there is usually some sort of exhaust such as smoke in coal plants and…
HomegrownPotatoes
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Using the electrolysis of water to cool a room

Browsing the internet yesterday I came across this very esoteric paper which purports to describe the construction of a device which uses the electrolysis of water into hydrogen and oxygen (a highly endothermic process) with KOH as a catalyst to…
Hadi Khan
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Can I be mostly dependent on solar and batteries?

Plan A: Ask your neighbors to give you permission to install solar panels on their roofs (ofcourse you can manipulate them into saying yes by giving them money once off ) So Ask your neighbors to give you permission to install solar panels on their…
Bheka Majola
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Peculiar step-down transformer behavior

I have wired several loaded transformers and when calculating power on H vs X side by multiplying current times voltage the wattage is not even close to equal with the H side having 2 to 3 times more of it than the X side. I'm having a hard time…
ZipStein
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Why did the metal railings to the stairs in the big ferries used to shock me?

When I was a kid, and even in adult age, I sometimes went on these large (well, to me, at least) cruise ships which had multiple (like ten) levels to roam around in. You either got there with the elevators or with the stairs. Whenever I picked the…
Venton Selland
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Can cars be charged by solar panels?

Cars lined with solar panels. Something about photomultipliers. Didn't do a deep dive but I like the idea. Imagine cars just parked in the sun, charging from the rays. Good way to cut energy costs. Maybe not a main power source just a backup. What…
RealityCheck2024
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