Darwin Alert: Man dies hooking jumper cables to electric pole

Detroit News ^ | 2/5/02

[11th Earl of Mar]

DETROIT -- Police are investigating the death of a man who was electrocuted when he attempted to illegally attach car jumper cables to an electrical transformer on a utility pole to a generator inside a vacant house where he was staying, police said.

[ET(end tyranny)]

Westinghouse did screw Tesla, but he wasn't the first, not the last.

Here is a good site on Nikola Tesla: Forgotten American Scientist

Found that site a few year's back. One teacher's fight to keep the memory of Tesla alive!

[Howlin' Hooligan]

AC electric is more practical when being distributed over long distances. It has something to do with power dissipation, or heat. My college electricity class is a bit distant and foggy about this one, but I remember my teacher addressing this issue.

[dighton]

... immortalized in song . . .

[csvset]

Schumacher Instant Power™ Gives power when it's needed, where it's needed, instantly. DC power source starts up to 30 vehicles without recharging. Safe and easy operation.

Automobile jump starter with new internal auto charger that will maintain charge after battery is charged. Safe and easy operation. Jump start on/off switch and reverse hookup protection prevents battery damage.

Sounds like he should have used this.

[spunkets]

"AC electric is more practical when being distributed over long distances."Long distance transmission uses high voltage to cut the current for the same power sent. Power=Volts*Amps. Power loss in the wire is Amps²*wire resistance.

AC power is used for distribution, because the voltage can be changed with transformers. The power comes out of the plant at a very high voltage and is stepped down at distribution points and service entrances.

[SlickWillard]

The wires don't care if it's AC or DC.
boomop1

DC vs AC isn't the problem.
hopespringseternal

And, yeah, the wires don't really matter.
SpottedBeaver

Copper wire is copper wire.
Cobra64

Anyone who takes a device that is designed for a very high amperage, very low voltage, direct current environment, and attempts to use that device in a very low amperage, very high voltage, alternating current environment, is a fool.

You guys are welcome to try such a stunt at home; just promise me that before you do it, you'll take out a nice, fat life insurance policy for the Missus & the kids.

[CJinVA]

Maybe the battery for his generator set was dead, and he was trying to jump-start it from the power pole…….."Jumper Cables"?

[hopespringseternal]

Anyone who takes a device that is designed for a very high amperage, very low voltage, direct current environment, and attempts to use that device in a very low amperage, very high voltage, alternating current environment, is a fool.

That's what I said. Maybe you should try reading my post.

[RobRoy]

Hey, everybody's missing the point. This is just another sad commentary of the plight of the homeless. I believe all homeless men should be given a map pointing out all the uninhabited homes in the area along with their own safe ladder and cables that can handle the high voltage.

In fact, the owners of these buildings should be required to install approved jumper cable connections on the exterior of their buildings to better facilitate the ripping off, uh, I mean easy use of the powere needed to allow the homeless to live the lifestyle to which they have grown accustomed.

You people are so calloused it makes me sick. Where's your compasion for this poor homeless man. Have you no feelings or empathy?!?!

Oh, and < /sarcasm >

[Orangedog]

The wires don't care but the generator might. Since when do generators run on electricty? I was under the impression that generators made electricty.

[spunkets]

A real dummy load!

[Old Professer]

Tesla was the one pushing DC. He lost that battle and the electric companies went with AC, which was pushed by Edison.

Since I haven't read this whole thread, I'll assume that I am simply adding to the chorus of, "Wrong!"

Edison even went so far as to electrocute dogs in public using A.C. voltage to demonstrate its lethal character, you should read more .

[Jhoffa_]

The last I heard, the Mr. Tesla had convinced all the utilities to push alternating current.

I thought it was Westinghouse..

And, I don't think a cable knows the difference anyway. Provided it can handle the current.

[Orangedog]

Where's your compasion for this poor homeless man.

My compassion would probably end at the point where all of the appliances and the furnace in my house would shut down. That would also likely be about 5 seconds before his chard husk hit the ground.

Every now and then I make a wish that stupidity should be painful. Thanks to the folks at the Darwin awards, it can also be entertaining!

[cincinnati_Steve]

Putting aside the science behind all of this, somebody tell me where I can find jumper cables this long. Best I ever found were about 16 feet, which is not nearly long enough sometimes if I run down my battery bank in my Freightliner. This guy must've had a 100-ft. set. Wow. And he had a generator. And he had a ladder. Seems like he could've traded one or some for a couple of blankets.

[Old Professer]

chard husk hit the ground.

Corn has husks; chard has leaves; this poor soul was "charred."

[Orangedog]

I thought it was Westinghouse..

Actually Westinghouse bank-rolled some of Tesla's work in the deployment of AC. Tesla tried to sell it to Edison, but the old fart had too much invested in DC to listen to the new Serbian kid that he had hired.

[Orangedog]

this poor soul was "charred."

Sorry, I'm a product of the public schools.

Huked on fonicks wurked fer me!