- #1
John4890
- 1
- 0
My plan is to reduce electricity use supplied by the grid by having a waterwheel partially power a house. From my simple research I've learned that hooking an alternator up to the waterwheel would work. Since a house runs on 120V AC and an alternator produces (correct me if I'm wrong) 13.8 - 14.2V AC which is then rectified to 12V DC, what do I need to have to get 120V AC?
Is the power in an alternator rectified within the alternator itself or somewhere else in a car? What kind of current does an alternator by itself produce? I think AC, but I've heard both.
There are so many things that don't make sense to me. Transformer, rectifier, converter, inverter? Footpound, horsepower, watts, amps, volts?? Single phase, three phase? ELI5
What piece of equipment do I need to step up the 12 - 14V AC an alternator produces to 120V AC that a house uses or is it even possible?
I don't want to deal with batteries and converting to DC. That's more than I want to think about.
Is the power in an alternator rectified within the alternator itself or somewhere else in a car? What kind of current does an alternator by itself produce? I think AC, but I've heard both.
There are so many things that don't make sense to me. Transformer, rectifier, converter, inverter? Footpound, horsepower, watts, amps, volts?? Single phase, three phase? ELI5
What piece of equipment do I need to step up the 12 - 14V AC an alternator produces to 120V AC that a house uses or is it even possible?
I don't want to deal with batteries and converting to DC. That's more than I want to think about.