Ignorance of some fundamental physical laws leads to the emergence of a large number of prejudices and myths, which can, unfortunately, be harmful. Electrical engineering is a very serious science and requires a painstaking investigation, so it is better to dispel some of the generally accepted myths right away.
Myth # 1: Generators create electricity
Nothing in nature can "create" electricity, and such well-known machines as generators only create a potential difference that makes electrons move in a certain direction.
Scientifically speaking, generators are converters of mechanical energy into electric current. After all, any kind of energy cannot arise out of nowhere and disappear anywhere without a trace.
Myth number 2: The larger the cross-section of the conductors, the greater the strength of the electric current
A larger wire size affects the following characteristics:
- Allows you to increase the load.
- Promotes less heat.
By increasing the cross-section of the wire, you cannot change the current strength, it will remain the same, but the speed of passage of electrons and their number over a certain area will decrease. If the cross section is smaller, then more electrons will cause unwanted heating and the conductor can burn out.
Myth # 3: Low voltage is not life threatening
Any voltage is life-threatening, unless it is of course a static charge from a woolen sweater, which also does not feel very pleasant.
It is not the potential difference itself that is dangerous, but the current strength, which arises in the line only when a load appears. With high amperage, voltages of 12, 24 and 36 volts can be fatal.
Myth # 4: Battery is charge storage
A simple pen-cell battery is not a storage of charged particles, it is an autonomous source of low voltage direct current, no more. The electrolyte inside the battery is responsible for the voltage at the poles of the battery, and only the electrolyte becomes unusable - the entire cell must be replaced.
Myth # 5: Rubber is the best insulator
This myth is not only untrue, it is also dangerous, since there have already been cases when people climbed into junction boxes and switchboards, wearing thin surgical gloves.
A rubber glove is indeed able to protect against the effects of electric current and in some cases it is possible to work in it with live elements of the network. But only if this special dielectric product made of high-quality rubber and the glove has passed all the checks, and nothing else.
Myth # 6: Water is a conductor of electric current
Distilled water is the best... insulator. And it does not conduct an electric current, which is why it is added to batteries, but only completely cleaned, without any dirt or impurities.
The best liquid conductor is a highly concentrated salt solution, but this quality is difficult to achieve. Plain water from a well can also conduct electricity, but much worse.