directional cables?

Hey Al, here is the problem.

As you realize, In a DC circuit the energy flows very fast from source to load and the electrons drift very slowly around the circuit. In an AC circuit the energy also travels very fast from source to load while the electrons vibrate back and forth, they do not drift. Despite these facts Mr. Q insists that they are flowing along the wire in an AC circuit. I think the confusion may arise from the term alternating current and thinking that current, like a river, is something that must flow.

Reading back through my posts I admit I could have been clearer in my explanations. I have the sneaky suspicion that Mr Q understands this better than he explains it too, but insisting that electrons flow from the power plant to the house like water flows from the pump station to the house makes it hard to come to common ground (no pun intended.)

Thanks for your input.

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Herman

As you realize, In a DC circuit the energy flows very fast from source to load and the electrons drift very slowly around the circuit. In an AC circuit the energy also travels very fast from source to load while the electrons vibrate back and forth, they do not drift. Despite these facts Mr. Q insists that they are flowing along the wire in an AC circuit.

Your "facts" are wrong.

They do indeed drift. With no drift there is no current flow. You are arguing that in an AC circuit, there is no current. This is simply absurd and demonstrates that you're rather out of your depth here.

I think the confusion may arise from the term alternating current and thinking that current, like a river, is something that must flow.

Where there is current, there is flow. Whether the flow is in one direction, or alternately in both directions.

Reading back through my posts I admit I could have been clearer in my explanations.

You're quite clear when you claim that there is no drift of electrons under AC conditions. And you're just as clearly incorrect. No drift, no current. Simple as that.

I have the sneaky suspicion that Mr Q understands this better than he explains it too, but insisting that electrons flow from the power plant to the house like water flows from the pump station to the house makes it hard to come to common ground (no pun intended.)

I never insisted any such thing.

What I said was that power is ultimately delivered to your home as the consequence of electrons flowing in the wires of the distribution system.

That's not the same as saying that an electron at the power generator ends up in your computer monitor.

Simply_q, could you clarify what you mean when you say that electrons drift under ac conditions?

Are you saying that they drift back and forth over a very short distance within the cable, as I indicated in my post yesterday? Meaning that a specific electron near the source end of the cable will never emerge from the other end of the cable (assuming there is no dc offset present)?

Or are you saying that they drift, to cite an example, all the way from the "hot" connection of the source component's output jack, through the cable and the input circuit of the destination component, then through the other leg of the cable to the ground connection of the source component's output jack, and then all the way back over that same route, but in the other direction, to the "hot" connection of the source component's output jack?

Or something else?

I think that clarification may help to break the impasse that this thread seems to have reached.

Best regards,
-- Al

Almarg

Simply_q, could you clarify what you mean when you say that electrons drift under ac conditions?

Sure.

Are you saying that they drift back and forth over a very short distance within the cable, as I indicated in my post yesterday? Meaning that a specific electron near the source end of the cable will never emerge from the other end of the cable (assuming there is no dc offset present)?

Yes.

My point has been that whenever there is any current flow (in this particular context), there must be a net drift of electrons. It matters not that the drift may alternate direction over time. To say there is no drift is to say there is no current.

Or are you saying that they drift, to cite an example, all the way from the "hot" connection of the source component's output jack, through the cable and the input circuit of the destination component, then through the other leg of the cable to the ground connection of the source component's output jack, and then all the way back over that same route, but in the other direction, to the "hot" connection of the source component's output jack?

No.

Or something else?

Only if you want to open up a can of quantum mechanics. :)

Almarg, give up, you are debating an immovable object that refuses to listen to logic.

He is convinced in AC that there is a net flow of electrons from source to load. You know there is not, I know there is not, every reference you can find says there is not, yet he continues to insist there is. Like I said, give it up.

Mr, Q, has anybody come to your defense? No they have not. Why? You are wrong.....

think about it,,,,,,

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