Has AC had its day?

TE · 2011-04-01T09:05:45+00:00

As most consumer electronic devices now use switch-mode power supplies, and many AC electric motors can be replaced by DC motors, is it time to consider replacing AC domestic power by DC?The main advantage would not be electrical, but one of safety. There can't be many who would argue that 230v DC is far less liable to cause injury and death than 230v 50/60Hz AC.Distribution to the residence would still be AC, but then it would be rectified to DC. Power rectifiers aren't that expensive now, so the additional cost wouldn't be that high. There would probably no need for smoothing at that stage (but if that was necessary, it would not be cheap - smoothing caps which can deal with 50 or 100A ripple are expensive).What other advantages would there be? Well for a start, you wouldn't need diodes at the front of all SMPS. There would be less electrical noise if power could be controlled without switching (or pulse modulation).OK, I doubt that changing the domestic supply from AC to DC is even vaguely likely for residences which already exist, but what about future builds?Any comments?