Wayne Foletta <wayne@ELECTROTEK.COM> wrote:
> You are right - the first power generators were DC. One of the reasons
> for Edison switching to AC, as I remember reading, was a marketing ploy!
> It seems there were some early fatal accidents with high voltage DC
> power and with lower voltage AC, it was suppose to be totally safe.
> Edison did some public demonstrations that showed the safety of AC with
> a goat or some other animal. Don't recall the reason for 60Hz choice.
> I'll find that history book tonight and let you know.

I think you've got that backwards.  Edison vehemently opposed the use of AC,
and gave repeated public demonstrations of the dangers of AC by electrocuting
animals with it.  I somehow doubt that safety was his real motivation; it
sounds more like NIH Syndrome.

Cheers,
Eric