At 03:03 AM 1/30/98 -0000, you wrote:
>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.

As I recall seeing one time, Edison was on the side of DC and Tesla a
supporter of AC.  I believe when a electric chair electrocution using DC
went wrong, people quickly embraced AC, to Edison's dismay.

Rob