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Travel lighter with Apple's power adapter
That's a common misconception... there IS polarity in AC since one wire runs to the power companies generator and the other wire runs to the ground. Sure a power adaptor will convert the AC to DC and there shouldn't be a problem, but some are badly designed and really can fry it plugged in the wrong way.
Here's an example...
Zapped Laptop
Travel lighter with Apple's power adapter
>That's a common misconception... there IS polarity in AC since one wire runs >tothe power companies generator and the other wire runs to the ground. Sure >a power adaptor will convert the AC to DC and there shouldn't be a problem, >but some are badly designed and really can fry it plugged in the wrong way. >Here's an example... Zapped Laptop
Travel lighter with Apple's power adapter
Plug direction won't make a difference - if you look at the European two prong plugs they can be plugged in either way - you'd be hard pressed to make sure it went in one way or the other.
Travel lighter with Apple's power adapter
Do you mean earth or neutral? If you mean earth, then that is incorrect. The blue/black/neutral wire does not lead to earth. The neutral wire leads back to the alternator in the power station, which produces AC right from the start. it doesn't matter what way you plug the thing in, as like I said, the polarity reverses every 50th or 60th of a second anyway. They use AC because AC is needed to make transformers work properly. They need a reverse in their magnetic field in one side of the transformer to induce a current in the other. The reverse in current reverses the magnetic field.
Travel lighter with Apple's power adapter
On North American AC wiring, the neutral wire leads to the centre-tap on the step-down transformer that provides 240V (nominal) house current. From the centre-tap to either hot wire gives you 120V, 'cause it's right in the centre. (The centre-tap is also grounded, but only at the transformer. Current flowing on the neutral return wire will produce a voltage compared to ground in your house wiring. The exact voltage depends on the current and wire gauge.) |
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