Comments by "" (@BasementEngineer) on "Vox" channel.

  1. She doesn't get into the details at all. Converting AC to DC (or the other way around) can be done very efficiently, and the converter won't get hot because very little power is lost in the conversion. Thing is, consumer electronics are specifically designed to be as inexpensive as possible, but still do the job. So, the power converter is built with lower-than-possible efficiency, because it keeps the cost of the device to an absolute minimum, but the converter wastes energy by dissipating it in the form of heat. Computers, phones, radio & TV sets, etc.--all of these electronic devices only run on DC power, and if they use batteries for portable power, the battery also only works with DC, so a converter is a must--but it must be built in line with the cost of the device. Nobody wants to spend $250 for a charger for a $400 laptop! AC power is used by the main grid because it's easier to produce at the power station and easier to efficiently convert to different voltages for distribution without having to use converters with expensive electronics or moving, mechanical parts that require maintenance, and that's why every building is supplied with AC power--if you want DC to power an electronic device, the power is converted to DC electronically, usually by the device itself or its own charger.
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