Grid Standard Proposal 2

Specification

Type	Alternating Current
Voltage	250 Volts
Frequency	400 Hz

Reasoning

Higher frequencies are desirable because transformers used for converting voltage can be both smaller and more efficient.

There are limiting factors, however. Electricity, when rectified, can cause a hum. 1 kHz would be like having the microwave beeping continuously. Higher frequencies can radiate like a radio transmitter. 400 Hz is a frequency that has in the past been used by trains and buses for running florescent lights.

At higher frequencies electricity tends to travel more towards the outside of the wire Skin Effect reducing efficiency and also establishes larger electric and magnetic fields causing the wire to behave as a radio antenna increasing interference to other users.

[Skin Effect] [Electric Field] [Magnetic Field]

Pros

Clean-Sheet Design

This design is not tied to 19th century technological or political considerations.

Cons

Incompatible with Terrestrial Systems

Terrestrial products will require adaptation to work on a power grid using this specification.

Changes

There have been no changes to this specification