Electricity is not we think?

[Electroenthusiast]

Many years ago at school, the professor who dealt with explaining how a semiconductor doping works said me a thing. It was that no one knows how things work, the ones which are being explained are just theoretical, and the practicality is not better known.

Today, i was using a LED table lamp powered by a USB cable. I thought of running the cable to the other side of the cable, but the cable with which it came was not long enough. I used a cheap USB extension cable for that length and it seems to be working little creepily.

The LED lamp works for few seconds and then switches it self off after couple of seconds, this happens everytime i switch the lamp. But, it works perfectly fine when the extension cable is removed, and when only connected to the PS with the cable it came with. Whats wrong with the USB extension cable? Why is it working like this when it is just conductive wire inside?

 

[Electroenthusiast]

ClydeCrashKop

This should be in the 'Funny Images Thread'. I couldn't control my laughs once i started reading the webpage.

 

[ClydeCrashKop]

This is what I was looking for. I don’t think it is on that page.

ELECTRICAL THEORY OF SMOKE...​

BY JOSEPH LUCAS, The prince of Darkness​

Positive ground depends upon proper circuit functioning, the transmission of negative ions by retention of the visible spectral manifestation known as "smoke". Smoke is the thing that makes electrical circuits work; we know this to be true because every time one lets the smoke out of the electrical system, it stops working. This can be verified repeatedly through empirical testing.

When, for example, the smoke escapes from an electrical component (i.e., say, a Lucas voltage regulator), it will be observed that the component stops working. The function of the wire harness is to carry the smoke from one device to another; when the wire harness "springs a leak", and lets all the smoke out of the system, nothing works afterwards. Starter motors were frowned upon in British Automobiles for some time, largely because they consume large quantities of smoke, requiring very large wires.

It has been noted that Lucas components are possibly more prone to electrical leakage than Bosch or generic Japanese electrics. Experts point out that this is because Lucas is British and all things British leak. British engines leak oil, shock absorbers, hydraulic forks and disk brakes leak fluid, British tires leak air and the British defense establishment leaks secrets...so, naturally, British electronics leak smoke.

Author Unknown

 

[Electroenthusiast]

I was looking at my night light switch off at times automatically. I need to switch it OFF and ON again for it to light again.

I don't understand why this is happening. Previously used a wireless bulb, which i thought had connectivity issue. But, now the issue is acting on a normal LED bulb too.

 

[Externet]

Do this : connect your lamp to both the good, and the bad USB extension cable the way it misbehaves. Massage inch by inch the 'extension' cable to see if at a point, light flakyness gets worse or better. Borrow another cheap 'extension' and retry. Come back with findings. I suspect your 'extension' is kaput.

 

[Lightium]

The port/plug connection can loosen as well.

 

[MrAl]

Hi,

We know how electricity works right down to the quantum level. We just don't really know what it *is*.

We also know how USB extension cords work. Just buy a better cable. The good ones usually specify what wire diameter they are using. Get one with at least #22AWG wire.

 

[Electroenthusiast]

The weird thing i was talking about in the previous post was about a LED bulb connected to the mains voltage. Not the same which i was pointing out in the Original Post.

Sorry for the late reply. Don't know why i didn't check ETO in a while.

 

[MrAl]

The weird thing i was talking about in the previous post was about a LED bulb connected to the mains voltage. Not the same which i was pointing out in the Original Post.

Sorry for the late reply. Don't know why i didn't check ETO in a while.

Hi,

If you find there is a problem with a USB extension cord, the best way to find out for sure is to buy a new cord that can handle the power needed. That's the best way because it's hard to judge cords unless you buy some test equipment.

Oh wait a minute, I just realized that your problem could be with a wall wart. In an effort to curb unnecessary power usage, even small amounts like 5 watts, some of the newer wall warts shut down completely and do not put any power out at all when it is not needed. It takes some communication to get it back, or sometimes unplugging it and plugging it back in again. That means if you have a load that draws say 100ma to 3 amps or so and it suddenly turns off by itself, it may not be able to turn back on again because the wall wart thinks there is no load at all (because the lamp is off).
Unplugging it and plugging it back in again may get it started again. You can try that, and if that is the case you might get a new wall wart but make sure it has enough power to power your intended load.

 

[Pommie]

I've always wondered if at some time in the future we'll discover "super electricity" that has protons moving through the cable instead of puny electrons. I recently watched a documentary about the discovery of electricity. Did you know it was a proven fact that electricity could only move horizontally - not vertically. Shows how little we actually know.

Mike.

 

[ZipZapOuch]

I've always wondered if at some time in the future we'll discover "super electricity" that has protons moving through the cable instead of puny electrons.

Why would mass of the charge carrier matter? The goal is to move a charge, why not move a nearly mass-less charge? Especially since the electrons travel in the cloud of nearly empty space between the atomic nuclei. I'd like to understand your perception of why moving mass with the charge would (could) be better in any way.

I recently watched a documentary about the discovery of electricity. Did you know it was a proven fact that electricity could only move horizontally - not vertically. Shows how little we actually know.

Mike.

I think there was a failure to accurately communicate the frame of reference to you in that documentary. That is, what appeared on your computer monitor as horizontal and vertical in a closeup of electrons moving in a wire (I presume movement was induced my the force of an applied voltage) were not intended to be a universally true claim.

If true, how would electricity know the difference between horizontal and vertical in outer space (especially on the Viking space probe outside of our solar systems)?

Or, the "documentary" was pure fiction. Please post a link to the documentary if you find it.

 

[MrAl]

I've always wondered if at some time in the future we'll discover "super electricity" that has protons moving through the cable instead of puny electrons. I recently watched a documentary about the discovery of electricity. Did you know it was a proven fact that electricity could only move horizontally - not vertically. Shows how little we actually know.

Mike.

Hi,

What on earth do you mean by "electricity could only move horizontally - not vertically" ?

You'll have to define what you mean by "electricity" because usually it is taken to be the movement of electrons and in a a wire they move along the wire no matter how it is orientated. They can actually move from side to side in the wire also (across the cross section toward the surface of the wire), which is part of why we see the skin effect phenomenon. In fact, depending on the orientation of the electric field, they may move side to side at first then start to move along with the wire, which is the most typical. The side to side movement only lasts for a brief period before they start to follow the wire itself. If you rotate the length of wire they will continue to follow the wire, so that means that they can be moving up, down, left, right, forward or backward. In the presence of a magnetic field the direction will also be affected.

 

[Pommie]

The (TV) documentary was about the scientific discoveries of a certain time period (around 1700s I think) The horizontal/vertical discovery was due to them only knowing about static at the time and the way they hung conductors. If you hung a conductor horizontally (by silk threads) then they remained conductors but once you hung them vertically they no longer conducted (presumably due to non silk suspension - can't remember so summizing). This led to it being a (proven) fact that electricity couldn't move vertically. Miasma also springs to mind as a false certainty along with many others.

I found it fascinating how many false assumptions were made at that time and it makes me wonder if we are still making wrong assumptions. We seem to discover many falsities that were once thought to be unquestionable.

BTW, I defined my new electricity as "super electricity". I also can't find the program I watched as I'd also like to re-watch it.

Mike.
Edit, good point ZZO about charge -v- mass.
Edit2, this also makes me wonder about "cold fusion" - doesn't fit any theories so must be wrong.

 

[MrAl]

"Cold Fusion" sounds like a band that does rock/jazz fusion music

 

[Pommie]

"Cold Fusion" sounds like a band that does rock/jazz fusion music

And there in lays the problem.

Mike.

 

[Pommie]

I often wonder if "Cold Fusion" is another one of those things where lack of knowledge dismisses it same as the (proven) fact that electricity can only flow horizontally.

Really wish I could find the program again.

Mike.

 

[Pommie]

I found the program. It's by TTC (The Teaching College) and is called TTC- History of science 1700 to 1900. The video version is best but they explain how difficult it was at that time.

Imagine, one day you rub a piece of amber with a (silk) cloth and it attracts feathers and can even produce small sparks. However, the next day nothing. Would it occur to anyone that it's humidity related? Did they even know what humidity was?

Mike.
Edit I was wrong, it was horizontal it wouldn't travel.

 

[MrAl]

I found the program. It's by TTC (The Teaching College) and is called TTC- History of science 1700 to 1900. The video version is best but they explain how difficult it was at that time.

Imagine, one day you rub a piece of amber with a (silk) cloth and it attracts feathers and can even produce small sparks. However, the next day nothing. Would it occur to anyone that it's humidity related? Did they even know what humidity was?

Mike.
Edit I was wrong, it was horizontal it wouldn't travel.

I am still not clear on what you mean by horizontal, either flows or does not flow, what is this in reference to exactly. Does it involve the flow of current in a wire or something else perhaps.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I found the program. It's by TTC (The Teaching College) and is called TTC- History of science 1700 to 1900. The video version is best but they explain how difficult it was at that time.

Imagine, one day you rub a piece of amber with a (silk) cloth and it attracts feathers and can even produce small sparks. However, the next day nothing. Would it occur to anyone that it's humidity related? Did they even know what humidity was?

Mike.
Edit I was wrong, it was horizontal it wouldn't travel.

Obviously, if it's not sloping the electrons can't run down the gradient

Presumably they were working on the water pipe equivalent theory?.

 

[Pommie]

The program was describing their confusion due to how they perceived things. It turns out that people that have not seen it can't comprehend it either. Try watching rather than criticising.

Mike.
Edit, did you not understand my explanation?

 

[Pommie]

I am still not clear on what you mean by horizontal, either flows or does not flow, what is this in reference to exactly. Does it involve the flow of current in a wire or something else perhaps.

Did you read my explanation in #32 or just ignore it?

Mike.
P.S. kinda getting pissed at people that don't read my posts.