Re: Single vs Two Phase (was - Spark gap erosion resistance)

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Peter Lawrence by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Peter.Lawrence-at-Sun-dot-com>

Terry,
      the reason for the controversy is that the meaning of the word
"phase" has very specific definition in signal processing and Fourier
analysis in which the term phase directly relates to the signal/voltage/
current/etc of whatever is being studied, which is different from the assigned
meaning of the word as used by builders of alternators and distributors of
electrical energy in which case the term phase is only indirectly related
to the signal/voltage/current/etc being studied because the term applies
to the generating apparatus rather than the signal.

The former definition is better for designing AC electrical circuits, the
latter is better for talking to PG&E. Each has its use, but they are different,
and will probably continue to create confusion/disagreement on this list
for ever. We Tesla Coilers need to understand both meanings of the term
phase, for example the difference between AC Watts and Volt*Amps (power
factor) comes from understanding the signal processing/Fourier analysis/
Electrical Engineering meaning of the term "phase".

Peter Lawrence, I-promise-not-to-fall-into-this-topic-again-vale, CA.

>
>Original poster: "Terry Fritz" <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>
>
>Hi Michael,
>
>The reason for the "controversy" is that the true electrical engineering
>definition says that the number of phases is related to the armature
>construction of an alternator.  One winding gives single phase AC.  It
>"does not matter if you take the center as ground", it is still single
phase.