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posted by martyb on Tuesday March 06 2018, @10:12PM   Printer-friendly
from the you're-not-just-bored:-the-wall-clock-IS-slow dept.

Electric clocks on continental Europe that are steered by the frequency of the power system are running slow by up to 5 minutes since mid-January according to a news release from the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity ('entsoe'). The transmission system operators (TSOs) will set up a compensation program to correct the time in the future. ​

Many electric clocks rely on the transmission system frequency to provide a source that minimises long-term drift. Quartz crystals have good short term stability, but dreadful long term stability, so plant and machinery that requires power to be turned on or off at a specific time each day without maintenance over a long period historically used clocks slaved to the power-system frequency, which is kept long-term stable by the system operators to prevent problems in power generation and transmission across national and supra-national grids - for example, attempting to switch supplies to generators that are not synchronised to the grid frequency can severely damage the generator.

It is normal for transmission system operators to allow the frequency to drop slightly at periods of high demand, thus slowing clocks, but usually, the frequency is increased during periods of low demand to ensure the long-term average frequency remains stable.


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  • (Score: 2) by edIII on Wednesday March 07 2018, @02:35AM (4 children)

    by edIII (791) on Wednesday March 07 2018, @02:35AM (#648836)

    All I can say with authority, is that you cannot let go of DC. I desperately tried. Boy did I try.

    --
    Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
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  • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday March 07 2018, @02:47AM

    by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday March 07 2018, @02:47AM (#648842) Journal

    Sorry, I missed blockquoting what I don't think is true. What my reply comment was addressing is the:

    whereas AC allows you to get away from the wire again.

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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
  • (Score: 5, Informative) by martyb on Wednesday March 07 2018, @03:51AM (2 children)

    by martyb (76) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday March 07 2018, @03:51AM (#648856) Journal
    When I was a wee child, had a relative who worked at a power company. Will never forget his recommendation that if you want to test if a wire is "live", *tap* it with the BACK side of your fingers. If it is, indeed, "live" it will cause your fingers to close AWAY from the wire. If you tap it with your fingertips, the current will make you grab the wire and you will be unable to let go.
    --
    Wit is intellect, dancing.
    • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday March 07 2018, @07:26AM (1 child)

      by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday March 07 2018, @07:26AM (#648917) Journal

      Learnt this in highschool.
      It'll still be a painful experience and a potentially (or does 'voltageusly' fits better in the context?) dangerous one.

      --
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
      • (Score: 2) by martyb on Wednesday March 07 2018, @01:49PM

        by martyb (76) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday March 07 2018, @01:49PM (#648981) Journal

        Learnt this in highschool.

        It'll still be a painful experience and a potentially (or does 'voltageusly' fits better in the context?) dangerous one.

        Agreed. Tapping a live wire with the back of your hand is probably still a bad idea if your hands are wet and you are standing in water.

        --
        Wit is intellect, dancing.