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DC actually tends to be more efficient at long distances at the same voltage. DC lighting does exist in the commercial space where lighting costs actually start

DC actually tends to be more efficient at long distances at the same voltage. DC lighting does exist in the commercial space where lighting costs actually start to add up more than household use. The main barrier to DC systems in homes is simply that it would require houses to be rewired and a whole new standard for plugs and such. The benefit is also hard to describe to the customer.

Waterluvian 4y ago
The limitations you describe make sense. But they seem like we can overcome them. My home has 3 non-plumbing busses: AC to every room. Twisted pair to like 6 rooms that will never see use. Coax to 7 rooms that is only used for a modem in one room. If we can run all that wiring, I think we can introduce a new standard for upcoming homes. In fact, now that I think of it, my home has a trait that the homes I grew up in never had: the overhead lighting and the wall receptacles are never on the same circuits. ... I wonder if I can re-use the 14-2 Romex for DC and retrofit one or two rooms myself and see how it works? (I recognize this is a bad idea for many reasons, such as them being indistinguishable and wrongly colour coded, making it a dangerous trap for future owners).
- mindslight 4y ago
  It's definitely a path dependency issue. Last mile neighborhood distribution is still done with traditional transformers, so trying to push in this direction you'd ultimately just be adding another conversion step in homes. IMO the only time it makes (individual) sense is if your home has a huge bank of storage batteries for off-grid operation. The main advantage you'd get is no 120Hz flickering (light bulbs would still need power electronics because LEDs are driven by current rather than voltage), no 60Hz hum on motors, etc. But you'd be stepping away from the massive economies of scale of the consumer market. FWIW what voltage(s) would you pick, and why? There's no free lunch here.
- sbradford26 4y ago
  So POE lighting is something that is taking off for businesses but could also be more easily retrofitted into a house. This would put the conversion from AC to DC in a centralized area which allows for more efficient hardware to be used. Ubiquiti for a while had hardware you can order not sure if they still do.

Waterluvian 4y ago

The limitations you describe make sense. But they seem like we can overcome them. My home has 3 non-plumbing busses: AC to every room. Twisted pair to like 6 rooms that will never see use. Coax to 7 rooms that is only used for a modem in one room. If we can run all that wiring, I think we can introduce a new standard for upcoming homes. In fact, now that I think of it, my home has a trait that the homes I grew up in never had: the overhead lighting and the wall receptacles are never on the same circuits. ... I wonder if I can re-use the 14-2 Romex for DC and retrofit one or two rooms myself and see how it works? (I recognize this is a bad idea for many reasons, such as them being indistinguishable and wrongly colour coded, making it a dangerous trap for future owners).

mindslight 4y ago
It's definitely a path dependency issue. Last mile neighborhood distribution is still done with traditional transformers, so trying to push in this direction you'd ultimately just be adding another conversion step in homes. IMO the only time it makes (individual) sense is if your home has a huge bank of storage batteries for off-grid operation. The main advantage you'd get is no 120Hz flickering (light bulbs would still need power electronics because LEDs are driven by current rather than voltage), no 60Hz hum on motors, etc. But you'd be stepping away from the massive economies of scale of the consumer market. FWIW what voltage(s) would you pick, and why? There's no free lunch here.
sbradford26 4y ago
So POE lighting is something that is taking off for businesses but could also be more easily retrofitted into a house. This would put the conversion from AC to DC in a centralized area which allows for more efficient hardware to be used. Ubiquiti for a while had hardware you can order not sure if they still do.