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by R0b0t1 1532 days ago
You break skin at about 50VDC. We could keep ~120V for distribution. There are problems tuning control loops of buck converters dropping more than about 30V (though you can just have multiple buck converters in a row).

Correcting the power factor from 120VAC gives you a boost circuit that gives you 360-400VDC. Some motor control and battery technology standardizes around this voltage. Cars are a big one, but also PFC direct to inverter motor control, which is becoming popular in white goods.
1 comments
picture 1532 days ago
> You break skin at about 50VDC.

What does breaking skin mean in this context? My understanding was that humans largely act like a resistor with some parasitic capacitance and inductance. Wouldn't more voltage equal more current in a mostly linear relation?

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R0b0t1 1531 days ago
You'll feel it shock you. It overcomes the surface resistance of not particularly moist skin and makes your nerves tingle or your muscles twitch.
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