[X001M2AY], Letter from Wilson Stout Howell to Edison Electric Illuminating Co (Williamsport), August 9th, 1889
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/X001M2AY
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- Title
- [X001M2AY], Letter from Wilson Stout Howell to Edison Electric Illuminating Co (Williamsport), August 9th, 1889
- Editor's Notes
- The figures which Mr. Hess sent me concerning your output have aided me in concluding that the most economic and practicable method of reaching the customers in the vicinity of the Junction in by the three-wire system as modified in the plant of the Philadelphia Co., by using an auxiliary 'bus, which can be run at a higher pressure when necessary, for by this method you can deliver, to the territory under consideration, current for 1,000 16. C.P. lamps at an average of 10% loss, on a copper wire about 5/8 inch diameter. I would advise, however, that instead of putting this wire up in one rod, that the proper size wire be divided into several strands and that one strand be installed at once and that the second strand be added as soon as the load on the first strand has increased so as to make the indicators of that feeder run low. So wire after wire could be added to the line till the full capacity of the feeder wall installed. In this manner four numbers nough Birmingham gauge, (# O.R.W.G.) wires would ulimately be installed on each outside conductor and would carry the current for 1,000 lamps at an average of about 10% loss. ## Your mains would be installed in the same manner and of the same loss as is usual 2% and three strands of # O.B.W.G., (one positive, one neutral and one negative,) could be first run as a feeder, and used as a feeder till it was found necessary to add the other strands till all four wires were in use, (four positive, one neutral and four negative wires.) ## This would enable you to operate the new territory without any change in your present system untill the load on the new feeder reached about 400 lamps burning at the same time, when it would be necessary to add either more copper or adopt the auxilliary higher - pressure 'bus and put a pair of extra dynamos on that 'bus as is done elsewhere. ## I will require time to secure sufficient load from dwelling house customers to tax the full capacity of the feeder as calculated above, and by that timesome other means of attaining your results may be reached or if the auxiliary 'bus method be still the preferable arrangement you will be partially equipped for it. I have sought considerable outside advice on this subject and looked up other systems that I might be better able to advise, and knowing that I would be called on to inspect an alternating station I purposely delayed this report till I could learn of that system. Since inspecting the alternating system above referred to I have visited Portland, Me., and Waterbury, Conn., in each of which stations they have an alternating system in use, only one dynamo of that system in each place. At Portland, Me., the manager of the station had no praise for the Westinghouse and said but little on the subject, while the Superintendent could hardly find words to express his disappointment and disgust with the whole outfit. ## A Waterbury, the alternating apparatus was of the T.H. pattern and commanded but little more respect. The dynamo at this station ran so hot that six feet distand I felt the heat on my face as if radiated from a stove. ## It is my humble opinion that your company does not want any such apparatus when your present system can so easily and at less cost fill every requirement. ## I regret that this report has been delayed so long, my excuse being that by waiting I could give you an opinion based more on facts than on opinion of others or sentiment. ## Trusting that all you desire is herein contained I submit it to your consideration.
- Author
- Howell, Wilson Stout
- Mentioned
- Edison Electric Light Co of Philadelphia
- Hess, Godfrey
- Westinghouse Electric Co
- Thomson-Houston Electric Co
- Date
- 1889-08-09
- Type
- Letter
- Folder ID
- X001M2-F
- Document ID
- X001M2AY
- Publisher
- Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University