What's the difference between direct current and alternating current?
What's direct current?
Energy consists of electrons that move in a certain direction. As the name Direct Current (DC) suggests, this direction is always the same. This means that the electrons movie from the positive to negative terminal in a straight line. A battery or charging station also delivers direct current.
What's alternating current?
With alternating current (AC), the direction of the electrons continuously switches. The electrons move from the negative terminal to the positive terminal and back again. While direct current is a straight line, alternating current is more wavy. Most of your household appliances use this type of energy, like your TV, cooktop, or washing machine. Your socket also supplies alternating current.
From direct current to usable energy
Your solar panels generate direct current. How can you later use this energy for your washing machine, for example? This is where an inverter comes into play. The inverter converts generated direct current into alternating current. The alternating current is sent to your fuse box, which then distributes the energy to your devices and appliances.
