Theory and Calculation of Alternating Current Phenomena by Charles Proteus Steinmetz, first published in 1900, is a rare manuscript, the original residing in one of the great libraries of the world. This book is a reproduction of that original, which has been scanned and cleaned by state-of-the-art publishing tools for better readability and enhanced appreciation. Restoration Editors' mission is to bring long out of print manuscripts back to life. Some smudges, annotations or unclear text may still exist, due to permanent damage to the original work. We believe the literary significance of the text justifies offering this reproduction, allowing a new generation to appreciate it.

When Charles Proteus Steinmetz (1865-1923) died suddenly at the height of his fame, his face was as familiar to Americans as that of Babe Ruth, Henry Ford, or Jack Dempsey. Newspapers quoted his views on religion, politics (he was a Socialist), science, and future technological wonders. All were intrigued by the Horatio Alger tale of the penniless, hunchbacked German immigrant who rose to fame as the Wizard of Science, chief engineer at General Electric, and symbol of the new breed of scientists who daily surpassed the feats of Thomas Alva Edison. This intellectual biography follows Steinmetz from his education in Germany to his rise as General Electric’s chief consulting engineer. Steinmetz obtained nearly 200 patents; he made his most important contributions in electrical energy loss (or hysteresis), the understanding and wider use of alternating current, and high-voltage power transmission. General Electric became Steinmetz’s home, his identity, and a platform from which he stepped onto the wider stage of world affairs. As leader of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, Socialist councilman in Schenectady, New York, and part-time professor at Union College, Steinmetz attempted to “engineer” society in the direction of a technocratic utopia by promoting welfare capitalism, Lenin’s electrification of the Soviet Union, and other schemes — all with limited success. In a life filled with contrasts, perhaps even Steinmetz himself, a prominent Socialist serving as chief engineer of a major corporation, was not always able to separate the myth from the man. Steinmetz: Engineer and Socialist was the subject of the 2014 PBS documentary film, “Divine Discontent.” “Well informed by recent studies of similar mythologizing, Kline explains both the rise and decline of Steinmetz’s popular reputation.” — Robert Friedel, Science “Kline’s explanations are lucid and he offers broader insights about science and technology that will interest all cultural historians.” — Mark Pittenger, Journal of American History “Steinmetz not only provides the first comprehensive, technically sophisticated analysis of Steinmetz’s engineering achievements, but also carefully examines his influential political and social writings, and judiciously dissects the making of the ‘Wizard of Schenectady’ legend.” — David Sicilia, Reviews in American History

For close to 30 years, “Basic Electrical Engineering” has been the go-to text for students of Electrical Engineering. Emphasis on concepts and clear mathematical derivations, simple language coupled with systematic development of the subject aided by illustrations makes this text a fundamental read on the subject. Divided into 17 chapters, the book covers all the major topics such as DC Circuits, Units of Work, Power and Energy, Magnetic Circuits, fundamentals of AC Circuits and Electrical Instruments and Electrical Measurements in a straightforward manner for students to understand.

Energy and power are fundamental concepts in electromagnetism and circuit theory, as well as in optics, signal processing, power engineering, electrical machines, and power electronics. However, in crossing the disciplinary borders, we encounter understanding difficulties due to (1) the many possible mathematical representations of the same physical objects, and (2) the many possible physical interpretations of the same mathematical entities. The monograph proposes a quantum and a relativistic approach to electromagnetic power theory that is based on recent advances in physics and mathematics. The book takes a fresh look at old debates related to the significance of the Poynting theorem and the interpretation of reactive power. Reformulated in the mathematical language of geometric algebra, the new expression of electromagnetic power reflects the laws of conservation of energy-momentum in fields and circuits. The monograph offers a mathematically consistent and a physically coherent interpretation of the power concept and of the mechanism of power transmission at the subatomic (mesoscopic) level. The monograph proves (paraphrasing Heaviside) that there is no finality in the development of a vibrant discipline: power theory.