Translations:Electricity types/9/en

If so many appliances internally function on DC, why not just use direct current for every circuit then? Because each type of current has different characteristics that make it useful for certain applications. AC has important properties that make it useful in the electrical grid. It is cheaper to transmit AC over long distances as it is easier to change between high and low voltages. High voltages are ideal for long distance transmission as they require less current, which means you can use smaller wires. DC works well in off-grid applications as PV modules produce DC and batteries store energy in DC, meaning that using AC appliances requires the added expense and loss of efficiency that come with an inverter.