Difference Between Tesla and Edison

A “War of Currents” erupted in the late 1880s and the early 1890s over which electrical system would power the modern world – Nikola Tesla’s AC (alternating current) or Thomas Edition’s DC (direct current). You must have known Edison as the iconic inventor of the light bulb, but there’s so much more to the story of when and how did electricity come to the America. So, who was the better inventor?

Who is Nikola Tesla?

Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American engineer and physicist best known for designing the alternating current (AC) electric system. He developed AC generation and transmission technology. He was best known for his developments in the field of electromagnetism. Tesla’s patents and theoretical work laid the foundation of modern AC electric power systems, including the electrical power distribution system, fluorescent and neon lights, wireless communication, remote control, and robotics. Tesla was born in the village of Smiljan, in the Austrian Empire on July 10, 1856. He was widely respected as one of the greatest electrical engineers who worked in America. He was hired as an engineer at the Edison Machine Works in1884 and then left the company because of a pay dispute. He then started his own company. 

Who is Thomas Edison?

Thomas Alva Edison was the greatest inventor of his time and the creator of the incandescent light bulb. Edison was one of the most prolific inventors of all time who’s also best known for his invention of the phonograph. He was born on February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio. Edison held a record 1,093 patents across a wide variety of categories such as electric light and power, telephony and telegraphy, and sound recording. His very first patent was for an electric vote recorder, which was granted on June 1, 1869. He developed many devices that would influence life all around the world. He also created the world’s first industrial research laboratory in a place that’s still called Menlo Park.

Difference between Tesla and Edison

AC vs. DC

 – Nikola Tesla was best known for designing the alternating current (AC) electric system. He saw the weaknesses of Edison’s DC current which travels through a power line in one direction at a constant voltage. The problem was it could only go up to a mile before losing power. Tesla then came up with the idea of AC current, which changes direction periodically, causing the voltage to vary. The advantage of AC current is that it can travel hundreds of miles without losing power. Thomas Edison developed the direct current electrical system also known as DC, which was a low-voltage system and runs continually in one direction, like in a battery. 

Inventions 

– Tesla was an eccentric engineer and a genius inventor best known for his developments in the field of electromagnetism. His patents and theoretical work laid the foundation of modern AC electric power systems, including the electrical power distribution system, fluorescent and neon lights, wireless communication, remote control, and robotics. Edison was inventor of the incandescent light bulb and mastermind of the world’s first incandescent light network. His inventions included the phonograph, electrical vote recorder, carbon microphone, the motion picture camera, the first commercial fluoroscope, the first commercial electric light, and alkaline batteries.

Patents

 – Edison was the world’s most prolific inventor who acquired a record number of 1,093 U.S. patents (singly or jointly) in his lifetime across a wide variety of categories such as electric light and power, telephony and telegraphy, and sound recording. The list also included his foreign patents, successfully filed in other countries. Edison’s first patent was for an electric vote recorder. Tesla, on the other hand, was a less-popular Serbian-American engineer and inventor who acquired around 300 patents worldwide for his inventions. Tesla’s first patent was for an electric arc lamp.

Tesla vs. Edison: Comparison Chart

Summary

Thomas Edison was arguably one of the most admired inventors in history who was best known for developing the direct current electrical system known as DC. Later, Nikola Tesla rose to fame as a hero of the big idea and it was his patents and theoretical work that laid the foundation of modern AC electric power systems. Edison used direct current (DC) which was already widely used, but Tesla relied on alternating currents (AC), which basically solved the problem with DC systems. The two geniuses disagreed over how electricity should be delivered to the masses. While Edison enjoyed a more financially prosperous life, Tesla died poor. 

Why is Edison better than Tesla?

Edison led a more financially prosperous life as a genius inventor and businessman. He was the greatest inventor of his time and the creator of the incandescent light bulb. Edison held a record number of 1,093 U.S. patents (singly or jointly) across a wide variety of categories such as electric light and power, telephony and telegraphy, and sound recording.

Who won Tesla or Edison?

Edison advocated direct current, which was a more expensive and inefficient choice of electrical power system. Tesla one-upped Edison (Tesla’s former boss) as he pointed out a major flaw in Edison’s DC power systems. As it turns out, Tesla’s AC electric system proved to be a better one because it can travel hundreds of miles without losing power.

Why did Edison and Tesla hate each other?

Edison and Tesla had disagreements over whose electrical system would power the world – Tesla’s AC versus Edison’s DC.

What was Nikola Tesla IQ?

Tesla was a brilliant engineer and physicist who had an IQ in the range of 160 to 310. He was an eccentric genius who was not mentioned much in history.

Where is Tesla buried?

Nikola Tesla was buried at the Ferncliff Cemetery in Ardsley, New York on January 12, 1943.

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