An invention thats needed and would be worth billions

[Karlos]

@Kenny

Oddly, I always remember reading that the transformer was one of the more efficient devices in terms of energy loss (IIRC, a good transformer is supposedly >95% efficient). But as you point out, they do get warm and they do hum occasionally.

What sort of efficiency do solid state transformers (as shipped with mobile phones etc.) have, anyway?

Incidentally, the transistor never actually replaced the diode - they're used for different purposes. Unless you meant vacuum tubes, of course (of which there were diodes, triodes etc).

[Karlos]

KennyR wrote:

There's probably no such thing as the room-temperature superconductor because of quantum decoherence. Superconductors need cooling which needs more power...

I dunno. I can remember when liquid nitrogen temperature superconductors were mere science fiction, but that's been surpassed quite a way since then. I don't think RT superconductors would arrive any time soon, but I wouldn't rule them out all together.

[Karlos]

KennyR wrote:

I mean, if we wanted to save power right now with no practical considerations, we could make all our cables out of silver.

Well, you could simply isolate the most wasteful areas (eg your power transformer) and use a better conductor. I expect gold or silver, alloyed with something to strengthen it slightly would both be good for transformer coils, albeit a tad costly. Perhaps less expensive than RT superconductor if/when it arrives.

Of course technology ultimately filters down to the masses. Perhaps our great grandkids will simply laugh at the quaint notion of metal for electrical conductors.

[Karlos]

@T_Bone

That's what I meant when I mentioned earlier that as far as I recall, transformers are one of the more efficient electrical devices (seem to recall >95% from somewhere)...