human
This is your pilot model?
gpt
One of them, yes. Want to watch it go through its paces?
human
Very much.
gpt
O.K. First, though, just how good is your technical education? I mean, how basic do I have to get?
human
Let's say that if you keep it on the level of college freshman physics I'll get the general drift. All right?
gpt
Sure. I don't intend to get any more technical than that, anyway. I'm going to tell you _what_ the Converter does--not _how_.
human
Fair enough--for the moment. Go ahead.
gpt
Right. Sam flipped a switch on the top of the box.
human
Takes a minute or so to warm up,
gpt
had passed, Bending, who had been watching the meters on the top of the machine, said:
human
See this? He pointed at a dial face.
gpt
That's the voltage. It's controlled by this vernier knob here. He turned the knob, and the needle on the voltmeter moved obligingly upwards.
human
Anything from ten to a thousand volts, he said.
gpt
Easily adjusted to suit your taste.
human
I don't think I'd like the taste of a thousand volts, Olcott said solemnly.
gpt
Might affect the tongue adversely.
human
Is that AC or DC?
gpt
DC, said Bending.
human
But it can easily be converted to AC. Depends on what you want to use it for.
gpt
How much power does that thing deliver?
human
Five hundred horsepower.
gpt
Five hundred _what_?
human
I will not make the obvious pun, said Bending.
gpt
I said 'five hundred horsepower'--unquote. About three hundred and seventy-five kilowatts, maximum.