Electrical descriptions and phrases ......

[imago]

... that are inaccurate or make you laugh.

One of the DNO guys came out with "air insulated" the other day, and it made me think how daft and inaccurate it was. Two bare overhead cables not touching air insulated my 4rse!

It set me thinking that some of the accepted descriptions aren't really that descriptive. Consumer unit for example doesn't provide much information on what it is or does. I'm not keen on main switch, as if it's the first in line surely it should be master switch?

and yes, I have had far too much time on my hands working alone in Wales. :thinking:

 

[imago]

All true if you refer to a controlled/constant dry state 'air' rather than atmospheric air which (especially in Wales) has varying levels of humidity not to mention running water. So if you go for gas separation within a sealed vessel then fine it can apply.

But air insulation to describe two exposed conductors dangling between poles is patently inaccurate nonsense.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Then what substance would you say provides the insulation between them?

An Americanism "raceway" WTFs that

But is 'trunking' really a more descriptive name for it?

 

[ian.settle1]

An Americanism "raceway" WTFs that

Something the ham shanks call a race track

 

[Darkwood]

All true if you refer to a controlled/constant dry state 'air' rather than atmospheric air which (especially in Wales) has varying levels of humidity not to mention running water. So if you go for gas separation within a sealed vessel then fine it can apply.

But air insulation to describe two exposed conductors dangling between poles is patently inaccurate nonsense.

With 100% humidity air still falls into the insulation bracket I merely used the dry air as a simple example to express it is an insulator now yes agree it varies with temp' and humidity but so does every other insulator and conductor hence correction factors exist... sorry to disagree here but just because its insulation value has variation between 2 known values does not make it inaccurate nonsense. If you only point of argument against this been an insulator is because it doesn't maintain a set value then you can say the same for conductance of a material ... we take it at either room temp or the rating of the insulator 70.c commonly but have to correct the value if needed ... the same is done with air when designing exposed overhead systems.

 

[Engineer54]

But air insulation to describe two exposed conductors dangling between poles is patently inaccurate nonsense.

As has been asked, ''what substance would you say provides the insulation between them?''
It's a totally relevant term, air has been used as a means of electrical insulation from the very earliest days of electrical transmission. Can't think of any other means of suitable insulation when transmitting say 400 KV and above, over long distances...

 

[GLENNSPARK]

`earth bonding` is another classic..

like:
eh?

 

[GLENNSPARK]

PAT testing `engineer` is another..

engineer my arse...

 

[davesparks]

All true if you refer to a controlled/constant dry state 'air' rather than atmospheric air which (especially in Wales) has varying levels of humidity not to mention running water. So if you go for gas separation within a sealed vessel then fine it can apply.

But air insulation to describe two exposed conductors dangling between poles is patently inaccurate nonsense.

what about the PVC insulation on your bit of T&E? that only insulates under specified conditions, increase the voltage and it will soon cease to insulate, whereas that damp air will still be insulating at that voltage!

 

[varilite]

Spur instead of FCU as it might well be connected as part of the ring

 

[Knobhead]

And one guaranteed to raise a smile “stress relief”.

I’ve not seen many mud covered cable jointers smiling though!

 

[Rockingit]

Not really a definition issue so much as a spelling one, but the one that gets on my t1ts is contactor/contractor!!

 

[Plonker 3]

PAT testing always gets me, it's just PAT not PAT testing which is Portable Appliance Testing testing.

 

[dazza1981]

JRC made his own one up........ Earth LEAF impedance

 

[Pete999]

Then what substance would you say provides the insulation between them?



But is 'trunking' really a more descriptive name for it?

I remember being shown around a switch room in one of our buildings in Washington DC and the conduit runs were really something, I mentioned this to this septic sparky, his reply was epic " conduit, that ain't goddam conduit that's m--er feaking raceway hence the refference

 

[varilite]

Like mot test, my car needs a ministry of transport test test