Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (June 2007, week 3)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Wed, 20 Jun 2007 10:11:32 -0400
Reply-To:     Sam Conant <samcvt@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Sam Conant <samcvt@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Grounds (was Quality Inverters)
Comments: To: David Kao <dtkao0205@YAHOO.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=original

Well, I guess Dave, that you could attach a grounding strap beneath the chassis which would drag along the road surface, as some commercial trucks have done. But, you're correct that the Westy makes a decent "faked" ground nonetheless. SamC (N1PDL) ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Kao" <dtkao0205@YAHOO.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 2:31 AM Subject: Re: Grounds (was Quality Inverters)

> To me ground means ground (the earth). When I hang a long wire (antenna) > for > my HF transceiver the ground has to be physically connected to ground. If > not > I won't receive signal from far away or my signal won't reach too far. But > you sure can fake it. For example when I set up a CB antenna on my westy > The > Westy chassis is no problem as a good ground for the antenna. > > Maybe this is just a different ground that has nothing to do with the > ground > you guys are talking about. Never mind. I don't want to steal the thread. > > David > > > --- Jack <john.cook58@VERIZON.NET> wrote: > >> Not directly related to inverters but perhaps of some interest. >> >> A pet peeve of mine regards the word, "Ground". As used in electricity >> and >> electronics, the word is an unfortunate historical artifact which, in my >> humble >> opinion, should be removed from use, since it's too often misunderstood. >> It >> implies some magic iso-potential conductor connected to earth which >> rarely >> exists outside of a text book. Given common conditions such as high >> fault >> currents, fast rise/fall surges (e.g., sparks), that "ground" is anything >> but >> iso-potential. This misunderstanding can lead to serious problems, even >> from >> designers who should know better. (This isn't even beginning to deal >> with high >> speed digital circuitry, analog instrumentation, A/D, D/A and RF >> systems.) >> >> Much better to use the words, frame, shell, chassis, shield, common, 3rd >> wire, >> green wire, etc. Those more descriptive terms provide better >> understandings of >> what the conductor is and (sometimes) what its purpose is. In large >> system >> schematics, we might see the identifiers, frame-1, frame-2, frame-3, >> shield-1, >> etc., even though the connections may be tied together somewhere. >> >> Sorry to rant. And sorry if the above makes little sense to you. You >> have to >> have been there. >> >> //Jack >> > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > Got a little couch potato? > Check out fun summer activities for kids. > http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=oni_on_mail&p=summer+activities+for+kids&cs=bz


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.