AC/DC

Do you know what you're doing?

"Frederic Dazet" wrote in news:Wu6tb.4814$ snipped-for-privacy@news20.bellglobal.com:

Beside of the name of a rock-group, AC/DC is used to name a device, witch converts from AC(alternative current) to DC(direct current). Mostly used as (part off) powersupply in electronic equipment.

Could also mean an item that can operate on either AC or DC. Kind of like certain motors or the old "AC/DC" hot-chassis tube radios that operated directly off rectified line voltage, they'd work on DC (but you might have to reverse the plug in the socket to get it to work)

When did they finally get rid of DC at the wall outlet, anyway?

my question was misunderstood I DO know what i'm doing (i'm a computer engineer) but my first language is French. I was wondering if using the expression "AC current" (= "alternative current" current... ) to characterize alternative current is OK or not, considering that it is redundant. The expression "AC current" is a popular expression (i hear/read it all the time), but i'm trying to gather whether or not it is correct, for a patent application must be properly written. this is not a technical question, but rather a vocabulary one.

fred.

When I am writing a technical paper, I typically try to define my terms early and use the abbreviation throughout. For instance, the first time I use the term alternating current (AC), I define it and use AC from there on.

Sincerely,

Donald L. Phillips, Jr., P.E. Worthington Engineering, Inc.

145 Greenglade Avenue Worthington, OH 43085-2264

snipped-for-privacy@worthingtonNSengineering.com (remove NS to use the address)

614.937.0463 voice 208.975.1011 fax

The term "ac current" and dc current" is essentially redundant. All you need to do (apart from making the meaning of the abbreviation clear the first time you use it) is to refer to "ac" or "dc" but definitely not "ac current". The only people that use that sort of sloppy wording tend to be homeowners without much idea what the terms mean.

Hope that clarifies things for you.

Fred

However, i know the expression "AC/DC current" is widely used, but is it really correct?

I would avoid the term "AC/DC". It could have too many meanings. Such as AC or DC, either one as it does not make a difference, uses both or either. And then when the term is found on a nameplate or in literature it can degenerate to slang in a hurry. I have written only one patent application but had the benefit of a 3 hour long distance chat with an examiner. He was very careful to insure that I used only exact wordings with but one meaning. Anything else will mess up things. I used a book to learn to write the application which made it through the first time. Thank you. I have forgotten the author but he hangs out in the SF bay area. Taught me a lot. I showed the succesful applcation to an English professor who said it was out of his realm of knowledge. So muchy for a PHD in english. Bob AZ

Fo>

For what it's worth, it's alternating current. In formal disclosures, you'd be better off using the words, not the abbreviations.

The term "AC Current", although it may occasionally be heard in the English speaking world is slang, stritcly speaking, since the C in "AC" already stands for current and makes the expression redundant. One exception might be to use the term AC current when you are describing a DC circuit with a varying AC component (like a telephone line) in which case you might refer to the AC current as the component that carries the sound over a DC line (or the current passing through the ringer bell when a higher AC voltage is applied).

A more commonly used term is "AC Power", since the AC describes the type of power. Thus the terms "AC" or "DC" are just adjectives. Alternatively, when the voltage is known, giving the voltage followed by AC as in ( 240 VAC) is universally understood and correct.

Beachcomber

Another exception might be when referring to a time varying voltage, as you just did :)

Ben Miller