PENTAGRID and ELECTRIC MOTORS

This is a shameless piece of self publicity so I'll keep it short and to the point!

A long time ago I wrote a little book called "Electric Motors". It was meant to deal with the practical applications of a very wide range of motor types . It's run to ten reprints and sold over 30,000 copies so someone has found it useful !

I've recently updated it and added new sections covering both VFD operation and semiconductor commutated machines. It also covers motor operation on both European and North American type single and three phase power systems.

This second edition has reached the printing press and is now available from Amazon and all the usual outlets (ISBN 978 185486 133 7). The book carries my family name - Jim Cox although for some strange reason Amazon list it as the more formal V.J. Cox. If you find it useful there's also a companion book "Electric Motors in the Home Workshop".

Comments on these books would of course be welcome - even if they are of the variety "don't buy this book it's a piece of junk"!

Jim pentagrid

AKA Jim Cox AKA V J.Cox

Reply to
pentagrid
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Your ISBN is for the home workshop book, it appears.

I am confused. I am interested in finding a good book covering electric motors.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus26157

[Snip]

At least it is fairly on topic spam. I searched Amazon and came up with his link:

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or

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Amazon has your book listed as:

Product Details

  • Paperback: 133 pages * Publisher: Trans-Atlantic Publications (October 1996) * Language: English * ISBN-10: 1854861336 * ISBN-13: 978-1854861337 * Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches * Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces

Now that didn't seem like the one you mentioned so I searched some more and got this:

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or

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Product Details

  • Paperback: 134 pages * Publisher: Special Interest Model Books; 2Rev Ed edition (December 14,
2006) * ISBN-10: 1854862464 * ISBN-13: 978-1854862464 * Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches * Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) * Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,383,202 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) (Publishers and authors: Improve Your Sales)

You gave an incorrect ISBN number. If you are going to spam, do it right ;)

Wes

Reply to
Wes

On Fri, 22 Jun 2007 06:54:22 +0100, with neither quill nor qualm, snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com quickly quoth:

I think all but Nick the Dick will find it on topic, as all of us use electric motors in the shop.

They're not showing on Amazon yet. Only the 1996 version is listed.

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Eureka! I checked under "v j cox" and found the new version under a new ISBN 978-1854862464 with a new workshop practice number?!?
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When are you going to make a preview available on Amazon so we can compare it to the other interesting and pricy tome (

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for a mere $150) I found during my search?

-- Stoop and you'll be stepped on; stand tall and you'll be shot at. -- Carlos A. Urbizo

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Reply to
Robert Swinney

Pls. pardon the double post but I am eager to heartily endorse Jim's books. They were a welcome addition to my library.

Reply to
Robert Swinney

On Jun 21, 10:54 pm, snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote:

I have not seen the book, but did find the following information.

Book Description: Special Interest Model Books. New This practical workshop guide deals with the principles and characteristics of the wide range of motors likely to be used in small engineering workshops. The topics include: Speed control; Electric braking; Generators; Installation; and Safety. Since the publication of the first edition, the book has become a well-established reference source on how motors behave and their applications. Over the years, a lot has happened in the field of motor design. This 2nd edition contains updated information about recent developments in motor types and their control systems, including the installation of VFD (Variable Frequency Drive Units). It also covers the operating differences between North American and European power systems. From the Inside FlapWORKSHOP PRACTICE SERIES from Special Interest Model Books 1. Hardening, Tempering & Heat Treatment - Tubal Cain 2. Vertical Milling in the Home Workshop - Arnold Throp 3. Screwcutting in the Lathe - Martin Cleeve 4. Foundrywork for the Amateur - B.Terry Aspin 5. Milling Operations in the Lathe - Tubal Cain 6. Measuring & Marking Metals - Ivan Law 7. The Art of Welding - W.A.Vause 8. Sheet Metal Work - R.E.Wakeford 9. Soldering & Brazing - Tubal Cain 10. Saws & Sawing - Ian Bradley 11. Electroplating - J.Poyner 12. Drills, Taps & Dies - Tubal Cain 13. Workshop Drawing - Tubal Cain 14. Making Small Workshop Tools - Stan Bray 15. Workholding in the Lathe - Tubal Cain 16. Electric Motors - Jim Cox 17. Gears & Gear Cutting - Ivan Law 18. Basic Benchwork - Les Oldridge 19. Spring Design & Manufacture - Tubal Cain 20. Metalwork & Machining Hints & Tips - Ian Bradley 21. Adhesives & Sealants - David Lammas 22. Workshop Electrics - Alex Weiss 23. Workshop Construction - !Jim Forrest & Peter Jennings 24. Electric Motors in the Home Workshop - Jim Cox 25. The Backyard Foundry - B.Terry Aspin 26. Home Workshop Hints & Tips Edited by Vic Smeed 27. Spindles - Harprit Sandhu 28. Simple Workshop Devices - Tubal Cain 29. CAD for Model Engineers - D.A.G.Brown 30. Workshop Materials - Alex Weiss 31. Useful Workshop Tools - Stan Bray 32. Unimat III Lathe Accessories - Bob Loader 33. Making Clocks - Stan Bray 34. Lathework: A Complete Course - Harold Hall 35. Milling: A Complete Course - Harold Hall 36. Photo Etching - Brian King 37. Dividing - Harold Hall 16 Electric MotorsThis book deals with principles and characteristicsof teh wide range of motor types likely to be useful in small engineering workshop applications. It also covers matters such as speed control, electric braking, generators, installation and safety aspects - everything, in fact, of practical value jto the small workshop user.In the years since the publication of the first edition, the book has become a well established reference source for users to dip into when more information is needed on how motors behave both in standard usage and also in less common applications.In this time a lot has happened in the field of motor design. This second edition now contains updated information covering both these later developments in motor types and their control systems. A major section is devoted to the characteristics and installation of Variable Frequency Drive units (VFDs). It also covers the operating differences between North American and European power systems.The author, Jim Cox, was Chief Engineer of a well-known electronics company and spent his working life closely involved with electronic and electro-mechanical equipment. He has been a keen model engineer for many years and is well aware of both the needs of small engineering workshops and the capability of their owners. He is also known as a familiar contributor to Internet News Groups under his pentagrid signature. See all Reviews. Bookseller Inventory # CBS- F2-825607

Dan

Reply to
dcaster

I have Jim's other book and it's a good one so I just bought the second one. Another good book on motors is "Electric Motors and Control Techniques" Try this link:

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think you would enjoy this book. It does have enough math in it to help you figure out what a particular motor is going to behave like. ERS

Reply to
Eric R Snow

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I think you would enjoy this book. It does have enough math in it to

Eric, thanks, I bought Jim's book.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus20511

I've been using your two books for years, but I hadn't but two and two together and realised that you were the author. They're excellent books; well done.

So where does "Pentagrid" come from?

Best wishes,

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy

My guess is that Jim has a valve background with Pentodes !

AWEM

Reply to
Andrew Mawson

Pentode = 3 grids Triode = 1 grid

What did they call a tube (valve in UK speak) with two grids?

Wes

Reply to
Wes

Tetrode -- Cathode, control grid, screen grid, anode would be the 4 elements that make it a tetrode.

Howard (raised on tubes) Garner

Reply to
Howard R Garner

Reply to
Robert Swinney

Fair comment - to spam is bad enough - misleading spam is unforgivable!

I can only plead that the post was idly generated while on holiday in warmer climes and I looked up the wrong reference.

The correct reference for the 2006 2Rev edition is :- ISBN-13: 978-1854862464

Some first edition copies are still circulating. The second edition is easily identified by the prominent inclusion of a Hitachi VFD in the new front cover illustration.

I am getting it corrected but the present Amazon flyer still incorrectly shows the old disassembled induction motor front cover.

Jim

Reply to
pentagrid

I was brought up in the days when vacuum tubes with fliaments were the norm and a pentagrid was a really exotic state of the art new invention.

"Electric Motors" was written before I subscribed to newsgroups. I chose to use a pseudonym because I felt that contributions should be judged on their content rather than on the spurious authority of an author.

Jim

Reply to
pentagrid

On Sat, 23 Jun 2007 08:37:43 +0100, with neither quill nor qualm, snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com quickly quoth:

You forgot the best part, Jim: The new book costs -half- the price of the old one.

Reply to
Larry Jaques

I judge all contributions on their content and your contributions are excellent.

I am going to ask the local library to purchase your book.

Dan

Reply to
dcaster

Good book. Recommended.

Reply to
Don Foreman

The pentagrid (also known as the heptode) is, as the name implies, a tube with five grids in addition to the cathode and the plate. It dates from the

1930's or before and was used primarily as a combination local oscillator/mixer in radios. It was also used in early radars in a circuit called the phantastron to add a range "step" to the display on an A-Scope.

Jerry

Reply to
Jerry Foster

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