Really, Wires: Which side negative?
 

I have an expensive auto compass with a wire in which both halves are
black, but one side is marked with grey or white rectangles. Which
one is supposed to be the ground? (I've lost the instructions.)

Thanks

Meirman
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Pure guess: the one with the markings is +. This is how "most" wall adapters
wires are marked. Not sure. Can you post the compass make and model number?
One way to be sure is to open it up and look for capacitors that has + or -
marking on them and trace the wires. Typically the largest capacitor should
be directly connected to these wires, and it would tell you the polarity.



"meirman" wrote in message
...
I have an expensive auto compass with a wire in which both halves are
black, but one side is marked with grey or white rectangles. Which
one is supposed to be the ground? (I've lost the instructions.)

Thanks

Meirman
--
If emailing, please let me know whether
or not you are posting the same letter.
Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.

In sci.electronics.repair on Tue, 2 Aug 2005 10:26:49 -0400 "Someone"
posted:

Pure guess: the one with the markings is +. This is how "most" wall adapters
wires are marked. Not sure. Can you post the compass make and model number?
One way to be sure is to open it up and look for capacitors that has + or -

Sounded good, but no easy way to open it. Decided to hunt on the web
for notes. Radio Shack sold a compass just like this one, and
although I didn't have the item number, and although checking Manuals
-- Auto -- Auto Accessories gave no compasses, only things they sell
now, "Search"ing on compass gave 103 hits, and the one I wanted was
about number 7.

Turns out "the wire that has the white stripe" is the ground. The
grey or white rectangles are pretty long, and the spaces between them
are much shorter

I also found instructions on how to calibrate it, which I thought I
generaly recalled, but much better to have the original.

I thought this would be an easy question, only involving the wire
itself. Silly me.

Thanks a lot.


marking on them and trace the wires. Typically the largest capacitor should
be directly connected to these wires, and it would tell you the polarity.



"meirman" wrote in message
.. .
I have an expensive auto compass with a wire in which both halves are
black, but one side is marked with grey or white rectangles. Which
one is supposed to be the ground? (I've lost the instructions.)

Thanks

Meirman

Meirman
--
If emailing, please let me know whether
or not you are posting the same letter.
Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.

If it says Wayfinder VT220, then you can download the manual from he

http://www.wayfindercompass.com/wayfinder.asp

Look at the last link "Get Manual". Here is the direct link to the PDF:

http://www.wayfindercompass.com/manu...UsersGuide.pdf


"meirman" wrote in message
...
In sci.electronics.repair on Tue, 2 Aug 2005 10:26:49 -0400 "Someone"
posted:

Pure guess: the one with the markings is +. This is how "most" wall
adapters
wires are marked. Not sure. Can you post the compass make and model
number?
One way to be sure is to open it up and look for capacitors that has +
or -

Sounded good, but no easy way to open it. Decided to hunt on the web
for notes. Radio Shack sold a compass just like this one, and
although I didn't have the item number, and although checking Manuals
-- Auto -- Auto Accessories gave no compasses, only things they sell
now, "Search"ing on compass gave 103 hits, and the one I wanted was
about number 7.

Turns out "the wire that has the white stripe" is the ground. The
grey or white rectangles are pretty long, and the spaces between them
are much shorter

I also found instructions on how to calibrate it, which I thought I
generaly recalled, but much better to have the original.

I thought this would be an easy question, only involving the wire
itself. Silly me.

Thanks a lot.


marking on them and trace the wires. Typically the largest capacitor
should
be directly connected to these wires, and it would tell you the polarity.



"meirman" wrote in message
. ..
I have an expensive auto compass with a wire in which both halves are
black, but one side is marked with grey or white rectangles. Which
one is supposed to be the ground? (I've lost the instructions.)

Thanks

Meirman

Meirman
--
If emailing, please let me know whether
or not you are posting the same letter.
Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.