I can never find a translation file for converting commonly used terms for
tools and equipment in the UK for the equivalent term used in the USA ,
or vice versa, often involves trade names.
This is my start - please reply adding others or any possible errors

UK term : USA term

Allen Key : Hex key
Avo (meter) , [old analogue multimeter ] : ?
earth [voltage reference] : ground
enameled copper wire : magnet wire
Gilbows : tinsnips
Hellerman pliers ,(triple prong sleeving expanders) : ?
mains (power) [electricity supply company power feed ] : line (power)
Mole grips : lock jaw pliers, vice grips
plug in power supply : wall wart
spanner : wrench
scope (oscilloscope) : o'scope
screwdriver : driver ?
Stilsons : pipewrench
thou (measurement, 1/1000 of an inch) : mil
--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/

"N Cook" wrote in message
...
I can never find a translation file for converting commonly used terms for
tools and equipment in the UK for the equivalent term used in the USA ,
or vice versa, often involves trade names.
This is my start - please reply adding others or any possible errors

UK term : USA term

Allen Key : Hex key
Avo (meter) , [old analogue multimeter ] : ?
earth [voltage reference] : ground
enameled copper wire : magnet wire
Gilbows : tinsnips
Hellerman pliers ,(triple prong sleeving expanders) : ?
mains (power) [electricity supply company power feed ] : line (power)
Mole grips : lock jaw pliers, vice grips
plug in power supply : wall wart
spanner : wrench
scope (oscilloscope) : o'scope
screwdriver : driver ?
Stilsons : pipewrench
thou (measurement, 1/1000 of an inch) : mil
--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/






a few more

UK : USA

answerphone : answering machine
billion : million million ( the USA usage has now taken over generally in
the uk of 1 billion = 1000 million)
(the) box, telly : television (set)
flex : electric cord
imperial (measurements ) : inches,feet,yards,miles
metric (measurements) : European
power point : electric socket
Stanley knife : box cutter ?
thousand million : billion ( the USA usage has taken over generally in the
uk of 1 billion = 1000 million)
valve : tube
Vero board : matrix board
video : vcr (machine)
white goods : appliances
wireless : radio

I forget now whether RCA connectors translate to phono or coax connectors
here.
And going the other way,
Do Harwin,QM,SMA,BNC,PL259, "N" , "F" connectors etc make any sense in USA ?

While at it is there any concensus with connector parts and male and female
/ plug and socket.
Does the gender refer to the electrical pin connection parts or the outer
housing parts
when they are not the same gender for each piece?

What about the Knockometer ..

never heard of it but i assume what we call an engineer's persuader for
percussive maintenance,
usefully they come in a range of sizes

--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/


"kip" wrote in message
.. .
What about the Knockometer ..

You are correct...
kip
"N Cook" wrote in message
...
never heard of it but i assume what we call an engineer's persuader for
percussive maintenance,
usefully they come in a range of sizes

--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/


"kip" wrote in message
.. .
What about the Knockometer ..

N Cook wrote:
UK : USA
billion : million million ( the USA usage has now taken over generally in
the uk of 1 billion = 1000 million)

What? I'm from the USA and I've always thought of a billion as 1000
million. I've only vaguely heard of 1 billion being 1 million million.
I don't know anyone who thinks billion is anything but 1000 million
personally.

--buddy

how about
Weapons of mass destruction = Oil we wish to take control of


--
Marcus

I like people, they are bio-degradable !.

Buddy:
You are correct.... math is math any where in the universe......
and a Billion = 1,000,000,000 which is exactly
the equivalent to 1000 million or 1000 x 1,000,000
......it can not be anything else and be correct.
- - - - - - - - - - -


"Buddy Smith" wrote in message
...
N Cook wrote:
UK : USA
billion : million million ( the USA usage has now taken over generally
in
the uk of 1 billion = 1000 million)

What? I'm from the USA and I've always thought of a billion as 1000
million. I've only vaguely heard of 1 billion being 1 million million.
I don't know anyone who thinks billion is anything but 1000 million
personally.

--buddy

"Buddy Smith" wrote in message
...
N Cook wrote:
UK : USA
billion : million million ( the USA usage has now taken over generally
in
the uk of 1 billion = 1000 million)

What? I'm from the USA and I've always thought of a billion as 1000
million. I've only vaguely heard of 1 billion being 1 million million.
I don't know anyone who thinks billion is anything but 1000 million
personally.

--buddy


Up to perhaps about 10 or 20 years ago most people in the UK would have said
billion = million million

Its 1000 million = 1billion..

yikes e do

"Buddy Smith" wrote in message
...
N Cook wrote:
UK : USA
billion : million million ( the USA usage has now taken over generally in
the uk of 1 billion = 1000 million)

What? I'm from the USA and I've always thought of a billion as 1000
million. I've only vaguely heard of 1 billion being 1 million million.
I don't know anyone who thinks billion is anything but 1000 million
personally.

--buddy

Then they would have said wrong ... Out of curiosity, in your opinion was
this out of a different definition for the word "billion" or were they just
ignorant?

Bob

"N Cook" wrote in message
...
Up to perhaps about 10 or 20 years ago most people in the UK would have
said
billion = million million

What does it list for "trillion" ?


"N Cook" wrote in message
...
I've ust looked in a UK dictionary published in 1960
billion = million million except USA and France where billion = 1000
million

"sofie" wrote in message
...
Buddy:
You are correct.... math is math any where in the universe......
and a Billion = 1,000,000,000 which is exactly
the equivalent to 1000 million or 1000 x 1,000,000
.....it can not be anything else and be correct.
- - - - - - - - - - -


"Buddy Smith" wrote in message
...
N Cook wrote:
UK : USA
billion : million million ( the USA usage has now taken over generally
in
the uk of 1 billion = 1000 million)

What? I'm from the USA and I've always thought of a billion as 1000
million. I've only vaguely heard of 1 billion being 1 million million.
I don't know anyone who thinks billion is anything but 1000 million
personally.

--buddy



I've ust looked in a UK dictionary published in 1960
billion = million million except USA and France where billion = 1000 million

On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 09:18:48 -0500, "kip" put
finger to keyboard and composed:

What about the Knockometer ..

Knockometer = hammer = American screwdriver

-- Franc Zabkar

Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

"Bob Shuman" wrote in message
...
What does it list for "trillion" ?


"N Cook" wrote in message
...
I've ust looked in a UK dictionary published in 1960
billion = million million except USA and France where billion = 1000
million



trillion = million million million except France where it means million
million , no mention of USA.

On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 19:22:51 -0000, "N Cook"
wrote:

"Bob Shuman" wrote in message
...
What does it list for "trillion" ?


"N Cook" wrote in message
...
I've ust looked in a UK dictionary published in 1960
billion = million million except USA and France where billion = 1000
million



trillion = million million million except France where it means million
million , no mention of USA.


There are two systems of naming large numbers ( sometimes called long
scale and short scale ) both of which originated in France and are
still in use today. They are described at this site:

http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/large.html

As mentioned on this page the UK officially switched from billion =
million million to billion = thousand million in the mid 1970s.

Mike Capel

capel AT mts DOT net

Thanks. Now I can understand why billion was a million million. The prefix
(bi) meant million **2 (squared0 while tri meant million **3 (cubed).
Interestingly, the number 1,000,000,000 was called "a thousand million or
milliard" according to the site provided in the former English system.

Bob


"ianto" wrote in message
...

"N Cook" wrote in message
...
trillion = million million million except France where it means million
million , no mention of USA.


There are two systems of naming large numbers ( sometimes called long
scale and short scale ) both of which originated in France and are
still in use today. They are described at this site:

http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/large.html

As mentioned on this page the UK officially switched from billion =
million million to billion = thousand million in the mid 1970s.

Mike Capel

capel AT mts DOT net

N Cook wrote:
"Buddy Smith" wrote in message
...
N Cook wrote:
UK : USA
billion : million million ( the USA usage has now taken over generally
in
the uk of 1 billion = 1000 million)

What? I'm from the USA and I've always thought of a billion as 1000

snip

I realized that I misread his post, which is why I cancelled mine. He
was saying that 1 billion in the UK is (or at least used to be) 1
million million, which is correct.

--buddy

"N Cook" wrote in message
...
I can never find a translation file for converting commonly used terms for
tools and equipment in the UK for the equivalent term used in the USA ,
or vice versa, often involves trade names.
This is my start - please reply adding others or any possible errors

UK term : USA term

Allen Key : Hex key
Avo (meter) , [old analogue multimeter ] : ?
earth [voltage reference] : ground
enameled copper wire : magnet wire
Gilbows : tinsnips
Hellerman pliers ,(triple prong sleeving expanders) : ?
mains (power) [electricity supply company power feed ] : line (power)
Mole grips : lock jaw pliers, vice grips
plug in power supply : wall wart
spanner : wrench
scope (oscilloscope) : o'scope
screwdriver : driver ?
Stilsons : pipewrench
thou (measurement, 1/1000 of an inch) : mil

allen key: we use both allen wrench and hex key
avo: if it's a tube type, here it's a VTVM (vacuum tube voltmeter; usually
line-powered) or a VOM (volt-ohmmeter; usually battery-powered)
earth: we use that term as well as ground
Hellerman: groove joint; slip-lock (I think that's what u had in mind?)
mains: we use both mains and line
plug-in power supply: we also call it an ac adapter
scope: we use all 3; or if we're feeling particularly elitist, a 'waveform
analyzer'
screwdriver: same (to distinguish from other drivers, such as nutdrivers)

"N Cook" wrote in message
...
a few more

UK : USA

answerphone : answering machine
billion : million million ( the USA usage has now taken over generally in
the uk of 1 billion = 1000 million)
(the) box, telly : television (set)
flex : electric cord
imperial (measurements ) : inches,feet,yards,miles
metric (measurements) : European
power point : electric socket
Stanley knife : box cutter ?
thousand million : billion ( the USA usage has taken over generally in the
uk of 1 billion = 1000 million)
valve : tube
Vero board : matrix board
video : vcr (machine)
white goods : appliances
wireless : radio


billion: a million million is a trillion, period.. or it should be anyway.
Check this out:
http://www.jimloy.com/math/billion.htm

flex: here, someone might mistake it to mean an elastic band or a bungee
cord
valve: we use that term here as well, particularly if you're talking to
tube amp lovers
wireless: careful, as lots of Americans call their cellphones 'wireless'


I forget now whether RCA connectors translate to phono or coax connectors
here.

RCA = phono; coax = F, UHF, BNC, etc..

And going the other way,
Do Harwin,QM,SMA,BNC,PL259, "N" , "F" connectors etc make any sense in USA
?


QM: IDC or mini-IDC
SMA: 50-ohm MIL-C; AMP (Amphenol) C; ILS SMA
BNC: same
PL259: UHF
N: RF (RG-8, RG-58, RG-141, RG-225)
F: most Americans will know you mean TV cable coax


While at it is there any concensus with connector parts and male and
female
/ plug and socket.
Does the gender refer to the electrical pin connection parts or the outer
housing parts
when they are not the same gender for each piece?


Pretty much a consensus. For obvious reasons, Male = plug and Female =
socket (usually called 'jack' in USA).


Good luck with your lexicon,
Ray

"N Cook" wrote in message
...
I can never find a translation file for converting commonly used
terms for tools and equipment in the UK for the equivalent term
used in the USA, or vice versa, often involves trade names.
This is my start - please reply adding others or any possible errors


Any old fuse... in Britain is that still named ... a mains monitor?

N: RF (RG-8, RG-58, RG-141, RG-225)
What???
In the USA a N connector is called an N connector..

RG-8, RG-58, RG-141, RG-225 These are all cable sizes not connectors.

Mike in Florida



"Ray L. Volts" wrote in message
news:s%7df.875$w85.101@trnddc02...

"N Cook" wrote in message
...
a few more

UK : USA

answerphone : answering machine
billion : million million ( the USA usage has now taken over generally in
the uk of 1 billion = 1000 million)
(the) box, telly : television (set)
flex : electric cord
imperial (measurements ) : inches,feet,yards,miles
metric (measurements) : European
power point : electric socket
Stanley knife : box cutter ?
thousand million : billion ( the USA usage has taken over generally in
the
uk of 1 billion = 1000 million)
valve : tube
Vero board : matrix board
video : vcr (machine)
white goods : appliances
wireless : radio


billion: a million million is a trillion, period.. or it should be
anyway. Check this out:
http://www.jimloy.com/math/billion.htm

flex: here, someone might mistake it to mean an elastic band or a bungee
cord
valve: we use that term here as well, particularly if you're talking to
tube amp lovers
wireless: careful, as lots of Americans call their cellphones 'wireless'


I forget now whether RCA connectors translate to phono or coax connectors
here.

RCA = phono; coax = F, UHF, BNC, etc..

And going the other way,
Do Harwin,QM,SMA,BNC,PL259, "N" , "F" connectors etc make any sense in
USA ?


QM: IDC or mini-IDC
SMA: 50-ohm MIL-C; AMP (Amphenol) C; ILS SMA
BNC: same
PL259: UHF
N: RF (RG-8, RG-58, RG-141, RG-225)
F: most Americans will know you mean TV cable coax


While at it is there any concensus with connector parts and male and
female
/ plug and socket.
Does the gender refer to the electrical pin connection parts or the outer
housing parts
when they are not the same gender for each piece?


Pretty much a consensus. For obvious reasons, Male = plug and Female =
socket (usually called 'jack' in USA).


Good luck with your lexicon,
Ray

plug in power supply : wall wart (not so common) Adapter or transformer is
what I usually hear.
never heard the term wall wart before I found this forum : ) I guess it is a
northern US term since I live in Floirda.



"N Cook" wrote in message
...
I can never find a translation file for converting commonly used terms for
tools and equipment in the UK for the equivalent term used in the USA ,
or vice versa, often involves trade names.
This is my start - please reply adding others or any possible errors

UK term : USA term

Allen Key : Hex key
Avo (meter) , [old analogue multimeter ] : ?
earth [voltage reference] : ground
enameled copper wire : magnet wire
Gilbows : tinsnips
Hellerman pliers ,(triple prong sleeving expanders) : ?
mains (power) [electricity supply company power feed ] : line (power)
Mole grips : lock jaw pliers, vice grips
plug in power supply : wall wart
spanner : wrench
scope (oscilloscope) : o'scope
screwdriver : driver ?
Stilsons : pipewrench
thou (measurement, 1/1000 of an inch) : mil
--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/

"Michael Kennedy" wrote in message
...
N: RF (RG-8, RG-58, RG-141, RG-225)
What???
In the USA a N connector is called an N connector..

RG-8, RG-58, RG-141, RG-225 These are all cable sizes not connectors.

Mike in Florida



er, yes... it was meant to convey what the N connector is generally used on,
and hence how Americans would readily identify it...

okay.

"Ray L. Volts" wrote in message
news:5V9df.820$%t4.259@trnddc07...

"Michael Kennedy" wrote in message
...
N: RF (RG-8, RG-58, RG-141, RG-225)
What???
In the USA a N connector is called an N connector..

RG-8, RG-58, RG-141, RG-225 These are all cable sizes not connectors.

Mike in Florida



er, yes... it was meant to convey what the N connector is generally used
on, and hence how Americans would readily identify it...

"Ray L. Volts" wrote in message
news:s%7df.875$w85.101@trnddc02...

While at it is there any concensus with connector parts and male and
female
/ plug and socket.
Does the gender refer to the electrical pin connection parts or the
outer
housing parts
when they are not the same gender for each piece?


Pretty much a consensus. For obvious reasons, Male = plug and Female =
socket (usually called 'jack' in USA).

If the housing is male but the electical connection is female and the mating
housing is female and corresponding electrical part is male which part would
be refered to as male and which female.

Do I hear you correctly that in USA the receiving female part is called a
Jack ?
In the UK jack is quite definitely male as more generally "in to jack off"
and "one-eyed jacks" etc

revised list
UK term : USA term

Allen Key : hex key , hex wrench
answerphone : answering machine
Avo (meter) , [old analogue multimeter ] : VTVM (vacuum tube voltmeter;
usually line-powered) or a VOM (volt-ohmmeter; usually battery-powered)
banana plugs : ?
billion (before year 1974 ) : million million
(the) box, telly : television (set)
choc block connectors : ?
earth [voltage reference] : ground
elastic band, bungee cord : flex
enameled copper wire : magnet wire
engineer's persuader for percussive maintenance : knockometer
flex : electric cord
Gilbows : tinsnips
Harwin connectors : ?
Hellerman pliers ,(triple prong sleeving expanders) : ?
imperial (measurements ) : inches,feet,yards,miles
mains (power) [electricity supply company power feed ] : line (power)
maths (mathematics ) : math
metric (measurements) : European
Mole grips : lock jaw pliers, vice grips
plug in power supply : wall wart
power point : electric socket
QM connectors : ?
phono connectors : RCA connectors
spanner : wrench
scope (oscilloscope) : o'scope , waveform analyser
Stanley knife : box cutter
Stilsons : pipewrench
thou : mil (measurement)
trillion (before 1974 ? ) : million million million
valve : tube
Vero board : matrix board
video : vcr (machine)
white goods : appliances
wireless : radio

A few synonyms of sort
Low Copper, High Oxygen Content Connection = High Impedence Air Gap =
unplugged

"Do Little2" wrote in message
...

"N Cook" wrote in message
...
I can never find a translation file for converting commonly used
terms for tools and equipment in the UK for the equivalent term
used in the USA, or vice versa, often involves trade names.
This is my start - please reply adding others or any possible errors


Any old fuse... in Britain is that still named ... a mains monitor?



i've never heard of that one

IHVT (Flyback Transformer) =


"N Cook" wrote in message
...
revised list
UK term : USA term

Allen Key : hex key , hex wrench
answerphone : answering machine
Avo (meter) , [old analogue multimeter ] : VTVM (vacuum tube voltmeter;
usually line-powered) or a VOM (volt-ohmmeter; usually battery-powered)
banana plugs : ?
billion (before year 1974 ) : million million
(the) box, telly : television (set)
choc block connectors : ?
earth [voltage reference] : ground
elastic band, bungee cord : flex
enameled copper wire : magnet wire
engineer's persuader for percussive maintenance : knockometer
flex : electric cord
Gilbows : tinsnips
Harwin connectors : ?
Hellerman pliers ,(triple prong sleeving expanders) : ?
imperial (measurements ) : inches,feet,yards,miles
mains (power) [electricity supply company power feed ] : line (power)
maths (mathematics ) : math
metric (measurements) : European
Mole grips : lock jaw pliers, vice grips
plug in power supply : wall wart
power point : electric socket
QM connectors : ?
phono connectors : RCA connectors
spanner : wrench
scope (oscilloscope) : o'scope , waveform analyser
Stanley knife : box cutter
Stilsons : pipewrench
thou : mil (measurement)
trillion (before 1974 ? ) : million million million
valve : tube
Vero board : matrix board
video : vcr (machine)
white goods : appliances
wireless : radio

A few synonyms of sort
Low Copper, High Oxygen Content Connection = High Impedence Air Gap =
unplugged

"kip" wrote in message
.. .
IHVT (Flyback Transformer) =



do you mean LOPT ?

yes

"N Cook" wrote in message
...

"kip" wrote in message
.. .
IHVT (Flyback Transformer) =



do you mean LOPT ?

"kip" wrote in message
.. .
yes

"N Cook" wrote in message
...

"kip" wrote in message
.. .
IHVT (Flyback Transformer) =



do you mean LOPT ?





LOPT = Line Output Transformer pronounced comfortably as Lop-tee

I'm thinking of the Bulgin power connectors used on valve/tube amps where
the chassis housing is female but has 3 pins mating with 3 sockets in a male
housing on the line cord - is the line cord connector called a plug or a
socket ?

Once this is in a semi-final form, I'd like to add it to the S.E.R. FAQ (with
your permission).

Thanks.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name is included in the subject line. Or, you can
contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.

Marcus wrote:
how about
Weapons of mass destruction = Oil we wish to take control of

How about
hang it in your arse?

"Sam Goldwasser" wrote in message
...
Once this is in a semi-final form, I'd like to add it to the S.E.R. FAQ
(with
your permission).

Thanks.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above
is
ignored unless my full name is included in the subject line. Or, you can
contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.

No copyright so open to anyone. Should be on
http://www.divdev.fsnet.co.uk/tool_terms.htm
from tomorrow.
Oddly, that dial up hosting site freeserve / fsnet does not seem to have any
bandwidth constraints , re SER FAQ bandwidth problems

--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/

Agree.. It is terrible we were lied to like that and even more so that we
re-elected bush. I feel his re-election was more because we were scared of
what might happen if bush wern't in office.. I like bush for having some
morals, but he lacks some judgement. Or maybe he is just a big liar? Maybe
not? I can not judge the man. I don't know him. Either way we are screwed.
We should have left those people alone a long time ago. america world
police. we think we have to fix everything.
Oh well doesn't matter. cant do anything about it now.

"Marcus" wrote in message
...
how about
Weapons of mass destruction = Oil we wish to take control of


--
Marcus

I like people, they are bio-degradable !.

Go Away
"Michael Kennedy" wrote in message
news
Agree.. It is terrible we were lied to like that and even more so that we
re-elected bush. I feel his re-election was more because we were scared of
what might happen if bush wern't in office.. I like bush for having some
morals, but he lacks some judgement. Or maybe he is just a big liar? Maybe
not? I can not judge the man. I don't know him. Either way we are screwed.
We should have left those people alone a long time ago. america world
police. we think we have to fix everything.
Oh well doesn't matter. cant do anything about it now.

"Marcus" wrote in message
...
how about
Weapons of mass destruction = Oil we wish to take control of


--
Marcus

I like people, they are bio-degradable !.

plug in power supply : wall wart : adapter : transformer

Couldn't LOPT be Line Output Transistor also? I thought they were just
called a Flyback.

"N Cook" wrote in message
...

"kip" wrote in message
.. .
IHVT (Flyback Transformer) =



do you mean LOPT ?

Sry.. Somebody else brought it up..
I'll shut up
"kip" wrote in message
.. .
Go Away
"Michael Kennedy" wrote in message
news
Agree.. It is terrible we were lied to like that and even more so that we
re-elected bush. I feel his re-election was more because we were scared
of what might happen if bush wern't in office.. I like bush for having
some morals, but he lacks some judgement. Or maybe he is just a big liar?
Maybe not? I can not judge the man. I don't know him. Either way we are
screwed. We should have left those people alone a long time ago. america
world police. we think we have to fix everything.
Oh well doesn't matter. cant do anything about it now.

"Marcus" wrote in message
...
how about
Weapons of mass destruction = Oil we wish to take control of


--
Marcus

I like people, they are bio-degradable !.