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

Thanks

Meirman
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meirman wrote:
I have an expensive auto compass -- but I've lost the instructions --
with a wire in which both halves are black, but one side is marked
with grey or white rectangles. Which one is the ground?

Thanks

Meirman
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or not you are posting the same letter.
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Try both. Low voltage DC, you wont damage anything. The one that makes
the compass point the right way I assume is the correct one. Also
consider that its for a light or something and it does not matter.

--
Respectfully,


CL Gilbert

which way works?

randy

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

Thanks

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

"CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert" wrote in
news
meirman wrote:
I have an expensive auto compass -- but I've lost the instructions --
with a wire in which both halves are black, but one side is marked
with grey or white rectangles. Which one is the ground?

Thanks

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

Try both. Low voltage DC, you wont damage anything. The one that makes
the compass point the right way I assume is the correct one. Also
consider that its for a light or something and it does not matter.


An electronic auto compass may NOT be protected against reverse polarity.
Try finding the manufacturer online and maybe they will have the
instructions online,or will send you a copy,or tell you in an email.

It would also help if you posted the *make and model info* and any numbers
on the case,maybe someone here has the same item,and can help.

Also try rec.autos.driving or other auto-related NGs.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

In alt.home.repair on Tue, 02 Aug 2005 10:24:00 -0400 "CL (dnoyeB)
Gilbert" posted:

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

Thanks

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

Try both. Low voltage DC, you wont damage anything. The one that makes
the compass point the right way I assume is the correct one. Also
consider that its for a light or something and it does not matter.

It's both for the light and the guts.

I was doing wiring now, and hoping to solder the wire in place while
the compass itself waits for me to make a bracket to hold it in
place**.

But you're right, I can hook it up while it dangles from the dash and
see what it does.




** The new dashboard is practically vertical. I have to make a
complicated bracket, at least 4 bends. Not even sure how wide I want
the bracket to be, so I'm stalling.

I went back to radio shack where they used to sell this, to remind
myself how to set north and south, but they didn't have compasses or
this model anymore. I think I remember how to set north and south
though.

I bought a lot of car compasses over the years and this is the first
to work. 30 years ago I wrote to AirGuide and asked them if I bought
a more expensive compass, would it work, and they wrote back that they
were all the same and sent me more double sided tape to try new
locations.

Since then I once had a 3/4inch plastic sphere, that came atttached to
a convex rear view mirror clip on, that worked. It only cost a
dollar. Eventually the water drained out. Another that looked the
same, but had a suction cup didn't work. Maybe the prior car had an
unusually balanced or absent magnetic field where the compass was.

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

Most likely the side with the rectangular markings is negative. Batteries
have + (positive) and - (negative markings)


Thanks

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

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

Thanks

Meirman


Marked wire is usually positive...

Rick wrote:

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

Thanks

Meirman

Marked wire is usually positive...

And FDR says the marked wire is most likely negative...

Any other guesses, anybody?

In article ,
meirman wrote:
I have an expensive auto compass -- but I've lost the instructions --
with a wire in which both halves are black, but one side is marked
with grey or white rectangles. Which one is the ground?

Thanks

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

The one that connects to the negative terminal.

--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

In alt.home.repair on Tue, 02 Aug 2005 16:26:22 GMT "FDR"
posted:


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

Most likely the side with the rectangular markings is negative. Batteries
have + (positive) and - (negative markings)


Thanks

Meirman

You're the winner!

"Cut the cigarette lighter plug off of the power cord. Connect the
wire that does not have a stripe to the +12 volt power source ....

Connect the wire that has the white stripe to a good ground source."

It did warn about heat damage if I used a fuse over one amp, but
didn't warn about connecting it backwards. But people do use larger
fuses at times. OTOH The instructions on how to connect the wires are
quite clear.

I didnt' think I'd be able to find the notes online but I did. It
was sold by Radio Shack, but I had bought one just like it from
somewhere else. So I didn't have a part number. But I went to the
manuals section of RS's website. And then to auto, and then to auto
accessories, but all they had were antennas and radar detectors. So I
was disappointed that the manuals section seemed to only give
currently sold stuff.

But there was also a Search field, and that brought up 102 entries
over 14 pages. One that sounded right was on the first page, and when
I checked it had about the right date, and the right instructions for
setting north and south, which I pretty much remember but I'm very
glad to have. So I had it.

I went to the basement and saw that it was Radio Shack after all. I
didn't buy the other one. But it had no model number. But it did say
Flux Gate, which would have made the search quicker.

Thanks to everyone who tried to help.

(I thought this would be a simple question, not requiring going beyond
the wire.

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

meirman wrote:

In alt.home.repair on Tue, 02 Aug 2005 16:26:22 GMT "FDR"
posted:


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

Most likely the side with the rectangular markings is negative. Batteries
have + (positive) and - (negative markings)

.....

You're the winner!

....

Connect the wire that has the white stripe to a good ground source."

It did warn about heat damage if I used a fuse over one amp, but
didn't warn about connecting it backwards. But people do use larger
fuses at times. OTOH The instructions on how to connect the wires are
quite clear.
....

That would have been my guess based on lamp cords, etc., but only a
guess...

Don't suppose there was any indication if you tried resistance check
between case and the two leads to see of one showed a ground
connection? (Not that it matters now, of course...)

meirman wrote in
:

In alt.home.repair on Tue, 02 Aug 2005 16:26:22 GMT "FDR"
posted:


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

Most likely the side with the rectangular markings is negative.
Batteries have + (positive) and - (negative markings)


Thanks

Meirman

You're the winner!

I feel ripped off here;I posted this at 11:27AM EST;
An electronic auto compass may NOT be protected against reverse polarity.
Try finding the manufacturer online and maybe they will have the
instructions online,or will send you a copy,or tell you in an email.

It would also help if you posted the *make and model info* and any numbers
on the case,maybe someone here has the same item,and can help.


and Duane gets all the credit. ;-(

TANJ. :-)

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net




"Cut the cigarette lighter plug off of the power cord. Connect the
wire that does not have a stripe to the +12 volt power source ....

Connect the wire that has the white stripe to a good ground source."

It did warn about heat damage if I used a fuse over one amp, but
didn't warn about connecting it backwards. But people do use larger
fuses at times. OTOH The instructions on how to connect the wires are
quite clear.

I didnt' think I'd be able to find the notes online but I did. It
was sold by Radio Shack, but I had bought one just like it from
somewhere else. So I didn't have a part number. But I went to the
manuals section of RS's website. And then to auto, and then to auto
accessories, but all they had were antennas and radar detectors. So I
was disappointed that the manuals section seemed to only give
currently sold stuff.

But there was also a Search field, and that brought up 102 entries
over 14 pages. One that sounded right was on the first page, and when
I checked it had about the right date, and the right instructions for
setting north and south, which I pretty much remember but I'm very
glad to have. So I had it.

I went to the basement and saw that it was Radio Shack after all. I
didn't buy the other one. But it had no model number. But it did say
Flux Gate, which would have made the search quicker.

Thanks to everyone who tried to help.

This makes me feel a LITTLE better. :-)


(I thought this would be a simple question, not requiring going beyond
the wire.

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

In alt.home.repair on Tue, 02 Aug 2005 15:00:00 -0500 Duane Bozarth
posted:

meirman wrote:

In alt.home.repair on Tue, 02 Aug 2005 16:26:22 GMT "FDR"
posted:


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

Most likely the side with the rectangular markings is negative. Batteries
have + (positive) and - (negative markings)

....

You're the winner!

...

Connect the wire that has the white stripe to a good ground source."

It did warn about heat damage if I used a fuse over one amp, but
didn't warn about connecting it backwards. But people do use larger
fuses at times. OTOH The instructions on how to connect the wires are
quite clear.
...

That would have been my guess based on lamp cords, etc., but only a
guess...

Don't suppose there was any indication if you tried resistance check
between case and the two leads to see of one showed a ground
connection? (Not that it matters now, of course...)

I think the case is entirely plastic.

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 alt.home.repair on 2 Aug 2005 23:54:51 GMT Jim Yanik
. posted:

meirman wrote in
:

In alt.home.repair on Tue, 02 Aug 2005 16:26:22 GMT "FDR"
posted:


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

Most likely the side with the rectangular markings is negative.
Batteries have + (positive) and - (negative markings)


Thanks

Meirman

You're the winner!

He's the winnner of those who said plus vs. those who said minus.

I feel ripped off here;I posted this at 11:27AM EST;
An electronic auto compass may NOT be protected against reverse polarity.
Try finding the manufacturer online and maybe they will have the
instructions online,or will send you a copy,or tell you in an email.

It would also help if you posted the *make and model info* and any numbers
on the case,maybe someone here has the same item,and can help.

I saw your post, but I was sure I had a version with a brand that was
gone by now. It seems we're talking about 1997.

I was quite urprised it was RS.

But you are the winner for good advice.


and Duane gets all the credit. ;-(

TANJ. :-)


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

In article ,
Duane Bozarth wrote:
Rick wrote:

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

Thanks

Meirman

Marked wire is usually positive...

And FDR says the marked wire is most likely negative...

Any other guesses, anybody?

I agree that the marked wire would be positive, since normally in the
electronics/low voltage world, black == ground, and modern automobiles are
negative ground. Since the wire is black, the marked lead would be positive.

Even when the wire is not black, the convention seems to be that the
marked lead is positive, unless the marking is black colored, such as
red zipcord, with one conductor striped with black.

This holds true for both colored stripes, and physical markings (ridged
conductor on zipcord.)

I've never encountered a device with a black cord, where the marked lead
was negative.

While the device may be protected against reverse polarity, there are
exceptions, and the exceptions will probably let the smoke out in the
process.

One quick test might be to check continuity between the power leads, and any
metal chassis of the device. continuity == negative side.

Is there a fuseholder in this cord? they are normally found in the positive
lead, except for some high powered equipment (ham radios, etc) that are
intended to be run directly to the battery, which are frequenty fused in
both leads to prevent the radio from being the primary ground path in the
event that the main bettery-chassis ground becomes disconnected.


--
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Bob Vaughan | techie @ tantivy.net |
| P.O. Box 19792, Stanford, Ca 94309 |
-- I am Me, I am only Me, And no one else is Me, What could be simpler? --