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Impeach? (Impedance) in Electricity
Name: Michael S.
Status: educator
Age: 40s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 10/31/2004
Question:
When talking about electrical conductors and the
current which they carry- what does the word "impeach" refer to and
what is the significance of this term? Would you please include some
references for future reading?
I do not know that word in that context, but it would be very easy to
hear "impeach" when someone says "impedance".
Tim Mooney
Sorry, Michael, I have never heard the word "impeach" used in an
electrical context.
However, when talking about current-carrying _ratings_ of wires, the
general meaning of "impeach" might be relevant.
The general meaning of impeach is to discredit, establish suspicion, or
show probably cause for a judgement.
A "'current rating" is an assertion by some person that the wires will be
safe from overheating,
to a certain high degree, when carrying the mentioned or expected amount
of current.
A skeptical reviewer, such as an electrical inspector, might find a
particular reason
that these assertions are not quite valid or that the degree of safety is
not as high as claimed or required.
One might say that these reasons impeach the claimed current rating, or
impeach the electrical design as a whole.
In other words, someone thinks the current-carrying capacity is not high
enough,
and "impeach" is the word they used to say so.
Perhaps is you Google search for ["'current rating" impeach] you would
find illuminating examples.
Jim Swenson
Michael,
Could you possibly have mistaken the word "impeach" for "impedance"? If you
meant to ask about electrical impedance, here is a web site that gives a
great definition:
http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Impedance
Regards,
Todd Clark, Office of Science
U.S. Department of Energy
I am not familiar with the term "impeach" used in the context of electrical
circuits. Is it possible that "impedance" is term being referred to?
Vince Calder
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