Abbreviations

[Besoeker]

We manufacture electrical equipment so we ought to know about the terminology and the correct form of the abbreviations. Mrs B who works for me in an admin capacity would readily confirm that I am a pedantic old git about that. As will any of my guys.

I just happen to think that getting it right or worse, wrong, reflects on the professional image we would like to portray.
I don't know if the same conventions for units are the same in the US as in UK.
I often see kva, or Kva when it should be kVA. Even some transformer manufacturers who should know better do that.
And best not to confuse mw or mW with MW.

Spelling is another matter. Some of the things I see on forums defy belief. I don't often comment on either of these issues. Usually context makes the meaning clear.
It does sometimes surprise me though. And dyslexia seems to be claimed by so many, it has reached pandemic status.

Enough.

 

[GoldDigger]

We manufacture electrical equipment so we ought to know about the terminology and the correct form of the abbreviations. Mrs B who works for me in an admin capacity would readily confirm that I am a pedantic old git about that. As will any of my guys.

I just happen to think that getting it right or worse, wrong, reflects on the professional image we would like to portray.
I don't know if the same conventions for units are the same in the US as in UK.
I often see kva, or Kva when it should be kVA. Even some transformer manufacturers who should know better do that.
And best not to confuse mw or mW with MW.

Spelling is another matter. Some of the things I see on forums defy belief. I don't often comment on either of these issues. Usually context makes the meaning clear.
It does sometimes surprise me though. And dyslexia seems to be claimed by so many, it has reached pandemic status.

Enough.

Some of the more egregious (and humorous!) misspellings seem to be the result of not knowing the correct spelling and blindly accepting the autocorrect suggestion. Or maybe speech to text conversion?

"Tung and grove" siding seems to be an example of the former, while "Four-stair" heating would fall into the latter.

 

[cadpoint]

Thanks, I learned a new word today.

of or like a pedant.
"many of the essays are long, dense, and too pedantic to hold great appeal"

But I think you meant more to be of it's

synonyms:

overscrupulous, scrupulous, precise, exact, perfectionist, punctilious,meticulous, fussy, fastidious, finicky;

I felt that I could easily state that there are plenty of exacting Abbreviations at you finger tip's, this is not the case!

Enjoy your evening!

 

[Besoeker]

Some of the more egregious (and humorous!) misspellings seem to be the result of not knowing the correct spelling and blindly accepting the autocorrect suggestion. Or maybe speech to text conversion?

"Tung and grove" siding seems to be an example of the former, while "Four-stair" heating would fall into the latter.

Could be.
I think it is getting better though.

Some years ago I did a quotation for drives (VSDs) for a water pumping station. A couple of them were for borehole pumps.
Borehole pump set was corrected to "brothel dump site".
I was tempted to leave the correction..........

 

[Besoeker]

Thanks, I learned a new word today.

of or like a pedant.
"many of the essays are long, dense, and too pedantic to hold great appeal"

But I think you meant more to be of it's

synonyms:

overscrupulous, scrupulous, precise, exact, perfectionist, punctilious,meticulous, fussy, fastidious, finicky;

I felt that I could easily state that there are plenty of exacting Abbreviations at you finger tip's, this is not the case!

Enjoy your evening!

I think all of the above might describe me.
Grumpy old git is simpler.......

 

[John120/240]

I think all of the above might describe me.
Grumpy old git is simpler.......

Besoeker add Smart Grumpy old git...

 

[Besoeker]

Besoeker add Smart Grumpy old git...

Well, thank you kindly.
Having a couple of the grand girls stay with us for about a week in mid Feb.
One aged two and the other five and a bit.
They think I'm OK and that's OK with me.
But they'll learn..........

 

[iceworm]

...And best not to confuse mw or mW with MW. ...

You are absolutely correct. Although I would be concerned if anyone on here missed intent from the context.

kW is correct and KW is not?
But mW is milliwatt,
and MW is megawatt?
So, lower case "k" when meaning "killo (watt), but uppercase "M" when meaning megswatt?

Just asking - not picking

And, speaking of confusion: What is an "mw"?


ice

 

[GoldDigger]

And, speaking of confusion: What is an "mw"?

ice

One thousandth of a small Watt?
Maybe microwave?

 

[jumper]

Besoeker add Smart Grumpy old git...

Agree.:thumbsup:

 

[JDBrown]

You make a good point, Besoeker. I know I've been told that in many (most?) places doctors aren't allowed to abbreviate dosages (this might have something to do with doctors' generally atrocious handwriting as well). But it seems like there was an issue several years ago where 100 micrograms was mistaken for 100 milligrams (or something like that), and after that the doctors weren't allowed to abbreviate anymore. I'm just glad we don't have to deal with that type of abbreviation mistake!

 

[fmtjfw]

I've felt "pained" by misspellings on this bulletin board. (even my own). Having these random spellings makes it difficult to search for terms. One things I have been thing about is the use of properly spelled keywords.

 

[n1ist]

I used to love the eBay ads for 5MW laser pointers. 5 Megawatts is quite a laser...
/mike

 

[Besoeker]

You are absolutely correct. Although I would be concerned if anyone on here missed intent from the context.

kW is correct and KW is not?
But mW is milliwatt,
and MW is megawatt?
So, lower case "k" when meaning "killo (watt), but uppercase "M" when meaning megswatt?

Just asking - not picking

Megswatt?
A big swat at a big fly?
Sorry. Couldn't resist......

Slightly more seriously.......very slightly more.....

You guys talk about horsepower. Is that HP or hp? Or even bhp?
Just asking......

 

[Jraef]

Funny this should come up. I just finished creating 2 days worth of presentations for training our sales force and turned it in for preview by management. It came back to me with all of the SI notations "corrected" by someone. So all of my references to 4-20mA came back as 4-20MA in some cases, then there are a few that say 4-20ma and even one that says "420 man"! Every kW or kVA has been "fixed" to be all caps now. My references to dV/dt are now DV/DT or dv/dt, randomly assigned apparently. My suspicion is that my boss handed it to his Admin (he is the only one who gets one now, the rest of us are now expensive typists...). She would have no clue whatsoever.

Oh and the mother of all spell check problems in our industry? Microsoft does not think the word "contactor" exists, it changes it to "contractor" until you teach it that there is such a word. But an Admin wouldn't know to do that, so one click on "Change All" and I get screwed. I tried going in do to a Global Replace to un-fix her fix, but unfortunately, I have the word "contractor" in several places as well. Those were a little easier to find though.

I surrendered on the SI notations though, it was too much work... but when I PRESENT it, I will be using a wipe board as well and dammit, I WILL use the proper notation there!

 

[Besoeker]

Funny this should come up. I just finished creating 2 days worth of presentations for training our sales force and turned it in for preview by management. It came back to me with all of the SI notations "corrected" by someone. So all of my references to 4-20mA came back as 4-20MA in some cases, then there are a few that say 4-20ma and even one that says "420 man"! Every kW or kVA has been "fixed" to be all caps now. My references to dV/dt are now DV/DT or dv/dt, randomly assigned apparently. My suspicion is that my boss handed it to his Admin (he is the only one who gets one now, the rest of us are now expensive typists...). She would have no clue whatsoever.

Oh and the mother of all spell check problems in our industry? Microsoft does not think the word "contactor" exists, it changes it to "contractor" until you teach it that there is such a word. But an Admin wouldn't know to do that, so one click on "Change All" and I get screwed. I tried going in do to a Global Replace to un-fix her fix, but unfortunately, I have the word "contractor" in several places as well. Those were a little easier to find though.

I surrendered on the SI notations though, it was too much work... but when I PRESENT it, I will be using a wipe board as well and dammit, I WILL use the proper notation there!

I feel your pain. The contactor always gets the red wiggly line. In both singular and plural forms. Similarly with 4mA, and 55kW. Spacing can sometimes "fix" that but 4 mA still gets that red wiggly wire treatment.

 

[mivey]

I often see kva, or Kva when it should be kVA. Even some transformer manufacturers who should know better do that.
And best not to confuse mw or mW with MW.

other the use of M in MMBtu of Mcf.

As for talking, I hear people talk about their "kilowatt" usage all the time.

 

[mivey]

Spelling is another matter. Some of the things I see on forums defy belief.

I am pretty slack because I consider a forum to be extremely informal. Not a good habit though.

 

[mivey]

You guys talk about horsepower. Is that HP or hp? Or even bhp?
Just asking......

HP or hp. Oddly enough, my reference has BHP in caps only. Let's not forget the cheval-vapeur (cv) = 735.498750 W(E)

and the current and obsolete unit conversions:

HP (boiler) = 9816.664971 W(E)
HP (metric) = 735.498750 W(E)
HP (electric) = 746.000 W(E)
HP (water) = 746.043 W
HP = BHP = 745.699871581 W

and for the watt:
W = 1kg*m^2*s^-3 (E)
W (int. mean) = 1.00019 W
W (int. US) = 1.000165 W

 

[Besoeker]

As for talking, I hear people talk about their "kilowatt" usage all the time.

An exchange from another forum where I'm a mod:

"Watts per minute" had been cited.
I told the poster it wasn't a unit of energy and I got a a long post back about electrical units. And an apology that I didn't ask for.
Fine. I don't advertise my qualifications.
The exchange continued thus:

"Don't need to be sorry if it isn't your field.
You kindly posted what's on the net, Then spoiled it with "I should have said watts per hour."
Watts per hour isn't a unit either. "

This is from nice folks patting each other on the back about how they are saving the planet by using less energy and getting by with renewables.
If they don't have a grip in the basic units.........