Drums? Of cable

[RF Lighting]

Why do we call drums of cable drums?

They're nothing like a drum.

Why not a coil, spool, reel, roll, bobbin, spool, wrap, loop, ring, spiral or something like that?

 

[JohnW2]

Why do we call drums of cable drums? They're nothing like a drum.

Well, particularly when full of cable, they are cylindrical, like drums, and with roughly the same proportions as drums. Most dictionaries give 'cylindrical container (or receptacle)' as one of the definitions.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

It comes from the days before electricity when they were just used for supporting things.

From the phrase - drum up support.

 

[Jackrae]

It comes from the days before electricity when they were just used for supporting things.

From the phrase - drum up support.

Now there's a cocked-up myth waiting to be made public

 

[bernardgreen]

Support was drummed up by the playing of drums to a stirring tune.

Most known example is probably the BOM-BOM-BOM-BOMMmmm of the V for Victory ralling call during World War II

Some cable in the early days was stored inside drums or tanks as it was ( said to be ) easier to wind it in and out of a drum. ( I cannot see how it was easier )

http://atlantic-cable.com/Article/1866Machinery/index.htm ( called tanks here, interesting method of insulation rsistance measurement )

 

[Jackrae]

Done in the days when real engineers could do real engineering.
Perhaps not appreciated by the modern "with it" generation but the vast majority of internet traffic still goes via submarine cable

 

[Simon35]

Done in the days when real engineers could do real engineering.
Perhaps not appreciated by the modern "with it" generation but the vast majority of internet traffic still goes via submarine cable

Define "real" engineers, and "real" engineering.

I work in engineering, in fact I'm a chartered electrical engineer, and have worked in all sorts of industries all over the world, including UK, for 25 years, on design, installation, and commissioning (steelmaking, power generation, materials handling, food and bev manufacture to name a few).

All industries full of engineers doing huge amounts of engineering, designing very complex processes and equipment, sometimes on an enormous scale.

 

[Jackrae]

Touche I'm a chartered engineer as well ! Nuclear, food, oil Just maybe I can appreciate what the Vctorians, with their limited reliance in networking, were capable of. 100+ years later and many of their systems are still working for the good of mankind.

 

[bernardgreen]

Define "real" engineers, and "real" engineering.

Dangerous subject of conversation.......

A real engineer is one who can solve almost any problem or manage any project using basic principles of science and without training / education specific for the solving of that problem or managing that project.

He or she can be a jack of all disciplines who can train himself or her self to be come a master of the discipline they have to work in for a specific project or problem.

A real engineer is also creative and able to cross fertilise between different disciplines to merge them into a solution or method.

A real engineer is seldom constrained by "accepted practice" and is willing to go against what is accepted when to do so will produce a better solution or method.

 

[Simon35]

Touche I'm a chartered engineer as well ! Nuclear, food, oil Just maybe I can appreciate what the Vctorians, with their limited reliance in networking, were capable of. 100+ years later and many of their systems are still working for the good of mankind.

Whilst it's true that the Victorians built many ingenious things, that doesn't mean that what we do today, or what we've done in the last 20, 30, 40 years is any less of an achievement, and still stretches the skills and materials of modern engineering.

As for Bernard's definition, there are thousands of real engineers working to "accepted practice", by which I mean standards. They work within those standards and still produce innovative designs, which are cost effective, without the additional costs of validating new things.

A real engineer is one who can solve almost any problem or manage any project using basic principles of science and without training / education specific for the solving of that problem or managing that project.

He or she can be a jack of all disciplines who can train himself or her self to be come a master of the discipline they have to work in for a specific project or problem.

Not sure about the above either. Would you expect an electrical engineer to manage a civils project?

 

[bernardgreen]

Would you expect an electrical engineer to manage a civils project?

An electrical engineer could manage a civils project if he or she has the basic knowledge together with the ability to learn what is involved specifically in managing civils. Before being ( self ) trained as an electrical engineer he or she was not an electrical engineer. Being an engineer in one discipline does not exclude one from being an engineer (or a very competant person ) in one or more other disciplines.

Engineers learn and develop their knowledge and skills, technicians ( pseudo "engineers" ) are trained or taught what they need to know.

working to "accepted practice", by which I mean standards.

They are not the same thing. Standards are what is to aimed for while practices are the way those aims are achieved.

EDIT some engineers have poor typing skills.

 

[Jackrae]

And the problem with working "to" standards is that the applicant often fails to appreciate that they are the level of minimal acceptance, meaning the project is invariably built "down" to them.

 

[Simon35]

And the problem with working "to" standards is that the applicant often fails to appreciate that they are the level of minimal acceptance, meaning the project is invariably built "down" to them.

I'm currently doing quite a lot of functional safety design, and meeting the required standards - BS EN 62061. Application of the standard means that the system meets the required level of safety. Just as if I was sizing a cable using the tables in 7671, it doesn't mean the project is built "down" to the level of 7671, it means it is fit for purpose, and would in no way be improved by chucking in bigger cables.

 

[OwainDIYer]

Whilst it's true that the Victorians built many ingenious things,

And many other things that have since collapsed / disintegrated / been condemned as highly dangerous

Would you expect an electrical engineer to manage a civils project?

No of course not. In the public sector it would probably be a Knitting Studies graduate reporting to Councillor Thick.

 

[Jackrae]

And many other things that have since collapsed / disintegrated / been condemned as highly dangerous

Just like some of today's builds them