Re: Amusing problem about DC polarity

"siliconmike" <siliconmike@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1149838180.937755.216870@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Imagine a black plastic box that takes in DC power but has no polarity
markings on its power socket.

The problem is to experimentally determine the correct DC polarity
without opening the box and without letting the box die.

How close can we come?

So what is it, a bare resistor with a sense circuit across it that ignites a
charge when you apply a certain negative voltage to the terminals? Or does
it have a specific transfer curve, such as an exponential or negative
resistance or unidirectional behavior at any point before it explodes? Not
only the electrical characteristics, but how am I to know if I have hooked
it up right? If it explodes in one direction and does nothing in the other,
I personally would be more inclined to plug it into the wall and watch the
pyrotechnics!

Sorry...It could be an interesting question...but it is, at best, poorly
worded when talking to an engineer. ;-)

Tim

--
Deep Fryer: a very philosophical monk.
Website: http://webpages.charter.net/dawill/tmoranwms


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