Rick,

I think you may be right when it comes to non-detachable power cords (hard
wired into unit, no IEC Inlet). We always use the IEC Inlet so it can go to
different countries so have not had to get a product through safety testing
with a non-detachable cord. Here is what UL 1950 section 2.5.9 says:

Protective earthing terminals for fixed supply conductors or for
Non-Detachable Power Supply Cords shall comply with the requirements of 3.3.

3.3  Screws and nuts which clamp external power supply conductors shall have
a thread conforming with ISO 261 or ISO 262, or a thread comparable in pitch
and mechanical strength. The screws and nuts shall not serve to fix any
other component, except that they are permitted also to clamp internal
conductors provided that the internal conductors are so arranged that they
are unlikely to be displaced when fitting the supply conductors.

This last sentence does appear to indicate that it should be on top of the
stack.

Any thoughts from anyone else out there?

Kurt Andrews
Compliance Engineer
Tracewell Systems, Inc.
567 Enterprise Dr.
Westerville, OH 43081
Ph. 614-846-6175
Fax 614-846-7791
Email: [email protected] 

        -----Original Message-----
        From:   [email protected] [SMTP:[email protected]]
        Sent:   Tuesday, January 18, 2000 11:01 AM
        To:     [email protected]
        Subject:        RE: Proper Protective Earth Ground Symbol


        I agree with Kurt's summary of the ground marking and stack-up
requirements,
        but there is a point of clarification I would like to have. Years
past, it
        was explained to me that an appliance inlet ground must be first on
the
        stack-up against the chassis. The point was to ensure that any
maintenance
        action did not compromise the grounding of the enclosure. In the
case of a
        power cord, the opposite was true however. Since a power cord is by
        definition frequently replaceable (hence the specific requirements
for
        strain relief's and terminal blocks) the ground wire must now be on
top of
        the stack-up. This facilitates easy replacement without jeopardizing
the
        ground.

        What is the consensus on this?

        Rick Busche
        Evans & Sutherland
        [email protected]

                        -----Original Message-----
                        From:   Andrews, Kurt
[mailto:[email protected]]
                        Sent:   Tuesday, January 18, 2000 8:26 AM
                        To:     [email protected]; Jackson;
William;
        '[email protected]'
                        Subject:        RE: Proper Protective Earth Ground
Symbol


                        Jim,

                        For the Protective Earth Terminal, that is the
ground from
        the power cord or
                        IEC Inlet that should be located just inside the
equipment
        needs to be IEC
                        417, No. 5019, the circle upside down tree. Also the
        incoming ground MUST be
                        the first on a stud and secured by its own
lockwasher and
        nut. You may then
                        stack other grounds to other parts of the equipment
on top
        of this ground.
                        You may use a separate lockwasher and nut for each
        additional ground or one
                        for all of the additional grounds. There may also be
other
        ground studs in
                        the unit if you don't want to run wires to the
Protective
        Earth Terminal.
                        This assumes an all metal construction, which is
what we
        use. We have used
                        both the upside down tree symbol, IEC 417 No. 5017,
and the
        Equipotentiality
                        symbol, IEC 417 No. 5021 for these additional
grounds with
        no problems. For
                        an additional ground on the outside of the equipment
we have
        used the same
                        symbol as for the Protective Earth Terminal. When we
sent a
        unit in once for
                        safety testing to UL we had the upside down tree
without the
        circle next to
                        an outside ground terminal and they told us it has
to be the
        one with the
                        circle around it. I would think that the frame
ground
        symbol, IEC 417 No.
                        5020 (pitchfork) would also be acceptable although
we
        haven't used it.

                        Hope this helps,
                           
                        Kurt Andrews
                        Compliance Engineer
                        Tracewell Systems, Inc.
                        567 Enterprise Dr.
                        Westerville, OH 43081
                        Ph. 614-846-6175
                        Fax 614-846-7791
                        Email: [email protected] 

                        

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