Sorry - I left it implied, but indeed there is no green wire. This is a protective Class 3 product - all voltages are non-shock-hazardous, the case is plastic, there are no protective earthing provisions.
However, the Ethernet connection is not the only connection to digital ground, and some of those other connections are circuits that leave the product and go out into areas that may be user accessible. In the case of a power cross from hazardous voltage external circuit to the shield of the Cat 5 cable (in those rare occasions where shielded Cat 5 is used) the hazardous voltage would be passed through our device and onto other accessible circuits. That seems to be a good reason not to connect the connector shell directly to digital ground but to use a voltage-rated cap or indeed a Y-cap after all. Jim Eichner, P.Eng. Manager - Compliance Engineering and SW Test Xantrex Technology Inc. phone: (604) 422-2546 fax: (604) 420-1591 e-mail: [email protected] web: www.xantrex.com Confidentiality Notice: This email message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ken Javor Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2007 3:48 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Ethernet connector shield decoupling capacitor it does not matter if the case is plastic. If the cable is shielded, and the shield is terminated to digital ground, and if digital ground is tied to the green wire, then there is a possible ground loop. If there is no green wire because of the plastic case, then the ground loop problem can't happen and there should be no reason to require a cap between shield and ground. > From: "Jim Eichner" <[email protected]> > Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2007 15:34:16 -0800 > To: <[email protected]> > Cc: "Jim Eichner" <[email protected]> > Subject: RE: Ethernet connector shield decoupling capacitor > > Thanks for the replies so far everyone. > > The Ethernet connector is shielded, but my assumption is that the Cat5 > cable used is usually NOT shielded. > > The digital ground involved is not connected to chassis, which is > plastic in this case. > > Jim Eichner, P.Eng. > Manager - Compliance Engineering > Xantrex Technology Inc. > e-mail: [email protected] > web: www.xantrex.com > > Confidentiality Notice: This email message, including any attachments, > is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain > confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, > disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended > recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all > copies of the original message. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2007 2:30 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: Ethernet connector shield decoupling capacitor > > Chas, > > The original post states the Ethernet is shielded. That was indeed > the basis of my response. > > Ken > >> From: "Grasso, Charles" <[email protected]> >> Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2007 14:26:42 -0700 >> To: "Ken Javor" <[email protected]>, <[email protected]> >> Subject: RE: Ethernet connector shield decoupling capacitor >> >> Hi Ken. Is the assumption that the externally run Ethernet is >> shielded? Then I can see how ground potentials can be as issue. >> >> Typically all the internal stuff is unshielded. >> >> Best Regards >> Charles Grasso >> Compliance Engineer >> Echostar Communications Corp. >> Tel: 303-706-5467 >> Fax: 303-799-6222 >> Cell: 303-204-2974 >> Pager/Short Message: [email protected] >> Email: [email protected] >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [email protected] >> Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2007 2:19 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: Ethernet connector shield decoupling capacitor >> >> I think there are others on this forum who understand this better >> than > >> I do; in fact I learned this from someone else on this forum. >> Ethernet can run a long way, and if it connects two pieces of >> equipment whose enclosures are at slightly different mains frequency >> potentials, due to their green wires going to different grounds, that >> can cause current to flow through an Ethernet shield grounded at both >> ends. Hence the capacitive decoupling which is a high impedance at >> the mains frequency. This answer assumes that your digital ground is >> tied to chassis ground, which I believe is typical. >> >>> From: "Jim Eichner" <[email protected]> >>> Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2007 12:05:08 -0800 >>> To: <[email protected]> >>> Subject: Ethernet connector shield decoupling capacitor >>> >>> We're being hit with a requirement that I don't understand. >>> >>> We are using a shielded Ethernet connector that contains the typical >> 2kV >>> cap from the common point of the 75 ohm resistors to the shield. >>> This is used on the output of an off-the-shelf Ethernet transceiver >>> module, and the mfr of that module is telling us we need to connect >>> the connector shield to their digital ground through a 1nF 250V >>> Y-cap, not directly. >>> >>> 1. Why not directly connect the shield to digital ground? >>> >>> 2. Why would a Y-cap be required? The cap would be joining two >>> parts >> of >>> the same circuit, so it would not be across an isolation boundary. >>> I > >>> can't think of a reason to require either the 250V rating or the Y >>> rating. >>> >>> Any thoughts anyone? >>> >>> Thanks, >>> >>> Jim Eichner, P.Eng. >>> Manager - Compliance Engineering >>> Xantrex Technology Inc. >>> e-mail: [email protected] >>> web: www.xantrex.com >>> >>> Confidentiality Notice: This email message, including any >>> attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and >>> may > >>> contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized >>> review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are >>> not > >>> the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail >>> and > >>> destroy all copies of the original message. >>> > > - > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society > emc-pstc discussion list. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ > > To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to [email protected] > > Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html > > List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html > > For help, send mail to the list administrators: > > Scott Douglas [email protected] > Mike Cantwell [email protected] > > For policy questions, send mail to: > > Jim Bacher: [email protected] > David Heald: [email protected] > > All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: > > http://www.ieeecommunities.org/emc-pstc - This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc discussion list. 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Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to [email protected] Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html For help, send mail to the list administrators: Scott Douglas [email protected] Mike Cantwell [email protected] For policy questions, send mail to: Jim Bacher: [email protected] David Heald: [email protected] All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: http://www.ieeecommunities.org/emc-pstc ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________
