Aug 13, 2010 13:12
13 yrs ago
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German term

Kontaktkohle

German to English Tech/Engineering Electronics / Elect Eng
Taken from an e-learning course about the inner workings of tumble dryers.

"Die drei Trommelrippen sind durch einen Kunststoffring von der Trommel isoliert befestigt. Die Trommelrippen haben jeweils Verbindung mit dem Kontaktband. Die Kontaktkohle (3) oder Kontaktbürste (3a), die mit dem Kontaktband ständig verbunden ist, bilden einen Pol zur Elektronik. Die Trommel bildet den zweiten Pol der Messstrecke, der über eine Kohlebürste (6) an der Rückseite (7) des Lagers mit dem Gehäuse des Gerätes verbunden ist."

I'm confused by the use of "Kontaktkohle", "Kontaktbürste" and "Kohlebürste". Since they are numbered separately, I assume the text is referring to three different things. I have "Kohlebürste = carbon brush" and "Kontaktbürste = contact brush" but am then stuck on "Kontaktkohle".
Proposed translations (English)
3 Carbon contacts

Discussion

opolt Aug 13, 2010:
Agree with Friedrich I would say they all fulfill the same basic function, only with 3 being a part of 3a, and 6 being located elsewhere. And I see no problem with a literal translation in this specific case. Bear in mind that in German, there's a strong rule that says you should avoid repetition of identical words in the same sentence, which is often followed (unconsciously) even if it makes things rather unclear to the reader; I've seen this often enough even in technical texts.
Friedrich Reinold Aug 13, 2010:
I think all three terms are synonyms here. "Kontaktkohle" would be "contact carbon", btw.

Proposed translations

7 mins
Selected

Carbon contacts

"brushes" that provide contact with a motor rotor (or with a slip ring) were initially real metal wire brushes (at the beginning of electrical engineering - Tesla times). They are now made of a carbon (coal) compound). This is why you have Kontaktkohle and Kontaktbürste.
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3 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks for the explanation!"
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