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bloc

English translation: AC/DC power supply (unit) OR PSU

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:bloc AC/DC (d'alimentation)
English translation:AC/DC power supply (unit) OR PSU
Entered by: Tony M

14:17 Oct 15, 2007
French to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Electronics / Elect Eng
French term or phrase: bloc
In the technical specifications of a battery recharging device;

Alimentation électrique du bloc AC/DC: 100- 240 V ~ 1.5 A- 50 to 60 Hz

I know for batteries, bloc is usually translated as pack, but does it work here? Might it be from the "block" unit that converts AC to DC like what laptops come with for example?
irishpolyglot
Ireland
Local time: 17:21
AC/DC power supply (unit) OR PSU
Explanation:
Although it is not specifically stated in the FR, I feel that the key term here is 'power supply', and 'bloc' is often used like this in FR, with d'alimentation taken as read.

I would tend not to refer to it as a 'converter' (even though FR often does), as we tend to think of that more in terms of some kind of DC > AC converter, like an invertor or UPS, for example.

It is after all basically just some kind of voltage-transforming + rectifying device... the aspect of 'conversion' doesn't really coem into it, in natural language, I mean.

I note from the input power specification that this is presumably quite a meaty creature; depending on the physical construction of this 'bloc' (e.g. is it self-contained, or built within the unit?), you might find 'module' would be a good word to use for it — but I still strongly recommend keeping the 'power supply' in there somewhere.
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 18:21
Grading comment
That will do nicely!! Thanks for your help everyone :)
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3AC/DC power supply (unit) OR PSU
Tony M
3 +1unit
Bashiqa


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
unit


Explanation:
This is the AC/DC converter unit

Bashiqa
France
Local time: 18:21
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 49

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  veratek: although not my area of expertise, it seems a simple "ac/dc unit" is more common
1 hr
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
bloc (d'alimentation) AC/DC
AC/DC power supply (unit) OR PSU


Explanation:
Although it is not specifically stated in the FR, I feel that the key term here is 'power supply', and 'bloc' is often used like this in FR, with d'alimentation taken as read.

I would tend not to refer to it as a 'converter' (even though FR often does), as we tend to think of that more in terms of some kind of DC > AC converter, like an invertor or UPS, for example.

It is after all basically just some kind of voltage-transforming + rectifying device... the aspect of 'conversion' doesn't really coem into it, in natural language, I mean.

I note from the input power specification that this is presumably quite a meaty creature; depending on the physical construction of this 'bloc' (e.g. is it self-contained, or built within the unit?), you might find 'module' would be a good word to use for it — but I still strongly recommend keeping the 'power supply' in there somewhere.

Tony M
France
Local time: 18:21
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 2116
Grading comment
That will do nicely!! Thanks for your help everyone :)

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Terry Richards: An amp and a half isn't that much though. / Less than the cooling fans draw on a *proper* power supply :)
31 mins
  -> Ta, Terry! Well, it is on the mains side (what, 150 W?) — compared with the dribble drawn by your Walkman... // Ah, now we're TALKING meaty!
agree  narasimha (X)
9 hrs
  -> Thanks, Narasimha!
agree  Charles Hawtrey (X): Well, it's not the battery bank in a submarine, that's for certain...
1 day 4 hrs
  -> Thansk, Charles! :))
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