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  3. Mechanics / Mech Engineering

Schalter hat ausgelöst

English translation: Switch is triggered

15:23 Sep 28, 2020
German to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Mechanics / Mech Engineering / Technical Documentation of Pumps
German term or phrase: Schalter hat ausgelöst
I've been researching how you would correctly say in English technical terms that "a switch went off" - the German is "ein Schalter hat ausgelöst".
The context is a technical manual that includes warning messages: Take a motor protection switch as example, maybe because the engine is overheating, a switch trips/triggers/activates/releases... In the specific paragraph, no furher action is described to follow but I assume that the engine stops.
So far, I've found that "tripping a (safety) switch" is apparently rather Australian English and tripping a switch can both activate and deactivate a following action. If possible, I'd like the translation to be as neutral as possible, the technical manual will mostly be for personnel that use English as a lingua franca.
Thanks for any input, highly appreciated!
TGegner
English translation:Switch is triggered
Explanation:
I wouldn't say that 'trip' is particularly Australian, it's certainly English, HOWEVER it is more specific than trigger.
Take a look at: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/trip-sw... "an electric switch arranged to interrupt a circuit suddenly... "

Triggering a switch or sensor causes some particular action depending on how the switch is configured; tripping it interrupts the circuit.

Here is some triggering:
https://flatriverelectricllc.com/5-reasons-circuit-breaker-m...
https://www.notionservices.co.uk/notion-blog/2018-12-06/circ...
Selected response from:

Mair A-W (PhD)
Germany
Local time: 18:22
Grading comment
Great, thanks!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3Switch is triggered
Mair A-W (PhD)


  

Answers


40 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Switch is triggered


Explanation:
I wouldn't say that 'trip' is particularly Australian, it's certainly English, HOWEVER it is more specific than trigger.
Take a look at: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/trip-sw... "an electric switch arranged to interrupt a circuit suddenly... "

Triggering a switch or sensor causes some particular action depending on how the switch is configured; tripping it interrupts the circuit.

Here is some triggering:
https://flatriverelectricllc.com/5-reasons-circuit-breaker-m...
https://www.notionservices.co.uk/notion-blog/2018-12-06/circ...

Mair A-W (PhD)
Germany
Local time: 18:22
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 23
Grading comment
Great, thanks!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kim Metzger: Definitely not just Australian.
31 mins
agree  Juchi Pratt: Chiming in to say that "trip" sounds natural to me as an EN-US speaker.
32 mins
agree  philgoddard: Activated is fine too.
40 mins
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