On Wed, 17 Feb 1999 07:11:40 +0000 Nigel Goodwin
>One final point, what does having the scope earthed protect you
>against
>anyway?. Is there anything else apart from breakdown in it's internal
>mains transformer), or some kind of short between incoming live and
>the
>case.

If you do connect the ground lead by accident to a live circuit,
something will blow up.  This is much better than the case of the scope
becoming live, then you blowing up when you touch it.  With the safety
ground intact, it is always safe to touch the ground of the scope, unless
of course you are also toucing a live wire at the same time.

The answer for impromptu tests without using an isolation transformer is
simply DON'T.  If you can lug a scope around, take a transformer too.

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