On Fri, 30 Nov 2018 at 05:57, John Gardner wrote: > According to Boodle, Biddeford products are "now made in China". > > What a surprise. > > Perhaps factory "value re-engineering" is a factor in the failure? > > Russell's laws of manufacturing in China. 1. You have to be there*. followed by the later 0. Don't**. * ie you or a competent authorised representative loyal to you and with full authority has to be on site and involved enough to be able to guarantee that what is done is what is meant to be done. ** If you can't comply with 1. , don't even try. You MAY be lucky, and some are, but odds are ... . Russell > ... > > > On 11/29/18, Art wrote: > > I think you're so right Alan, > > > > The blanket has 3 loops of wire over the entire surface of the queen > > size version, so there is about one wire every foot or so. If there wer= e > > more feet of wire per each blanket, the power density would be much > > improved and the surface temperature of the insulation would be lower. > > So, for the same amount of power from the outlet, any wires pressed > > against each other from 'bunching' would be much less prone to failure > > by melting. > > > > Now, add in teflon or similar higher melting point insulation, and the > > problem would probably be nonexistent and there would be no need for an= y > > failsafe spiral copper wire wrap. > > > > I am very upset to hear that low temperature melting insulation was use= d > > INTENTIONALLY! > > > > BTW, the company rep had no idea why the copper spiral winding was not > > connected inside the blanket. I'm wondering now if it was a Chinese > > fake??? It was purchased through JC Penny however. > > > > I wish I wasn't so anxious to throw the remains in the trash!!! It was > > trash day however, the bedding had burned and there was no need to keep > > it. So, after the autopsy, everything went into the trash! Damn, I wish > > I had kept the remains::> > > > > In fairness to Biddeford, their rep offered to replace my mattress and > > the damaged bedding, even though this was a 5 to 7 year old blanket. I > > declined his offer, but I did accept the replacement blanket he offered= .. > > > > =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D > > > > Just between you and me, I'm tempted to dissect the blanket Biddeford > > sends and then rebuild it with some larger gauge teflon insulated > > stranded copper wire...using more wire loops, but running it on 3 to 12 > > volts (or even lower). There would be no failsafe protection, but it > > probably isn't needed anyway IF the blanket has more feet of wire withi= n > > the blanket itself. To demonstrate that no failsafe protection is > > needed, I'd roll the thing into a ball and leave it operating. I think > > it would be much safer. > > > > I think I'd have a PIC monitoring the current draw constantly, so any > > shorting out of the conductors within the blanket would be detected > > immediately. There would be no need for the failsafe spiral wrap windin= g. > > > > I'm not sure if a heating element can be made from copper however. Toda= y > > we can make highly efficient power supplies at low voltage, *so maybe > > copper wire can be used as a heating element. Comments on the heating > > wire heating element would be appreciated.* > > > > Regards, > > > > Art > > > > > > ....meaning the insulation On 11/29/18 9:40 AM, AB Pearce - UKRI STFC > > wrote: > >>> Mind you: that didn't stop a faulty washing machine from starting th= e > >>> tragic fire in Grenfell Towers. > >> And the ongoing evidence seems to suggest that the cost cutting of > >> appliance manufacturers is causing rather too many fires in homes, > sadly. > >> > >> > >> > > > > -- > > http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > > View/change your membership options at > > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > > > > -- > http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > --=20 http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .