Videokarma.org

Go Back   Videokarma.org TV - Video - Vintage Television & Radio Forums > Expeditions & Passions

We appreciate your help

in keeping this site going.
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #31  
Old 12-14-2015, 09:30 PM
Dubis7's Avatar
Dubis7 Dubis7 is offline
Alchemizes cash to tubes
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Leesburg, VA.
Posts: 397
Man, who knew everyone had so much to say about electric blankets just below the surface, haha.

At this point, I'm looking to pick up a new one. Mid century ones are pretty expensive, though, unfortunately, so I guess it's a future purchase rather than an impulse. I like my current one, but I don't want to wake up with third degree burns.
__________________
To keep your tubes running smoothly, make sure to dust underneath the glass as well.
Reply With Quote
  #32  
Old 12-14-2015, 09:45 PM
Electronic M's Avatar
Electronic M Electronic M is offline
M is for Memory
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Pewaukee/Delafield Wi
Posts: 14,758
If you watch TV in a cold room and know you won't fall asleep you could keep the old one as an "awake use only" blanket. If your awake you can toss it off and pull the cord before the sud starts to hit the fan....

When I was a kid the 40's central heater was on it's way out and did not warm the place enough, so blankets and heating pads kept me comfortable on many winter days in front of the TV....
__________________
Tom C.

Zenith: The quality stays in EVEN after the name falls off!
What I want. --> http://www.videokarma.org/showpost.p...62&postcount=4
Reply With Quote
  #33  
Old 12-15-2015, 04:31 AM
markdi markdi is offline
markdi
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: portland oregon
Posts: 232
are the modern blankets safe ?

I have one bought in 2011
Reply With Quote
  #34  
Old 12-15-2015, 06:27 AM
Findm-Keepm's Avatar
Findm-Keepm Findm-Keepm is offline
Followin' the Rules...
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,832
Quote:
Originally Posted by markdi View Post
are the modern blankets safe ?

I have one bought in 2011
Yes, incredibly so. The blankets produced since 2005 all have timers to limit the on time, and all are double insulated, with failsafe controls.

The older blankets with their resistive controls (think rheostat) or fixed/variable bimetallic contact controls could fail on, and create unsafe conditions. Typical failures were contacts that arc-welded themselves shut.
Newer ones use a uProcessor based controller, with a fail "open" condition the norm. The timers also cannot be bypassed easily, making a safer-than-ever blanket.

The elderly were especially vulnerable with the older blankets, and most nursing homes ban the ones without a timer function.
__________________
Brian
USN RET (Avionics / Cal)
CET- Consumer Repair and Avionics ('88)
"Capacitor Cosmetologist since '79"

When fuses go to work, they quit!
Reply With Quote
  #35  
Old 12-17-2015, 09:58 PM
bgadow's Avatar
bgadow bgadow is offline
VideoKarma Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Federalsburg, MD
Posts: 5,814
Well, I'm fearless when it comes to electric blankets (Ha!) Never been very worried about one. Right now we have one that's only a few years old, after the last unit died. At some point in the last 5 years I sent one to the "service center" for repair and got it back, good as new, as promised. I'm not so sure that they don't just throw the bad ones straight into the trash can and just send you a new one.

We have also bought non-electric blankets at Roses (a sketchy sorta place these days, with ready to expire food and various odd-lot kinda stuff) and they were actually factory second Sunbeam electric blankets without the heating elements. Cheap, so we didn't care.

At one point I had a controller (only) for a 50's era Simmons electric blanket. Bakelite case, had a vacuum tube in it. Sold it to somebody on the ARF.
__________________
Bryan
Reply With Quote
Audiokarma
  #36  
Old 12-18-2015, 08:37 AM
Findm-Keepm's Avatar
Findm-Keepm Findm-Keepm is offline
Followin' the Rules...
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,832
Quote:
Originally Posted by bgadow View Post
At one point I had a controller (only) for a 50's era Simmons electric blanket. Bakelite case, had a vacuum tube in it. Sold it to somebody on the ARF.
Vacuum tube - probably a thyratron? I can't imagine the need for a traditional vacuum tube of any sort. 2D21/PL21 tubes were commonly used in controllers in the late 50s/early 60s.
__________________
Brian
USN RET (Avionics / Cal)
CET- Consumer Repair and Avionics ('88)
"Capacitor Cosmetologist since '79"

When fuses go to work, they quit!
Reply With Quote
  #37  
Old 12-18-2015, 09:46 PM
bgadow's Avatar
bgadow bgadow is offline
VideoKarma Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Federalsburg, MD
Posts: 5,814
I don't recall except I don't think it was anything "garden variety". I probably should have kept it, since it made a neat paperweight! The indicator dial looked like a thermometer.
__________________
Bryan
Reply With Quote
  #38  
Old 12-19-2015, 08:24 AM
pac.attack76's Avatar
pac.attack76 pac.attack76 is offline
Stuck in the past!
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 1,220
I know a guy that repaired one after it died. Sure he got it working but one evening, I had to run to the third floor next door where there was fire and the smoke was worse than any fog. To this day, if I hadn't ran up there, this girl and her child would be dead. Wall and floor heavily damaged not to mention the bed. And the smell. Bottom line is you respect electricity. Especially the kind designed to make heat.
Reply With Quote
  #39  
Old 12-19-2015, 12:03 PM
Findm-Keepm's Avatar
Findm-Keepm Findm-Keepm is offline
Followin' the Rules...
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,832
Electric blankets these days are for the most part, non-repairable. Cryptic part numbering, and no parts support make them a consumable at best. When/if my controller dies, it'll become just another blanket.
__________________
Brian
USN RET (Avionics / Cal)
CET- Consumer Repair and Avionics ('88)
"Capacitor Cosmetologist since '79"

When fuses go to work, they quit!
Reply With Quote
  #40  
Old 12-19-2015, 12:27 PM
user181 user181 is offline
VideoKarma Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 451
pac.attack76 --

Glad you were able to save them -- you're a hero!

It must be very sobering to know how things could have turned out otherwise. And, yes, electricity must be taken very seriously.
Reply With Quote
Audiokarma
  #41  
Old 12-25-2015, 02:59 PM
Dubis7's Avatar
Dubis7 Dubis7 is offline
Alchemizes cash to tubes
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Leesburg, VA.
Posts: 397
Does anyone have any idea what era this one is from?
Attached Images
File Type: jpg s-l500.jpg (24.8 KB, 28 views)
__________________
To keep your tubes running smoothly, make sure to dust underneath the glass as well.
Reply With Quote
  #42  
Old 12-25-2015, 03:50 PM
dishdude's Avatar
dishdude dishdude is offline
VideoKarma Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 821
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dubis7 View Post
Does anyone have any idea what era this one is from?
I'd say the mid to late 70's.
Reply With Quote
  #43  
Old 12-25-2015, 06:15 PM
David Roper's Avatar
David Roper David Roper is offline
console lover
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,986
Using the same criteria I posted earlier, that estimate ^ is likely off by as much as a decade. A ballpark guess would be circa 1970.
Reply With Quote
  #44  
Old 12-26-2015, 01:18 PM
jr_tech's Avatar
jr_tech jr_tech is offline
VideoKarma Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,510
Would an arc fault detector outlet such as this add a degree of safety margin, if one is using an older electric blanket?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWJ8AV0/...ing=UTF8&psc=1

not affiliated,
jr
Reply With Quote
  #45  
Old 12-26-2015, 01:34 PM
N2IXK's Avatar
N2IXK N2IXK is offline
Technohippie
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Sittin' on the "Group W" bench...
Posts: 799
Quote:
Originally Posted by Findm-Keepm View Post
Vacuum tube - probably a thyratron? I can't imagine the need for a traditional vacuum tube of any sort. 2D21/PL21 tubes were commonly used in controllers in the late 50s/early 60s.
There was a tube specifically made for electric blanket controllers, the GL-1367 fused thyratron made by GE. It was later EIA registered as the type 5662.

It had 2 cathode pins, with a fusible link connecting them. If the current through the link exceeded 2.25 A, it would open, cutting off the power.
Reply With Quote
Audiokarma
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:53 AM.



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
©Copyright 2012 VideoKarma.org, All rights reserved.