New electric blanket - deadly buzz???

C

Complainer

Registered User
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So we had to get a new electric blanket over Christmas. It seems that the technology has moved a lot in recent years. It's not an electric blanket any more, it's a 'heated mattress cover'. There none of the messy tie-strings - it just fits over the mattress like a fitted sheet. But one aspect of it is worrying me a bit.

After switching off the blanket and getting into bed, when the two parties touch off each other, there is a noticeable buzzing sensation between the two. I know that many of you would think that this was just down to my immense personal energy, but no, it's definitely the blanket. We tried unplugging the blanket, and got no buzzing.

Is this a sign of something wrong?
 
We had the same thing with an electric blanket years ago. We could feel and hear a buzz when we touched each other (steady now!). It was only when the blanket was on. It took us AGES to cop it (we thought we had something special) and then stopped using it. Sorry if that is no help..... but it's funny to hear a similar story!!
 
And the solution is - don't touch off each other ;)

e-mail the manufacturer and ask for their advice as it sounds as if there is a fault. Electric blankets are great when working correctly but can be dangerous if faulty or used incorrectly.
 
A hotel lamp had a buzz out it when we turned it on over the Christmas. Eventually I turned it on and it started almost singing, then haze and eventually smell of burning all in matter of seconds, energy saving bulb had nearly gone on fire (half the bulb turned black). Good job we were there to quickly unplug it.

Id def not use the blanket, go back to shop and see what they say.
 
THanks for all the helpful suggestions. I did find this information on a UK site;

[broken link removed]

I sometimes experience a tingling sensation when using my electric blanket.

This small electric “shock” or tingling sensation is sometimes experienced when the blanket is switched on and is quite common and absolutely harmless. It is due to the body acquiring an electrical (a.c.) charge due to the close capacitive proximity of the albeit insulated heating element which is connected to the 240VAC supply.
It is similar to the electric shock that some people get in bed when they touch the wall or a metal bedstead etc., even when NO electric blanket is used. In this case the body acquires a dc charge (i.e. static charge) perhaps due to very dry bedding, very dry air, insulated castors, nylon carpets etc.
There is very little you can do to stop the phenomena as the more insulation you place over the blanket, the more charge you may acquire when the blanket is ON. This a.c. charge can result in a tiny tingling or vibrating feeling as it discharges down to the ground. Most users do not experience this, but individual specific circumstances in each of our homes will sometimes
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But our experience is different - we get the buzzing after the blanket has been switched off. If we unplug the blanket, no buzzing.
 
fraggle said:
When we felt it, it was practically continuous.
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My OH is going to Ireland next week, and as Complainer is not forthcoming on where he purchased his, and anyway yours sounds much better, could you direct us to the shop? January is a bit of a cold dull month.
 
I'm an electronic engineer and I suggest you stop using it. It's difficult to know exactly what is going on but it is definitely not normal.

Is there one or two controls / plugs on your model? It almost sounds like the switch is wired in between both halves of the electric blanket... so that each half is acting a Capacitive plate and you both are acting a dielectric completing the loop.


I make / fix a lot of things... and we have three electric blankets, definitely wouldn't be using this one!
 
fraggle said:
When we felt it, it was practically continuous.
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OK, but what about the buzzing?

Bronte said:
Where can one purchase this?
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Bronte said:
My OH is going to Ireland next week, and as Complainer is not forthcoming on where he purchased his, and anyway yours sounds much better, could you direct us to the shop? January is a bit of a cold dull month.
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Sorry, wasn't being coy? I was going to suggest that maybe you drop over and I could demonstrate the interesting phenomenon in person, but given that it's your OH coming over, I'll hold off on that offer. I got the yoke in Argos - Dreamland Intelliheat - couldn't find a SuperKing size blanket anywhere else.

burmo said:
I'm an electronic engineer and I suggest you stop using it. It's difficult to know exactly what is going on but it is definitely not normal.

Is there one or two controls / plugs on your model? It almost sounds like the switch is wired in between both halves of the electric blanket... so that each half is acting a Capacitive plate and you both are acting a dielectric completing the loop.


I make / fix a lot of things... and we have three electric blankets, definitely wouldn't be using this one!
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Thanks - it's a dual control model all right, with his-n-hers controls. We'd normally choose different temperatures, if that explains anything. But the buzzing was happening after we had switched the unit off, but not when we unplugged it.

Here's what I got from Imetec UK, along with an offer to speak to them by phone;
It is called Electro Static Tingling and it is completely harmless; it can happen with any electrical item.
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losttheplot said:
An electronic engineers definition of intimacy.
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Genius.
 
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