I am thinking of using a discarded (good) electric controller from an
electric blanket as a controller for a nichrome wire foam cutter. Can
anyone gibve me a general idea how electric blankets work. Pointed in
the right direction I can use a multimeter to check out the wiring and
see if I can use it for controlling a foam cutter.

There are two controllers. The controller I where I snipped off the
insulated power wires has a regular two prong plug (2 wires) for the
wall 115 Vac outlet. Inside the controller is a heating "zig zag" wire
assembly next to a 3/4 turn moveable knob contact for adjusting the
blanket's set temperature. I would believe the "zig zag" wire heats
up to cut off the power supply at set point. This "zig zag" part is
an independent 3 wire circuit but must be connected to the 115Vac
power source somewhere.

Since I don't have the blanket any more I am a bit puzzled as to how
things are wired up. Also I can't imagine 115 Vac running though the
blanket's embedded heating coils as any fracture will be a fire hazard
or a shock hazard. Yet there is no transformer to step down the
voltage and not much by the way of safety cut-offs in the controllers.

There was as ad on TV tonight for a service that allowed you to create a
will for $63 - perfectly legal. If buying a real controller is less than
this - buy one, if its more, make a will, then modify your blanket control
but please let your wife know how to list things on ebay.


Val Kraut


don't forget fire insurance.

There was as ad on TV tonight for a service that allowed you to create a
will for $63 - perfectly legal. If buying a real controller is less than
this - buy one, if its more, make a will, then modify your blanket control
but please let your wife know how to list things on ebay.


Val Kraut

Before proceeding, please be sure you will is up to date and your
significant other(s) know where you have hidden your important papers.

There was as ad on TV tonight for a service that allowed you to create a
will for $63 - perfectly legal.  If buying a real controller is less than
this - buy one, if its more, make a will, then  modify your blanket control
but please let your wife know how to list things on ebay.

                            Val Kraut

On Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:29:18 -0700, "Tom"

(remove)mr_tsqu... at (no spam) hotmail.com> wrote:
Before proceeding, please be sure you will is up to date and your
significant other(s) know where you have hidden your important papers.

Grow up a little please.  I had made many of my own tools, mechanical,
electric and electronic  and they work great.  I am way past
retirement and  I still have all my body parts in good condition.  I
know what I am doing. If you have an answer do share it.  What we
don't need is smart assed comments from people who know nothing.

I am thinking of using a discarded (good) electric controller from an
electric blanket as a controller for a nichrome wire foam cutter. Can
anyone gibve me a general idea how electric blankets work. Pointed in
the right direction I can use a multimeter to check out the wiring and
see if I can use it for controlling a foam cutter.

There are two controllers. The controller I where I snipped off the
insulated power wires has a regular two prong plug (2 wires) for the
wall 115 Vac outlet. Inside the controller is a heating "zig zag" wire
assembly next to a 3/4 turn moveable knob contact for adjusting the
blanket's set temperature. I would believe the "zig zag" wire heats
up to cut off the power supply at set point. This "zig zag" part is
an independent 3 wire circuit but must be connected to the 115Vac
power source somewhere.

Since I don't have the blanket any more I am a bit puzzled as to how
things are wired up. Also I can't imagine 115 Vac running though the
blanket's embedded heating coils as any fracture will be a fire hazard
or a shock hazard. Yet there is no transformer to step down the
voltage and not much by the way of safety cut-offs in the controllers.

I am thinking of using a discarded (good) electric controller from an
electric blanket as a controller for a nichrome wire foam cutter.  Can
anyone gibve me a general idea how electric blankets work.  Pointed in
the right direction I can use a multimeter to check out the wiring and
see if I can use it for controlling a foam cutter.

There are two controllers. The controller I where I snipped off the
insulated power wires has a regular two prong plug (2 wires) for the
wall 115 Vac outlet. Inside the controller is a heating "zig zag" wire
assembly next to a 3/4  turn moveable knob contact for adjusting the
blanket's set temperature.  I would believe the "zig zag" wire heats
up to cut off the power supply at set point.  This "zig zag" part is
an independent 3 wire circuit but must be connected to the 115Vac
power source somewhere.

Since I don't have the blanket any more I am a bit puzzled as to how
things are wired up.  Also I can't imagine 115 Vac running though the
blanket's embedded heating coils as any fracture will be a fire hazard
or a shock hazard. Yet there is no transformer to step down the
voltage and not much by the way of safety cut-offs in the controllers.

On Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:29:18 -0700, "Tom"
(remove)mr_tsquare at (no spam) hotmail.com> wrote:

Before proceeding, please be sure you will is up to date and your
significant other(s) know where you have hidden your important papers.


Grow up a little please. I had made many of my own tools, mechanical,
electric and electronic and they work great. I am way past
retirement and I still have all my body parts in good condition. I
know what I am doing. If you have an answer do share it. What we
don't need is smart assed comments from people who know nothing.

On Jul 19, 11:59 pm, PaPaPeng <PaPaP... at (no spam) yahoo.com> wrote:
On Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:29:18 -0700, "Tom"

(remove)mr_tsqu... at (no spam) hotmail.com> wrote:
Before proceeding, please be sure you will is up to date and your
significant other(s) know where you have hidden your important papers.

Grow up a little please.  I had made many of my own tools, mechanical,
electric and electronic  and they work great.  I am way past
retirement and  I still have all my body parts in good condition.  I
know what I am doing. If you have an answer do share it.  What we
don't need is smart assed comments from people who know nothing.

Having seen the results (*) from a broken electric blanket, I'd still
have to say be very careful, and I really do hope it works out for
you.

* - A destroyed bedroom - $5,000.00
- Clean up and airing out the rest of the house - $1,000
- Having at least one wag claim thet someone forgot to put out the
post-coital cigarette....
.
- Priceless

I do not see how that could be useful for hot wire cuttter. Best way
to control hot wire cutter would probably be a low voltage variable
transformer. Or some sort of Triac controlled circuit (similar to
standard dimmer switches). The "dimming " circuit could either be
used on the high or low voltage side of the transformer.

Peteski

I think you would be much better off using a low voltage device, and
you can easily use manual control rather than automatic. Much safer,
too.