“Power is wasted and danger is made”
August 12th, 2007According to Sarah this is what happens when you leave the iron switched on. She’s right, and it points out a common failing with many appliances: they stay on when you don’t need them to be on.
In the case of an iron there’s a very simple fix for this, insert a little widget that detects movement (you picking up the iron) and if there isn’t any movement for five minutes switch the iron off. It would be simple to implement, an accelerometer, a microcontroller and a relay. Couldn’t really be simpler, could it? So why don’t irons have a “not in use” timeout? Probably because it makes the device slightly more complicated (not by much though), it adds another point of failure (though modern irons last about six months anyway) and, most importantly, it would add about 25 pence to the retail price.
I guess the only way to get this sort of iron safety device built into new irons would be for the Government to mandate it. Maybe I should start an e-petition for this… I might get three signees, that’s sure to get an act through Parliament!
When I moved out of home my mum gave me her iron and bought herself a new one because her iron switched itself off when not in use and she thought it would stop be burning my house down. That and she likes buying herself new irons.
- Laura @ 13 August 2007Might have been this one – http://www.electricshopping.com/shop/shop.do?pvSKU=40710 – I don’t remember, it broke!!
- Laura @ 13 August 2007Well it must have worked, you didn’t kill yourself or burn the flat down with it! Personally, I wouldn’t trust you with anything more dangerous than a blunt spoon.
- Al @ 13 August 2007