# Switch Heaters



## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Just read the review in the latest GR mag. Any one tried these and if so what was your observation. Later RJD


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Have not got the new GR yet. ROn Senek got his out in Nevada yesterday!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I wasn't aware it was due yet, isn't it early? 

And how do you rate RJ? hahahaha! 

Greg


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Hay some folks are just on the good list. For once it's nice to have it before the rest of the group. Now lets see who gets the heater and test it out. Later RJD


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Mine was waiting for me at home, kind of a cool idea. (or hot!). 

Page 98. Funny, some of the questions Kevin raised in his review are on the front page of the web site... 

So it runs at 12 or 18 or 24 volts, just draws different amounts of current... they give the current draw at these voltages. 

It also works on AC, DC or DCC,. You need to turn it off above 40 degrees though, it does not have a built in thermostat. 

Regards, Greg


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Page 98. Funny, some of the questions Kevin raised in his review are on the front page of the web site... 

So it runs at 12 or 18 or 24 volts, just draws different amounts of current... they give the current draw at these voltages. 

My question was whether the heater worked at voltages other than specifically the 12, 18, or 24 volts mentioned, or if the voltage had to be externally regulated to one of those three specific values. (i.e., would it run at 14, 17, or 22 volts?) Neither the web site nor the instructions address that issue, except to say it can be run off of track power, which would indicate it does not need to be externally regulated. My power supply was a 14 volt power supply and the heater worked quite well at that voltage. (I also tried it at 22 volts with identical results.) I'm led to believe that the unit can operate at any voltage within that 12 - 24 volt range. Below that, it probably doesn't heat up enough to melt the snow; above that, it would probably burn out. 

The values stated on the web site relative to the specific voltages are not current draws--or if they are, they forgot the decimal point. At 14 volts, the unit draws 0.32 amps; at 22 volts, the unit draws 0.52 amps. 

Later, 

K


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep, you are right, and that is not specifically stated, and you are right it is a range... that part is not really clear on the web site. I did find this cool device called a phone and got the answer, a range. 

Maybe they will change the wording and say from x to y, and then give the currents. These guys are used to working with things like the auto industry and fixed supply voltages... so I guess it's hard to get their mind around that. They figured that our standard voltages were 12/18/22 ... 

Yep, above that you get thermal runaway... as they say don't run it at temps above 40 degrees. 

Yep, the site is in milliamps... was hard to believe that it drew 60 amps at 24 volts ha ha! 

The web site needs some work with the fine details... I will heartily agree. 

Regards, Greg


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Greg, it's not in milliamps, either. Off by a factor of 10. 

I did find this cool device called a phone and got the answer, a range. 
Thank you for confirming that which I determined through intuition and experimentation.









Later, 

K


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

?? 

Your GR review leaves it as a question, not as an answer. 

The reason for my post was that you left the question in your GR review, unanswered. 

Now you say sarcastically: "Thank you for confirming that which I determined through intuition and experimentation." 

If you had confirmed the fact at the time, why didn't you put it in your review then, rather than give the statement above? 

That's why I made the suggestion that you could have called them and gotten your answer and completed your review and not left a question in it for the rest of us ... 

Not trying to give you a hard time, but come on, just admit you could have made a phone call, especially if you are reviewing a product for a magazine read by thousands of people. 


Greg


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

The review does not explicitly state "the voltage is a range." It does read as follows: "According to the literature, the pad is designed to be powered by either 12, 18, or 24 volts. I don't know if this means specific voltages or anywhere within that range. Since the unit is designed to be run off of track power, I would think that it's a range. My power supply was 14 volts, and seemed to work well." I'd think a statement like "seemed to work well," accompanied by my supporting hypothesis (track power) and photos of the unit performing as expected would be a clear enough indication that it is indeed a range. I do appreciate hearing back from readers about points where I'm particularly vague or non-committal, and I invite anyone with similar questions to feel free to ask for clarification. 

Greg, I may have misinterpreted your original post, which--to me--implied that I somehow missed the obvious; that I would have answered all my questions if I had just visited the web site. Such is clearly not the case, or you would have not been moved to call for clarification yourself. Could I have done the same? Sure. It's not at all uncommon for me to call manufacturers with questions. But why would I need to in this case? I had a question, I tried something, it worked. Question answered. There are many paths to truth--none any better than the other. I tend to gravitate towards the hands-on approach. It's not as quick as a phone call, but it's a lot more fun! Besides, at more than one point in my quest for knowledge, I've been told "I'm not going to tell you; work it out for yourself." I'm a much wiser person for that. 

Later, 

K


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Fair enough Kevin. 

It is indeed weird the way they present the product on the site, which implies that it only works at those 3 voltages. Of course if you took them literally, one voltage uses 60 amps, so it might defrost your entire layout! 

Regards, Greg


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Oh man total melt down on my RR. Yikes. Oh BTW mine drew 60 amp and I no longer have a switch. Any one interested in some scrap SS rail. Guess I'd better call Lewis. Later RJD


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## Johnn (Jan 5, 2010)

HE HE HE Very funny, i love this site. So many really cool people.
Johnn


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Of course the logical extension of its use is as a fuel heater for live steam.


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## Doug C (Jan 14, 2008)

"...I tend to gravitate towards the hands-on approach. It's not as quick as a phone call, but it's a lot more fun!.."

Read a lot of forum threads over the years and it seems the majority of end users tend to also operate that way ! Good to have a product reviewer that follows the majority. 


Although there are the extremists that don't even read the provided manual and when something is seemingly broke or not performing to advertised spec' . . . . .lash out at the manufacturer vs reading the manual which in a lot of cases has the answer. 


In this case it sounds similiar to computer programmers writing software manuals and forget that the end (consumer) user is just a couch potato or housewife with no computer knowledge-a-tall other than where the off/on switch is ! This manufacturer should have had a end user proof it/use it first. 


I don't have the April issue of GR yet, this will be a interesting product read . . .


doug c


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