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[jrwhit]

Has anyone had any luck cycling power to an electric blanket plugged into an AM486 appliance module? The blanket is a newer Sunbeam dual control unit. I can control the unit just fine the first time I send the ON signal to the module, but after it turns off, it appears that something inside the blanket control shuts off and then the unit is dead again until the on button on the blanket control is turned on manually. Any ideas, or is this a case of looking for another use for my module?

[Brian H]

You mean that when the appliance module is on and the blanket cycles off when warm enough. It will not go back on; when it cools down; even if the applaince module is still on?

[Dan Lawrence]

The newer blankets cannot be left on, even if X10 is not involved.  When you turn the blanket on by its switch, it stays on for 8 or 9 hours and then turns off.  If you want some X10 control. the appliance module works fine.  My blanket is hooked up that way.  Around 9:00 PM the timer turns the module on, but the blanket is is still off.  I have to go to the bedroom and turn the blanket on by its switch.  The timer turns the module off about 7:30 AM and turns power to the blanket off before the blanket controller would. Saves a little bit of power.

Our old blanket had both control switches on, the module turned the power on and off.

[Brian H]

Thanks Dan. That sounds like what maybe happening.

[jrwhit]

Actually, the blanket would stay on forever. The problem is that once the module receives the power off signal, the blanket control turns the manual switch off and the only way to get it turned back on is to punch the ON button again, as Dan mentioned. Part of the circuitry, I guess. I just didn't know if there was a way to over-ride this feature.

[Brian H]

OH now it is clearer.
Maybe a safety thing. If power is lost it turns off and can't come back on unexpectedly when power goes back on.

[Dan Lawrence]

That's what I believe.   Probably there were fires started by blankets that were left on with the settings on high.   I suspect the Insurance industry mandated the changes.  That why with the old blanket, X10 was used to turn it on and off regardless of the temperature setting of the blanket.  No possibility of the blanket starting a fire.   

[Dan Lawrence]

Actually, the blanket would stay on forever. The problem is that once the module receives the power off signal, the blanket control turns the manual switch off and the only way to get it turned back on is to punch the ON button again, as Dan mentioned. Part of the circuitry, I guess. I just didn't know if there was a way to over-ride this feature.

Actually, the appliance module kills the power to the blanket at 7:30 AM, but when I go into the bedroom after 9:00 PM (when the timer turns the module on) I have to press the power switches on the blanket controllers to turn them on.