Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sunybcs!uhura.cc.rochester.edu!rochester!rit!cci632!rdi
From: rdi@cci632.UUCP (Rick Inzero)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: boiling water with mains current (was Re: Zap, fry, and sizzle)
Message-ID: <34599@cci632.UUCP>
Date: 23 Feb 90 15:41:16 GMT
References: <799@gold.GVG.TEK.COM> <804@gold.GVG.TEK.COM> <1990Feb22.205630.26536@cs.rochester.edu>
Reply-To: rdi@ccird3.UUCP (Rick Inzero)
Organization: Computer Consoles Inc. an STC Company, Rochester, NY
Lines: 36

In article <1990Feb22.205630.26536@cs.rochester.edu> ken@cs.rochester.edu writes:
>No longer on the topic of mayhem with electronic components. In
>Australia you can get kettles that boil water with a naked nichrome
>element.  Actually they are ceramic jugs and they are safe because of
>the construction: all ceramic body, and a cord that cannot be plugged
>into the jug with the lid in the open position.
>
>Are there similar appliances in other countries?

There are single-coffee-cup water heaters that work this way.  The nicrome
wire is encased in a (somehow electrically insulated) coiled aluminum tube. 
You just stick it into an open cup of water and in a couple of
minutes, it's as hot as you want it.

Also, steam vaporizers, usually used in a sick child's room, operates
like this.  There are two bare electrodes inside that boil the water.  
Naturally, they blatantly advertise "automatic shutoff" as a feature.  
Gee, when all the water boils away, I guess it'll shut off, eh?

I have a toy steam engine from 1946 that works like this too, with
2 bare lead electrodes inside the steam chamber.

In college, I had a commercially made hot-dog cooker that worked off
line voltage.  Just put the hot dog on these prongs that were directly 
connected to the line cord, and it would cook a hot dog as fast as
a microwave.  It was *great*!


---
Rick Inzero					rochester!cci632!rdi
Computer Consoles Inc. (CCI)			uunet!ccicpg!cci632!rdi
Rochester, NY					uunet!rlgvax!cci632!rdi

"Your grandmother never, ever called me stupid.  
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								commercial.