Iron Using Anxiety

[ChumpusRex]

I use it in the bike and the van for the same reasons (And thinking it was 'the best way') - surely the corrosion inhibitors would stop that?

In general, inhibitor formulations seem to have little rhyme or reason to them - if you read some of the patents, there's no way to predict what recipe would have what effect until tested due to all sorts of bizarre synergies and interactions. On this basis, who knows what effect additional minerals would have - with some of the more modern inhibitor formulations using ions like lithium or strontium in parts-per-million concentration, if these things really were effective, then the trace amounts of various other ions in mains water could do anything.

Most commercial inhibitor preparations contain an anti-scaling agent designed to prevent hard waters from leaving scale deposits. However, some of the more modern formulations, like the current Japanese automotive coolants, are very sensitive to hard water, and must only be mixed with deionised water (with concentrates generally not available).

[Will!]

So it's red rusty clothes or white dandruff streaks. decisions, decisions.

If it really bothers you then boil the water first in a kettle. At least you'll only have limescale in the kettle.

[happy_renting]

When my butler irons my smoking jacket and cap, I insist that he uses Perrier.

[thecrashingisles]

The best anxiety cure is to iron like a lion in Zion.

[The XYY Man]

There are only three reasons a man should ever handle an iron.

1) When it is needing repair, or a plug fitting.

2) As a make-shift weapon in a finding burglars in the house scenario.

3) When his wife asks "Can you pass me the iron please pet...?"

XYY

[Bossybabe]

So it's red rusty clothes or white dandruff streaks. decisions, decisions.

Can you use distilled water?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/health-beauty/dp/B0035FF28M

only £22.63 for 5.5lts.

Or look like a tramp?

The latter!!

[Bossybabe]

Is that true? I'm a chemist and I can't think of any reason why that would be the case.

My dad always said so. He was a research chemist, specialising in water analysis and treatment for cotton mills all over the world.

Unfortunately I can't ask him as he's been dead for some years.

[happy_renting]

I'll use my Ouija Board to get my dead Dad to ask your dead Dad.

Usually works.

One knock for distilled, two knocks for deionised, etc.

[juvenal]

I'll use my Ouija Board to get my dead Dad to ask your dead Dad.

Usually works.

One knock for distilled, two knocks for deionised, etc.

Is anybody there?

[happy_renting]

Is anybody there?

I got three knocks for no.

[sPinwheel]

Try orange juice.

[MrPin]

I should also state that the manual also says:

"Due to the high power of this steam iron please make sure your mains supply is sufficient. Please contact your local electricity supply company to make sure that the so called mains impedance is not higher than 0.32 ohms"

I'm an electrician and know this is clearly nonsense and someone has got the wrong end of a few correct sticks.

Well spotted. What's a "mains impedance"?

[The XYY Man]

Well spotted. What's a "mains impedance"?

I am a bit confused by this myself Pinny - but am trying to make sense of it nonetheless.

It occurs to me, that with the use a few Ohm's law calculations, they might be trying to tell you that you can't get maximum rated power from the iron if the resistance between your main distribution board and the socket you plug the iron into is greater than 0.32 Ohms.

If we assume a 240V supply (I know it's 230 nowadays, but the figures won't be too different) and that a quick Google of modern steam iron specs gives a top figure of around 3200 Watts, then that is a current of 3200/240 = somewhere close to 13 Amps. A 0.32 Ohm resistance in series with this - that of the household wiring - would seem a good idea to me as it forms a current limiting effect that means you can't overload the 13A socket.

So - if I'm figuring-out this Chinglish correctly - the 0.32 doesn't seem a bad MINIMUM "mains impedance", but as a MAXIMUM, dropping 4 Watts or so out of 3200 should be a piss-in-the-ocean performance wise. I'm presuming the OP must be an extreme-ironer, or an over-clocker of the household ironing world if such a miniscule power-loss interferes with the crispiness of his shirts/her blouses...! That's some serious OCD you got there my friend

Yeah Pinny, you're right mate - I took it back to first principles and it's still baffling the shit out of me too..!

XYY

[XswampyX]

[The XYY Man]

OK Swampy, now we're getting somewhere.

No sound on the video this end mate, but it looked like something akin to an ELCB that Magnus Pyke was chalking on the board there, so we are taking about safe earthing procedures here then, right..?

In which case, the maximum impedance makes perfect sense - and my last post was utter b0ll0cks..!

XYY

[XswampyX]

Yes it was.

Electrical impedance is the measure of the opposition that a circuit presents to a current when a voltage is applied.

In quantitative terms, it is the complex ratio of the voltage to the current in an alternating current (AC) circuit. Impedance extends the concept of resistance to AC circuits, and possesses both magnitude and phase, unlike resistance, which has only magnitude. When a circuit is driven with direct current (DC), there is no distinction between impedance and resistance; the latter can be thought of as impedance with zero phase angle.

It is necessary to introduce the concept of impedance in AC circuits because there are two additional impeding mechanisms to be taken into account besides the normal resistance of DC circuits: the induction of voltages in conductors self-induced by the magnetic fields of currents (inductance), and the electrostatic storage of charge induced by voltages between conductors (capacitance). The impedance caused by these two effects is collectively referred to as reactance and forms the imaginary part of complex impedance whereas resistance forms the real part.

It's a fancy resistance to earth to get the thing to trip out before it kills you.... Very important!

[SNACR]

Don't worry it will all go DC eventually the ruddy Chinese will probably still have the impudence to put scrappy little bits of paper wobbling on about impedance in.

My favourite Chinese manufactured goods literature enclosure is the exploded parts diagram, in something like a £10 trolley jack, cos when the impurities in the poorly cast crappy pot metal cause it to fracture, almost immediately upon use, it's great to know where all the internal circlips are.

[SNACR]

I got three knocks for no.

Are you sure it's not nextdoor's owls?

[winkie]

Just bought a new steam iron and the instructions say not to use deionised water. I live in a really hard water area though...and the deionised water bottle has a picture of an iron. :-S

Any ideas why they now say not to use it?

Fill it with cooled boiled water from the kettle....helps prevent the build up of scale inside the iron that can be transferred onto clothes.

Or I find ironing using a dry iron on top of a damp clean tea towel laid on creased clothes does a better ironing job.

[MrPin]

Well there we have it. Ironing and electricity sorted in one. Yes you should make sure you have a low earth loop impedance. A good earth connection is very good for safety. Obviously I think the idea with irons, is not to run them on a 2 mile cable. Perhaps the person who wrote the instructions had a poor command of English.