How would they know that the glad plug ins were the fire starter when he said himself that theres literally no evidence left behind because of the thin plastic?!
Hm...
Jeff
Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 | 09:46 AM
This is not true since a light would not dim aand go out because the Glad plug-in got too hot. The circuit beaker would blow befor that happened.
If it were plugged into a bathroom receptacle, it would more than likely be a GFCI receptacle which would turn off if there was a jump in current.
EE
Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 | 06:45 AM
Nice try Jeff, you must have slept through your circuits class.
A thermistor is used to limit current flow relative to ambient temperature. Indeed, the light would dim and eventually go out with high enough temps.
A GFCI is not a current limiting device. It detects Ground Faults (hence the GF in GFCI), so if your standing in water in your bathroom an you make contact with the AC, the GFCI will interupt the circuit.
Eric- The fire investigator
in Ohio
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 | 07:19 AM
For every ones information this is not a hoax. I am a licensed fire investigator, I would share my name however the case I am currently working on is in the litigation process so I cannot give a lot of detail. How ever this I can tell you. The glade extra outlet is definitively a fire starter. This device has a 15 ampere current rating, meaning only 15 amps may be safely drawn through the extra outlet, any more current than that will overheat the device through resistance heating. This process is called IR squared. Most people have little or no understanding of current versus voltage. This should not be left in the hands of the consumer to make this calculation. The device has no protection against overcurrent, this is a product defect. Have any of these myth busting web sites personally done product testing on this device, and what sort of training do the authors have in electrical engineering, product failure analysis, or fire investigation? Do they know the concept of IR squared, or the fire tetrahedron, or heat release, or pyrolysis? These are simple basics of fire science. SO therefore you may wish to reconsider taking there word for it. And of course SE Johnson is going to defend there product! In SE Johnsons reply did they mention any safety devices incorporated into their product, NO and that is because there are none! So my advice is to read the package carefully heed any warnings or current ratings and if you are unsure of the amount of current the device you are going to plug in will draw, DONT PLUG IT IN! I have nothing against Glade most of their products are fine, they are the expert of stink, not electricity, and this product has room for safety improvement!
Sir D
in Virginia
Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 | 04:59 AM
My family have been using Glade plug-ins for years. I have no idea why anyone would use a extra outlet from a Air freshner PLUG-IN. Come on people use your head. Just like the fire investigator said Glade is a master of stink not ELECTRICITY. I would never use the extra-outlet product unless it was a powerstrip.
carrie w
in south dakota
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 | 12:52 AM
This is sooooo not a hoax! I have been using Glade plugins for years. Well that all changed today when my house almost burnt down. I had a Glade oil plugin airfreshner. Not the kind with the extra outlet. It overheated and started on fire taking a big chunk of my wall with it. And just so you know, it did not blow my circuit breaker. The fire marshall came and looked things over to make sure there was no longer any fire risk. He said that they have seen several of these fires and each time they attempt to contact SC Johnson with no response. He was shocked by the amount of damage that it had done and said I was lucky we caught it when we did or my house would have been gone.
Eric
in Ohio
Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 | 05:47 AM
To answer Stephanie's question as to how you can tell after all the plastic burns up. After all of the plastic and organic materials burn away there is still some metal buss work and a small printed circuit board that will remain. Heat oxidizes metal and the heavier the oxidation the more heat was present. So where there is heavy oxidation deposits this is an indicator of localized heating which can only be caused by electrical resistance heating (IR squared). If a circuit board were faulty. Under a microscope and using x-ray you can pinpoint localized heating on the printed circuit board by comparing damage to the circuit traces and by the number og layers damaged on the board. So you see fire leaves behind a tremendous amount of forensic evidence. And does the guy that had one burn up part of his wall still have the burnt glade pug-in I would be interested in having you send it to me.
Eric
in ohio
Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 | 01:14 PM
Carrie do you have the remains of the burnt glade plug-in ? If so I would be interested in having you ship it to me.
