LMII heating blanket modification?

I got a LMII heating blanket that I want to use with a router speed controller to control temperature. The only problem is that the type of plug on the LMII heating blanket is for a socket style plug in that matches their very expensive heat controller.

Can I modify this? Advice appreciated.

Looks like it's just an IEC kettle plug. Your local computer store or electrical store should have a range of these - male, female, extensions ....
However, without a heat controller, you could be playing with fire - literally.
Miguel

I have used a drill speed controller to control the heat setting of my bending iron for many years. Care must be taken to match the required final surface temperature to the setting of your controller.
This can be achieved with a surface thermometer or by experimentation (with some risk of cooking your blanket).
A small patch lead can be fabricated …. a female IEC plug to match the blanket at one end and a male plug to match your controller outlet at the other. This can be made by some one with the necessary skills, knowledge and care, for a few dollars. Please remember that this kind of controller has no thermal feedback and the heating process will be accumulative, so careful monitoring will be necessary until you can settle on a “working” setting. While this works well for my use, I can not be confident that it will work as well for a silicone blanket. Somewhere on this forum, I have seen reference to the use of silicone blankets without a controller…. this has been achieved by turning on the power for a few minutes (I forget the actual time) and then turning it permanently off.

Check with John Hall at Blues Creek Guitars. Find him on the web.He sells blankets and I think he will have some answers for you. Does not matter that you bought the blanket elsewhere. He's a good guy!

mineymole said:

I got a LMII heating blanket that I want to use with a router speed controller to control temperature. The only problem is that the type of plug on the LMII heating blanket is for a socket style plug in that matches their very expensive heat controller.

Can I modify this? Advice appreciated.

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You *can*, but that looks like a nice molded, strain relieved plug. Why not just get the IEC socket that matches it and wire it into your speed controller?

TjW said:

wire it into your speed controller?

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I believe a speed controller controls the speed of the tool by varying the voltage and is not designed to control temperature. You would need to put a thermocouple in the loop somewhere. The whole thing sounds like a boy scout project to me. Just bite the bullet and buy the fffing controller. Consider the alternative: pay the $197 dollars for the controller or potentially burn down your shop, your house including the surrounding neighborhood. Might be a better deal in the end.

sequoia said:

I believe a speed controller controls the speed of the tool by varying the voltage and is not designed to control temperature. You would need to put a thermocouple in the loop somewhere. The whole thing sounds like a boy scout project to me. Just bite the bullet and buy the fffing controller. Consider the alternative: pay the $197 dollars for the controller or potentially burn down your shop, your house including the surrounding neighborhood. Might be a better deal in the end.

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Pretty much what I have decided! Thank you again everyone for your input and advice.