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Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 2:06 pm
by saefroch
The data from the article does not indicate that your product will save lives, or that it is even capable of this. The product only works in a small amount of cases. I doubt this device will induce those who do not have to purchase and maintain a working smoke alarm.
Have you sold any units?
boyntonstu wrote:Since you know nothing about the subject at hand, your comment is expected.
Sorry I didn't address this earlier. I thought the link would be a clue.

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 2:51 pm
by velocity3x
boyntonstu wrote:
It has taken us 4 man years of research and development to achieve a remarkably easy to use smoke detector maintenance system.
We spent tens of thousands of dollars in mechanical engineering and in growing the plastic prototypes.
4 man/years (depending on how you value your time) is worth a minimum of $400K
Tens of thousands of dollars means $20K minimum
$420k (whether in time, actual money or both) seems like an excessive amount of startup funds considering the technical level of the product. What is your time forecast for recovering your initial investment before you begin to operate in the black?
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 3:26 pm
by mobile chernobyl
So you unscrew the fire alarm, then the terminal still holds it up I take it? You need to disconnect this as well - It looks like there is a plate that can act as an adapter to create an electrical connection that allows disconnection just by unscrewing?
The connection plate is what I'd like to know more about. The telescoping pole with a basket on it is not the real challenging invention here it looks like, just a means to access it.
This connection plate needs to be universal - for RH and LH turning designs? It also needs to somehow create a 3 wire connection reliably that can be universal in design and pose no threat to the reliability standard that currently exists.
Any more info on this STU? Or is this the bread and butter for your patent? lol
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 3:55 pm
by MrCrowley
Hey Stu can you reply to my post about the smoke alarms we have here in NZ. Perhaps they're exactly the same as what your tool is for but I couldn't make out from the video. Also, with the smoke alarms we have here that have a drop down face on a hinge, there's no need to dismount it to change the battery or reset it, I don't even think the whole unit comes off the roof easily.
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 4:21 pm
by Ragnarok
boyntonstu wrote:About 70% of all home-fire fatalities occur in houses with no working smoke alarms
In other news, car owners with speed camera detectors less likely to be caught by a speed camera.
Obviously, houses with no working smoke detectors are more likely to suffer fire fatalities than those with working detectors.
But to be honest, I'm surprised it's not more. I had kinda assumed the detectors were more effective at preventing fire fatalities than to have a third of all home-fire deaths in houses with at least one working alarm.
boyntonstu wrote:jhalek90 wrote:i think you need to give it up stu. before you make yourself sound like more of an ass.
Do you mean that if I keep it up I will become like you?
I'm not good at comebacks, but even I would've given this one a miss.
At what point did we get to "Takes one to know one" and "I know you are, but what am I?"
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 5:10 pm
by jrrdw
Yup, same principle as the light bulb changer. I can see Stu's tool working on twist lock set up's, but not on the hinged type MrCrowley mentioned. In either case they have a plate mounted to the location that the smoke alarm mounts to.
Also most new smoke alarms now come with a nuisance button so if the oven sets it off you press it and it's disabled for a set amount of time.
Batteries should be renewed at the time change or every 6 months if your community doesn't observe daylight savings time, not all do.
Stu, grow a thicker skin. We all think differently there for not all ways in agreement and nobody owes a apology for being in disagreement, that's life and you should no that at your age. Your a elder so set a good example, you follow me there? There is strong disagreement but no flaming so I'm leaving this open...
OP ='s other people??? That's my guess.
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 5:21 pm
by Hotwired
OP = Original Post (of a thread) or Original Poster (of a thread) depending on the context.
Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 7:28 am
by boyntonstu
OP = Original Post.
The OP = Original Poster
Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:02 am
by more_eggs
Personally I dont really like this stick with a claw on the end.
Shocking resemblance to this!!!!!!
Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:26 am
by boyntonstu
More-eggs on your face,
Why don't you like it?
It can do a job that your 'short arm' cannot.
Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:31 am
by more_eggs
I dont know, I just dont see the point of it.
Get a ladder lazy people, with which you could perform many other household tasks which dont need a single specialized item to do
Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:36 am
by boyntonstu
If you could use a robot arms to twist a smoke detector off from its mount, how are you going to lower it with the wires attached?
Many people who are not lazy live in houses with 15-20 feet tall ceilings.
Do you have an 'A' frame ladder that could reach it?
Imagine that you are 70+ years old and that the SD wakes you at 3 am, are you prepared to grab a ladder and climb to reach the SD?
Have you ever carried a 12 foot ladder through your house.
It ain't easy.
Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:42 am
by mark.f
boyntonstu wrote:Many people who are not lazy live in houses with 15-20 feet tall ceilings.
Admittedly, my parents live in such a house. I don't think they have a ladder, though, and they just change lightbulbs from the attic.
Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:44 am
by boyntonstu
mark.f wrote:boyntonstu wrote:Many people who are not lazy live in houses with 15-20 feet tall ceilings.
Admittedly, my parents live in such a house. I don't think they have a ladder, though, and they just change lightbulbs from the attic.
How do they deal with Smoke detectors?
BTW Many houses do not have attics, and if they do have attics, many areas are too low for easy access.
Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 8:49 am
by more_eggs
If you could use a robot arms to twist a smoke detector off from its mount, how are you going to lower it with the wires attached?
Many people who are not lazy live in houses with 15-20 feet tall ceilings.
Do you have an 'A' frame ladder that could reach it?
Imagine that you are 70+ years old and that the SD wakes you at 3 am, are you prepared to grab a ladder and climb to reach the SD?
Have you ever carried a 12 foot ladder through your house.
It ain't easy.
1. Id just pull it down
2. Yeah I have a massive A frame ladder to reach it
3. If my alarm woke me at 3am Id be more worried about getting out of the house due to the fire that set off the alarm.
4. Yeah I carried an 18 foot ladder through my house, its not that bad.
Ever seen these:
http://transforma.conversionsystems.com ... /index.asp
Now THAT, is an invention