jon-e hand warmer

[cobb]

I got it in the mail the other day and after a few cold days I was going to test it to carry with me for future use.

The fuel cup they give to fill it up with just resulted me spiling hte fuel all over the heater. I noticed a good squirt was a cup full and used the spout to fill it up directly after removing the metal grill and brillo pad thing. Even with the spout i managed to spill some fuel, how I do not know.

I waited for the spilled fuel to evaporate and used a cleaned off table with a fire extinguisher thing handy. After the fuel was gone on the table and from my hands I lit the little candle wick thing on the outside of the metal brillo pad holder. It lit right away and made a 6 inch flame. It burned fairly warm and put off some light. After a minute I blew it out, put the metal cap back on and put it in the flanel bag. It was still warm 5 minutes later, so I let it sit and checked on it every few minutes for about an hour. It was always warm to the touch, but not as hot as I thought it would be. The corner of the room did kind of smell like the exhaust from a keroscene stove, but the order over all was little to none.

THen I did the final test. I put it in a plastic bag to smother it out. Well, it went out.

I after it cooled tried to top it off with fuel like the generic directions say. Put fuel in it till the wick is damp and shake out the rest. I put two more squires in it and still it was not full. It did weigh a bit more and with the nozzle still in the fuel area I managed to spill a bit more of fuel.

So, looks like it will work for me, just a bit concerned about the heat generated over all under a jacket as it seems those hand warmers that use chemicals get warmer, but this does have more surface area.

The only other concern is how to use it in public, at least to light it. Sure i can light it in my apartment or the shop where i work. But what about the bus stop or on the grounds of the college? I hate to do it indoors where they recommend is out of the wind. I guess i could always use the bathroom. That way if i have any problems I am right near some water.

 

[TOB9595]

Have you tried the military heating pads?
I have some and they are quite good. Fueled with 2.5 tbsp water. Dry measure or 43 cc of water. They last about 12 uses. Are 7 inch square and get very warm and last more than twelve hours. I set some in my bed and they are warm 24 hrs later. I sit on one when I watch TV. I keep windows open and it's been below 60 in the house.

Tom

 

[TheBeam]

TOB9595,

Where would one get a military heating pad? I recently stopped at a surplus store and didn't see anything like that. How do the work?

 

[TOB9595]

Cheaper than Dirt has them. Search under heating pad.
They work very well!
NO!
Make that extremely well.
You add 2.5 tablespoons of water to the pad. That's dry measure or 43 cc's. You increase water to 3 tablespoons after 4 uses.
Here I'm filling with a syringe. Since I have one big enough it makes it easy to fill. The stick, included, is to clear the passage into the space where the material is.

I don't know what is inside. I figure it must be similar to the heater meal concept.
They do work!
I have three of them under my flannel sheets now. One is still there and warm from last night. covered by a flannel sheet and down comforter.

I got a bunch to use at outdoor activities in the cold. I wear one under my sweatshirt and under my butt when sitting dormant outside for a cigar under the night sky /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Each military package weighs 18.5 ounces. It comes in a hermetically sealed foil lined bag which is not reuseable.
They will not come apart in all the uses till disposal time /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif they are well made.
The canvas heater sits inside a rubber perforated pouch, when in use.

Tom

 

[TheBeam]

Very cool/hot product. Very nice write-up. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I'm going to get some of these.
Thanks

 

[markdi]

I think they use some sort of nitrate an wood pulp and who knows what else.

the water starts the reaction

 

[TOB9595]

There's iron inside also /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I'm amazed that the reaction lasts as long as it does and they are reactivateable (is that a word?)
Tom

 

[cobb]

What about using those MRE heaters? I see they have a dozen for 4 bucks and they get hot enough to boil water.

 

[TOB9595]

The reaction is very hot and doesn't last long. I use the heaters for cooking and they do a great job!
Hmmmm, how would you contain the package?
It looks like the heaters are bare and you add water on top of them in a pan? to steam/heat the meal.

Anyway, they get cold quickly.
Tom

 

[Nom]

I've only had one of the versions TOB9595 has described and it was the best heating pad I've ever found. Unfortunately it never worked again afer a can of cherry coke (tm) was used to activate it (30 below and it was a choice of coke in my pocket or peeing in the thing). If there's actually someplace still selling these I'd go nuts, but I haven't seen them available anywhere in almost 10 years. If you find a resource please provide a link.

Edit:BTW MRE heaters are much hotter than you want to deal with for warming, the length of heating sucks and you'd have to wrap it in a towel to prevent burns. Tho I agree that usually you can get a second heating off them that is reasonable for pockets or more more likely a chest pocket on a jacket.

 

[TOB9595]

OOPS!
I thought I posted. Go to Cheaperthandirt.com and search for heating pads /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Welcome NOM!!!!

Tom

Forgot to add that mine are dated, I think, 1962 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[cobb]

Yeah, Tob sent me a link. Looks like they sell them cheap, but they look a bit onthe large side.

I was searching around that site and found those MRE heaters. It looked like it was something worth the effort. I hate getting cold and once I get it, I cant get warm for a good few hours. Since they had a dozen for 5 bucks or less, I would try them, put one in a chest pocket under my jacket when it gets cold or I get cold for that burst of heat.

Maybe later this week or next week I get to put the Jon e into some testing? Its been warm this past week, had to put the flanel on hold a few days.

 

[Aloft]

Cobb said: I was searching around that site and found those MRE heaters. It looked like it was something worth the effort. I hate getting cold and once I get it, I cant get warm for a good few hours. Since they had a dozen for 5 bucks or less, I would try them, put one in a chest pocket under my jacket when it gets cold or I get cold for that burst of heat.


I've used the MRE heaters. . . but only for actually heating MRE's. Be real careful, as these heaters (I assume you're talking about the ones that you add about a quarter cup of water to) get VERY HOT, far hotter than the handwarmers typically sold at outdoor stores. It is possible to burn your hand when removing MRE's from the pouch due to the steam!

 

[Photon]

I've used the jon-e handwarmers.

Talk about hot! If you light one and leave it on the table and turn off all the lights, you can see the heating element glowing red, almost orange. One model even had a hole in the side so you could light a cigarette.

They come with a little cloth bag. Keep the handwarmer in the bag in your pocket, and it throttles the combustion somewhat. Still it can be so hot it almost burns the skin.

 

[cobb]

I tried it the other day. I lit up in the bathroom by the sink so it could heat up and if it got out of hand I could dunk it in the sink. A few folks looked at it, but didnt say anything. Man that thing flamed up, the whole top was on fire and it started to smoke a bit. It settled down about half a minute and after a full minute I blew it out and put it in my shirt pocked under my outer shirt and in its case. Man, it was warm. After about 30 minutes I started to feel a burning feeling on my chest where it was. I assumed it was just the heat. Anyway, it got worse and I took it out of my pocket, put it in a bag to snuff it out. Chest still burned, so I assumed it was a rash than a burn. I later washed the bag it was in and my fingers seemed to burn a bit till I washed it with shampoo.

Funny thing, I went to lite it to see it glow and sure enough it does, but its a faint glow when in operation. I went to snuff it out with a glass jar and it seemed to work. Well, I had a candle near by and wondered how fast it would snuff out with the same jar. I lit the candle and as I was putting the jar over it POOF, a bluish flame came out of the bottle. Man, I guess those fumes from the heater are flamable?

Well, tomorrow will be test two. Lets see if it can work without causing the rash.

 

[Photon]

This also helps to illustrate the distinction between heat and temperature.

Consider a 100 Watt soldering iron, a 100 Watt light bulb, and a 100 Watt electric blanket. The soldering iron is hot enough to melt solder. The light bulb won't melt solder, but is too hot to touch. The electric blanket is pleasingly warm to the touch.

All three have the same amount of heat; that is, each will raise the temperature of water the same rate (roughly).

I don't know how many Watts equivalent the jon-e handwarmer puts out, but the thing is just too hot.

What would be very useful is some sort of heat diffuser. Put the hot thing in the middle and get a more gentle temperature from a larger area.

 

[cobb]

Day two it flared up with I lit it, must be the way they start off. Then like above 30 seconds it calm down, then blew it out. THis time I pulled the strings tight on the case and put it in my pocket. Same thing started to happen about 30 minutes later. I took some business cards out of my arm bag and put them in my pocket between me and the heater. THat worked, The burning feeling went away and I was toasty.

Yes, that does blow out some heat.

 

[JimN]

A friend gave me three jon-e handwarmers. They are missing the measuring cup to fill them and one of the hand warmers does not have a place for a wick. How do you light it? Just put a match to the inside felt or to the heating element on top? All three were stamped jon-e on the bottom and manufactured by aladdin labs. Thanks.

 

[cobb]

To fill them remove the metal top, then the metal brillo pad like thing. Then you should see a wire grill with felt or something behind it. That is where you put the fuel. If the heater is the side of a pack of cards, that is the small model and two squirts of fuel from the fuel can will fill it up. If fuel seems to leak out onto the table wher eyou are fueling it, you over filled it. I use to moderate squirts when its empty. One squirt if its half full.

You put the metal thing with the brillo pad like thing back on and that little candle wick like thing is where you light it up. That flame heats the brillo pad thing that works as the heating element. You light it for a minute and blow it out and put the cap back on. It may flame up to a foot flame or so then it calms down.

My dad came across a few at an army and navy store. They had no directions either, but where cheap. I paid like 20 bucks for one from cabelas. Oh, it will get hot enough to burn your skin, so you need to that or some bag to put it in to make it easier to handle and regulate the heat.

 

[JimN]

Thanks for your reply. My problem is one of the hand warmers does not have a wick or a hole for a wick to light it. Do I Light the felt and then try to put the heating element on? Seems like a way to get burned. Or do I put the heating element on and try to light it?
Thanks,
Jim