Cellphone signal and coffee maker havoc

yuandrew

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Earlier tonight, I was talking to my friend and I happened to place my cell phone on top of a commercial coffee maker (a Bloomfield "Koffee-King") that I had in my garage. To my surprise, the stainless steel lid on top of the coffee maker where you pour the water in began to buzz with the GSM signal.

Now I'm pretty sure most are familiar with the buzzing sound one gets from a cell phone placed near a radio or amplified speakers but a coffee maker wouldn't have a speaker or amplifier in it to pick up the signal and translate it into sound. Somehow, the signal was reacting with the metal parts of the coffee maker and causing it to vibrate and make the sound.

I later took a video of this. The noise is somewhat faint but could be heard. (Ignore the air raid/tornado siren ringtone)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePLo9kMNURQ

Could anyone explain this ?
 

TooManyGizmos

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Died Nov. 2015
~
Uhmmmm .... No

But I'm not sure I'd place that phone next to my head !

Maybe you should have it tested ?
What brand and model is it , please.
~
 

RepProdigious

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Jan 11, 2010
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the Netherlands
I bet what you're hearing is feedback on the cellphone speaker itself due to interference from the stainless steel...... Have you tried an other phone?
 

KD5XB

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Oct 20, 2008
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DM84jk
Either that or a bit of corrosion between two of the panels rectifying the signal and causing the vibration.
 

yuandrew

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Chino Hills, CA
I bet what you're hearing is feedback on the cellphone speaker itself due to interference from the stainless steel...... Have you tried an other phone? .

I found it only does that if I place it on the cover. No where else on the coffeemaker does it make that noise

My phone is a Motorola Z3 Rizer that a family friend got me from Hong Kong. I did also try my mother's Sony W580I and it does the same thing.

Either that or a bit of corrosion between two of the panels rectifying the signal and causing the vibration.

Maybe. I checked out the coffeemaker again. There what looks like a steel or aluminum wire running through the holes on the back of the lid to form a hinge. It appears the wire is what's vibrating.
 
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