Update JUly 2008:

I'm not sure if anyone still reads this thread since it has been several years of effort so far. The first manufacturer to take a license is Intermatic Incorporated. Others are interested and may follow shortly.

I have some information posted on the http://www.power-sure.com website. As always, I'm interested in hearing your thoughts and if you've had an opportunity to see the Intermatic product, what you think of them.

Bob

Update 4/19/07

Now talking with 3 manufacturers - all looking for marketing info. I am developing some information and would like to include some of your comments.

I've updated the website to answer many of the questions that came in from Mike's newsletter readers and would very much appreciate it if you would use the www.power-sure.com/feedback.php3 page on the website. Please include your email if you want a response and check the box that asks if you want to be notified when these products are manufactured and available.

I also received a wide range of suggested RETAIL prices, so the more people that contribute to that estimate, the more accurate my planning will be.

I don't know how long Mike keeps this comments page, so please connect with me at the PowerSURE website.

Thanks to all. Bob

Thanks for all your comments everyone. I hope you will check the website for updates and status of our efforts. Please visit us at www.power-sure.com and check out the frequently asked questions.

Again, thanks very much for your honest opinions and suggestions. If you submitted feedback using the "contact us" page, and provided your email address, I will keep you notified as things progress to the next level.

Bob Barton

You have to have UL approval for any product permanently installed in a building. It would have to be small enough to fit in a box as a device, (this may not be to hard when you consider the size of a GFCI t;ype receptacle) and have safe access for battery replacement. I don't know of any light today (including leds) that can operate for 4 nights with a very small battery and still put out enough light to egress the room. Sounds like theory to me. If the device had an outside extension, it may be practicle but I can't see more than a watch type battery inside the device.

I would like to know what powers the light during the power failure - battery? capacitor? If so, what about testing and battery replacement?

Does it need a neutral conductor in the outlet box?

There are times when the power goes out I ask myself how can I get out there alive. This product will be a Godsent if put into market. I will surely buy a bunch for my house.

I would want too to order for my house.

I like the idea. Is the light lit during normal power from utility source like the night light gfci receptacle I have installed with a photocell? Dual purpose night light emergency light would be a great combination. When can I order?

I was impressed with this. I hope somebody will take a close look at this and market these. I can see a real safety advantage with them.

I think these are great and have found them to be a great addition to many layouts around kids bedrooms and hallways to help guide way around house at night and or power failures.

Since I do have the following information I would comment onthe points. > price is it to costly? > can the light be turned off if not wanting to use as a night light? >Is the lumens "Light output' too low to be usefull as a means of egress? >Can these be made with a Yellow light for use around pools and others area to use for light at night?

As far as why they would not sell the Cost and marketing is the only reasons that I can for see.. If you sell them as a means of "Safety' and get all the Fire Departemts and building inspectors to agree that they would be an asset they should sell!!

Please keep us advised of the outcome. I have night lights all over my house because I'm old and tend not to turn lights on at night. Those two things make me dangerous. I, for, one would buy these and let my husband install them. Great Idea!

Think about this, you put one in a residential hallway, wire the smokes off of it, put the circuit on an afci, and then if the power goes out to the smoke circuit you have a visual indicator that shows better than the tiny green light in the smoke that nobody notices anyway......

Hi everyone. Thanks for the responses so far. Most of the issues and questions on this forum are posted on the http://www.power-sure.com/faq.htm freauently asked questions. I was hoping to familiarize everyone about what the product does by answering questions there.

Almost every comment submitted to the 'contact us' feedback page has been very positive. If you use the website to provide feedback, I have a way of automatically collecting and sorting through the ideas you are generating. Each one contains some nugget of professional and experience driven thoughts that I need to study.

As I said in my letter to Mike, everyone who sees them wants to have them.

All of you are very supportive - keep the comments coming. - and Thanks Mike, this is getting very interesting!

I will post some of the promising suggestions back here when I sort through them.

A few answers: 1) The night light can be turned off. 2) The batteries are replaceable. 3) An optional rechargeable battery version will be available. The batteries are expensive so I figured it would be best to make them an option. Let me know if I'm thinking correctly. 4) Many receptacles on the kitchen counter eating areas, are exposed so the light easily lights up the bathroom, kitchens and other rooms. (They work downstream from GFCIs and I still ahve to test AFCI performance).

Thanks so much, Bob

Any electrical device should have U. L. recognition that it is safe, if it is to be marketed to consumers. It appears that this device is similar to lighted switches made by many manufacturers and LED night light switches made by SensorSwitch & others although this device apparently has a battery with a transfer switch to indicate a power outage. I have seen plug-in emergency night lights with an alarm but none for installation in an outlet box. Perhaps a marketing firm could help.

Looks like an excellent product that should have universal appeal, especially in residential applications.

I think it has great potential in residential and commercial markets.

I'd like to see a price sheet and test data for durability and ETC. Once it is on the market, I would certainly consider purchase and promotion.

MAYBE HE NEEDS TO "TWEAK" IT A LITTLE BIT TO MAKE IT FILL THE REQUIREMENT FOR PUBLIC INSTALLATIONS ALSO, THEN IT WILL GO. I LIKE IT AND THINK IT IS A GREAT IDEA.

Great idea, I hope he does well with it, its hard to see if the benifit for the night light is bright enough but if it is the women will go crazy over it. Good luck with it Bob.

Having small children in my home, I too would like to have these around. Everything is based on money. If the manufacturers can't makes lots of it, they are not going to waste their time. Good luck!

I like the look of this product. There are a lot of NEMA, UL (or other NRTL) , and other testing standards to meet. Bu I hope it will be successful.

I ran into an UN-APPROVED device similar to this some years back. A motel was changing the devices to install GFI in the bathrooms. The item in question was a two-gang decor style wallplate with an extension of about 1" on the side, that went on the surface of the sheetrock. It had two wires that ran between the wallplate and the sheetrock and entered the box and wired into the power wiring.

The contractor, the motel, and the supplier were all unable to provide any kind of listing or third party certification the product. So, reluctantly, they had to be replace with standard wall plates.

Lynn

BOB AND MIKE: ISN'T IT TIME THE BIG GUYS REMOVE EACH OF THEIR HEADS FROM THE OTHER GUYS @@@ AND DO SOMETHING THAT WILL BENEFIT ANYONE THAT HAS 1 OR MORE OF THESE INSTALLED IN HOME/ APT/ OR BUSINESS. LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY OF EVEN SAVING A FEW LIVES WHEN USED TO MARK EXITS OR EVEN A SAFE WAY OUT !!!!!

Thanks for the info. This is a great product and I will keep track of the progress so I can be one of the first ones to install them. We have a lot of baby boomers in this area of So. Ca. that will be needing a product like this.

Jerry

Bob,

I have one comment and one question.

(1) Is there a great cost increase for these units ersus a standard receptacle??

(2) Can the light be turned on in the unit ( to use as a night light) irregardless of whether ther is or is not a power failure??

Thanks,

Doug McAllister

I also think it would be a great idea. I would install some in my home right away. Good luck

It seems to be a minature emergency light. A dandy idea. Have you tried pitching it as "emergency" lighting?

A neat idea was the rechargeable emergency flashlight that plugged into the outlet for storage/trickle charging and turned on when power went off. Then you could easily find the flashlight!

I'm not sure what this buys you. Power is out. Why do you need to find a temporarily dead outlet? Most outlets end up behind something - the coach, the TV, a jar of cookies.

I want 20

This is a very cool looking product but it's answering a question that nobody is asking. Most people don't need night lights nor does the power go off often enough to justify these handy gizmos.

If you were a big company like Square D, you could influence the CMP and get these to be a code requirement, like AFCIs, except your product actually does something.

Once the batteries go bad, as all batteries do, there would be a maintenance element to consider with these devices.

But is a cool product, so best of luck!

You will compete with new installation more then retrofit because most people will by a plug in LED device for $3.50 and not have the ability to retrofit your device. This makes you compete with a buyer who has an established practice, and vendor tied up to a price. A very difficult market to come into with a product. I think it would be a great product for health care facilities.