Joule other appliances

The reports, as CPSC published them

1. No one hurt

   Made Jul 21, 2017 · , sent to the company Sep 29, 2017 · , published by CPSC Oct 23, 2017

   The product, in the report: Joule, white

   This report concerns a new product, without UL certification at the moment. The name of the product is made/sold by ChefSteps, called JOULE Sous Vide, All White. When used in my kitchen, plugged into a dedicated 20 amp circuit, this device causes the LED lights in my entire house to strobe(cycle flash, pulse, flicker), like an old time movie. It’s constant, and severe enough to give me a headache. I have contacted the company and they say that this is normal and acceptable. I don’t think they understand the severity of this issue.They have a FAQ that addresses a similar issue:

   “Why do the lights in my house flicker when I cook with Joule?

   [REDACTED] Updated 4 months ago Follow Depending on your home wiring, you may experience flickering lights while using Joule. To maintain the precise temperature needed to cook sous vide, Joule’s heater power cycles many times a second; think of a microwave’s defrost cycle or a refrigerator compressor turning on and off. If your lights flicker while you’re cooking with Joule, it’s because the heater is cycling on and off.

   Here are a few ways you may be able to reduce flickering:

   • Using Joule on the same circuit as the light bulbs can lead to flickering. (If you don’t know whether this is the case, see whether flipping the breaker for the lights also turns off any appliances on the outlet you’re using for Joule.) Most modern wiring actually puts the lights on a separate circuit from high-power-draw appliances to avoid these kinds of issues. To reduce flickering, you can try moving Joule to an outlet on a different circuit.

   • The type of light bulbs you’re using can also cause flickering. High-wattage bulbs such as incandescents are more sensitive to high-power-draw devices like your microwave, refrigerator, or Joule. Lower-wattage LED bulbs seem to hold up much better to the large initial power draw of Joule’s (or any sous vide device’s) heater.

   • There is also a small chance that your home electrical service isn’t receiving enough power from the power company’s transformer. If the lights in your entire house dim while you’re using Joule, it may be useful to have the power company come out and test their equipment.”

   BUT these lights that flicker are on other circuits, my house has a modern ample electric supply and the bulbs are the type that they say are immune to flicker.

   This is a serious issue because this product is made to run for many hours at a time(24-72 is normal). If someone is sensitive to seizure, due to flashing lights, this could be problematic. My complaint to ChefSteps has fallen on deaf ears.

   this is my communication with ChefSteps: Request #[REDACTED] The house wiring leg that my Joule is plugged into is having a negative effect on the house lights. I have mostly LED lights throughput my house. My kitchen is wired into the same side of my electric box that powers my bedrooms and bathrooms. When I have the Joule running, the LED lights flicker, like the ancient 25 cycle electric supply from yesteryear. II have only had my Joule for a little ove 30 days. This is constant and extremely annoying. Do I have a defective unit? Are other people noticing this? I would have difficulty recommending this product to other people if this is a common I ssue. I would really like a solution for this.

   RESPONSE: See the FAQ on flickering

   My RESPONSE I read the FAQs before sending my issue to you, and the FAQ you sent to me, which I had read prior, OBVIOUSLY was not pertinent. ( IE “Lower wattage LED lightbulbs seem to hold up much better to the large power draw of Joule’s (or any sous vide device’s) heater turning on.”)and (You can try moving the device to another circuit and most modern electricians actually wire the lights on a separate circuit to avoid these kinds of issue.) It’s on a DEDICATED 20 amp circuit already. My issue was not resolved! My Joule is plugged into a dedicated kitchen 20 amp circuit. My house wiring has been updated within the past 5 years, and is more than sufficient to handle the Joule. I have an [REDACTED], and a PID controller that operate at much higher current loads than the Joule, without any constant, or periodic flickering due to load cycling. The ENTIRE house LED lighting system (LED BULBS, which you claim are resistant to flicker), FLICKERS, like an old time movie theater projector, to the point of giving my family headaches. My wife will not allow me to run the thing at night because it’s making her ill. Am I getting my point across now? This is not acceptable!

   Either I have a bad unit, or the entire line Joule Whites is in need of re-working because a whole house of flickering light will NEVER be acceptable to the regulatory agency to gives certification to your product. I’m trying to give you a heads up on a potentially fatal product issue. Instead of dismissing my complaint, you really need to investigate why my Joule is doing this, is it just my Joule, is it turning up elsewhere etc. Hopefully you get my drift. sincerely, [REDACTED]

   Model

   Joule White

   Bought from

   ChefSteps

   Bought

   Jun 15, 2017, about then

   Where

   Dallas, Texas: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 71, Male

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   Brand Joule, made or sold by ChefSteps, Inc.

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Incident, No Injury

CPSC’s disclaimer

Sources