Even though Sharper Image heating pads are simple, maintenance-free devices, they can still fail.
1). Insufficient Power
The heating pad flashes an error code when the power supply is insufficient. Heating pads have low electrical requirements. It consumes 20 to 150 watts, which is not a lot.
Technically, a Sharper Image heating pad can run on an extension cord or power strip. However, extension cords and power strips are unreliable. They can interfere with a heating pad’s power supply by increasing the resistance.
Additionally, they are prone to overloads, particularly power strips, because they offer multiple outlets. An overload can destroy the heating pad.
2). No Power
Have you connected the heating pad to a suitable power supply? If you have, inspect the power cord. Is it frayed? Do you see a fuse in the plug? Has it blown? Do you see burn marks on the conductors?
A heating pad with insufficient power may start, but it won’t produce the heat you require. It may also flash one or more error codes. Some heating pads will start, but they won’t work. If you don’t have power, the Sharper Image heating pad won’t start.
3). The Heating Pad Is Off
What do the instructions say? Does your heating pad start the moment you push the plug into a wall outlet? Do the instructions mention an ON/OFF button? Check the controller. Some blankets won’t work until you switch them on using a button on the controller.
If you don’t know this, you may assume your heating pad has stopped working. Don’t expect the Sharper Image heating pad to use the same procedures and instructions as models from other brands you’ve owned in the past.
3). Broken Wires
The heating pad has a network of thin wires that generate heat. Don’t tamper with these wires unless you have confidence in your skills because you find the conductors inside the pad. Unfortunately, they can break, especially when you expose the heating pad to poor washing habits.
Broken wires will prevent the heating pad from working, or its operations will become unreliable. It may turn off unexpectedly because of a short circuit or overheating. Some wires break because of natural wear and tear. As a heating pad ages, so do its components. The older the pad, the higher the chances of the wires breaking.
4). Defective Thermostat
Yes, heating pads use thermostats. Without a thermostat, your heating pad would have cooked you alive while you slept. After all, how else will it know that temperatures have reached the optimal level? According to Phytotronics, the thermostat prevents the heating pad from producing too much heat or too little.
People expect a heating pad with defective thermostats to produce too much heat or too little. However, the device may stop working altogether.
5). Defective Control Unit
The control unit is either dirty or defective. Like the internal wires, don’t tamper with the control unit unless you trust your skills. Otherwise, you may do more harm than good.
How To Fix Sharper Image Heating Pad That Is Not Working?
You should fix glitchy heating pads as soon as possible. The HMP Global Learning Network has a report blaming heating pads for the many burns consumers suffer annually. This paper from the Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science has noted that it takes a heating pad 22 minutes to attain a stable temperature.
But those 22 minutes are enough for a heating pad to start a fire. Therefore, you should apply the following solutions the moment you identify a fault:
- Connect the plug to a working power source. If the pad doesn’t work, check the circuit breaker. Reset the breaker if it tripped.
- Plug the heating pad into a wall outlet. Don’t use extension cords and power strips.
- If you need extension cords and power strips, find a gauge that fits the heating pad’s electrical draw. Replace extension cords and heating pads with frayed cables, damaged plugs, and burn marks.
- Replace faulty outlets.
- Open the control unit. Tighten loose connections and replace damaged wiring. Replace a dead controller. Also the switch contacts with an electrical cleaner.
- If the internal wires are broken, replace the heating pad.
- Replace a frayed cord.
- Replace a faulty thermostat if it fails a multimeter test.
- Switch the heating pad on using the instructions detailed in the manual.
Sharper Image Heating Pad Flashing Red Light – Why?
- The connection to the power source is poor. The heading pad won’t work if you forget to plug the device into an outlet. If you connect the pad to an outlet but the plug is loose, the red light will flash.
- The power cord’s connection to the control unit is poor. The line is loose. This can lead to arcing. Some heating pads won’t start. Others will start momentarily, only to shut down soon after. You also have those that work but can’t generate the appropriate heat.
- The heating pad is overheating. Overheating can occur in the plug, cord, controller, or the pad itself. Heating pads can overheat because of broken wires, loose connections, glitches, factory defects, poor ventilation, etc.
- The thermostat has failed.
- The power cord is kinked or tangled, disrupting the electrical flow.
- The heating pad is old. Heating pads have lifespans of three to five years. You can lower the lifespan by mishandling the pad or allowing animals to play with it. You can’t fix a heating pad at the end of its lifespan. The device will manifest various glitches until it stops working.
How To Fix It?
Your biggest worry with a flashing red light is that the heating pad will burn you. Healthline discourages consumers from falling asleep while using a heating pad. But these devices can generate sparks that start fires even when you’re awake. Therefore, you shouldn’t downplay a flashing red light. Apply the following solutions:
- This Sharper Image manual recommends a reset. You perform the reset by unplugging the device, waiting three minutes, and plugging it back in.
- This Sharper Image Heating Pad guide shows the controller and its power cord. It encourages consumers to insert the female end into the controller firmly. A loose connection here can interfere with the pad’s work.
- Use a wall outlet. Stay away from extension cords. If you don’t have a choice, use high-quality extension cords and power strips with thick gauges.
- Don’t iron your heating pad. Spot-clean the product and hang it to dry. Don’t use bleach. It is equally dangerous to twist or wring the heating pad.
- Replace a damaged power cord.
- Straighten kinked, twisted, and tangled power cords. Tangling and twisting can damage some cables, compelling you to replace them.
- Replace thermostats that fail a continuity test.
- Replace a heating pad you’ve owned for five or more years.
- Replace a defective controller.
- Clean the controller with rubbing alcohol and cotton wool.
- Inspect the plug and replace it where necessary.
You don’t have to obsess over these problems and solutions if you have a warranty. Return the heating pad to the manufacturer whenever you notice a fault. The company will either fix the pad using their technicians, offer a replacement, or provide a refund, depending on the terms of the warranty.