1) HOW DO HOT LINE HEATING PADS WORK?

2) WHAT ARE HOT LINE HEATING PADS MADE OF?

3) HOW LONG DOES THE HEAT LAST?

4) HOW MANY TIMES CAN HOT LINE HEATING PADS BE RECHARGED?

5) CAN A MICROWAVE OVEN BE USED FOR A “QUICK RECHARGE”?

6) HOW CAN HOT LINE HEATING PADS BE USED AS COOLING PADS?

7) WHAT IF HOT LINE HEATING PADS ARE PIERCED?

8) HOW SHOULD HOT LINE HEATING PADS BE STORED?

9) HOW SHOULD HOT LINE HEATING PADS BE DISPOSED?

1) HOW DO HOT LINE HEATING PADS WORK?

“Supercooling” –  It is a well known phenomena that water freezes (crystallizes) at 0 degrees C.  If you place a thermometer in a glass and fill the glass with water you would find out that the temperature of the water drops to 0 degrees C and then stays there until all of the water freezes (crystallizes). 

If a clean glass filled with 100% distilled water is used, there would be no points for the water to begin transforming to ice (crystallizing) as the temperature drops below zero. The temperature of the water could get to -10 degrees C without the water turning to ice (crystallizing). Triggering the water for example by shaking the glass would cause the water to rapidly turn to ice (crystallize) and the temperature would go up to 0 degrees C following the release of the latent heat.

HOT LINE heating pads contain 100% pure sodium acetate and water. Sodium acetate “freezes” at 54 degrees C. Sodium acetate remains stable as a liquid in temperatures lower than 54 degrees C.

Flexing the metal disk in the heating pad causes a few molecules of the sodium acetate to transform to solid state. That causes a chain reaction and the rest of the liquid crystallizes rapidly to solid as well. While transforming from liquid to solid, the latent heat is released and the temperature of sodium acetate goes up to 54 degrees C.

When placing the heating pad filled with sodium acetate crystals in boiling water, the solid crystals melt to liquid. When all the crystals are melted, sodium acetate will remain stable in liquid state until it is triggered again.

2) WHAT ARE HOT LINE HEATING PADS MADE OF?

Sodium acetate, water, color agent, metal disk, Vinyl pouch.

Sodium acetate is a nontoxic substance. It is used in the food industry for acidity reduction, for example in the production of potato chips.

Color agents are used to make the pads look more fashionable and attractive. They are nontoxic, food grade substances.

3) HOW LONG TIME DOES THE HEAT LAST?

Heating duration depends on a combination of several factors:

*The temperature of the heating pad before activation. The warmer the heating pad is when activated the longer the heat lasts. Keep the pad, at highest available temperature, before activating. For example, keep the heating pad in an inner coat pocket when going out on a cold winter day.

*The ambient temperature while the heating pad is active. Heating pads last longer time at warm indoors temperature compared with cold outdoors temperature.

*The surrounding insulation while the heating pad is active. Resting the heating pad on a surface or covering it with a textile influences the heating duration.

At room temperature HOT LINE heating pads may heat for up to two hours.

As the heating pad is activated, it starts to harden. At first it is possible to knead the heating pad. Once all the heat is released the pad becomes stiff.

4) HOW MANY TIMES CAN HOT LINE HEATING PADS BE RECHARGED?

The heating pads may last hundreds of recharging cycles. In fact, as long as the plastic pouch is intact, the heating pads may be recharged indefinitely. Just like freezing and melting water.

5) CAN A MICROWAVE OVEN BE USED FOR A “QUICK  RECHARGE”?

No! There is a metal disk in every heating pad. Using a micro wave oven for applying heat to the pads will not result in recharging and may cause damage to the micro wave oven.

6) HOW CAN HOT LINE HEATING PADS BE USED AS COOLING PADS?

The shape, size and ‘heat capacity’ of the heating pads make them convenient for being used as cooling pads.

When placing the heating pads at liquid-state in a refrigerator (not a freezer) they cool down to the ambient temperature of the refrigerator. When taken out of the refrigerator they can be used for cooling. Sodium Acetate in liquid-state has a good ‘heat (cold) capacity’.

Freezing the heating pads abruptly in liquid-state may trigger (same as flexing the metal disk) the Sodium Acetate to crystallize, releasing heat.

7) WHAT IF HOT LINE HEATING PADS ARE PIERCED?

If accidental piercing occurs and impurities penetrate the pouch, the pad turns inoperative. The contents of the heating pads are nontoxic. There is no hazard if skin contact occurs. If eye contact occurs, rinse eyes with water.

8) HOW SHOULD HOT LINE HEATING PADS BE STORED?

It is advised to store the heating pads in liquid-state. When stored for a prolonged period in solid-state some of the water may evaporate from the heating pad causing the solution to become more concentrated. Longer boiling time and gradual cooling may be needed to reverse this process.

9) HOW SHOULD HOT LINE HEATING PADS BE DISPOSED?