On Tue, 11 Dec 2012 11:38:51 -0500, "EXT"
wrote:


"Jim Elbrecht" wrote in message
.. .
"Percival P. Cassidy" wrote:

I think it was here that I posted a few months back that I had
discovered that the allegedly 19.2-Volt "Craftsman" power tools use the
same five Li-Ion cells (3.6V per cell) as other manufacturers use in
their 18-Volt tools -- 5x3.6=18.

Now I see an ad in the latest Menards (mid-West "home improvement"
chain) flyer for "MasterForce" (a store brand, I think) power tools that
use a 20-Volt Li-Ion battery.

There is no combination of 3.6-Volt cells that will result in a
19.2-Volt or 20-Volt battery pack -- except, perhaps, if the voltage is
measured within a very short time after the charger is disconnected. And
if they were using six such cells (which Craftsman isn't), why wouldn't
they advertise the tools as 21.6-Volt tools?

I consider this to be false advertising.

Just like the Dyson vacuum ads that I see, they always have a feature that
seems to grossly exaggerate their ability to defy the laws physics. They may
be good but you cannot trust what they say in the ads. For example, the
"ball" vacuum, actually uses wheels that have a convex outside to appear to
be a ball, a heater fan that can stop hot air from rising, then says it is
20% more efficient than other heater fans, and other ads that promote such
claims.
Just because a ball is split does not make it any less a ball -
there needs to be a way to support it - in Dyson's case - an axle. As
for the heater - the high velocity air movement DOES keep the heatdown
farther from the heater - and what does the fine print say about the
efficiency? It says it is more efficient AT HEATING A ROOM. See test
results (not from Dyson) at
http://www.paulanthonywilson.com/blo...ific-approach/

I would not call these 2 ads false or misleading.. Like his products,
they are a bit "creative" - and although some people (like you) may
dissagree technically because you did not read accurately what was
said (re efficiency) if it takes 20% less time at full power to heat a
room to a preset temperature it IS 20% more efficient at heating the
room - even if it does not convert any more watts of input into BTUs.

Now, 20 volt batteries that ARE really just 18 volt lithium batterie
IS misleading and false advertizing, because they are weasle-talking -
advertizing their product using the same "terms" as everyone else -
but with different meaning. Just like "peak air horsepower" vs
"horsepower" on vacuums and air compressors. Particularly when finding
the "peak air" part is virtually impossible in their ad copy.