Almost every presentation that I go to talks about the fast moving development cycle and the rapid obsolescence of products. So it was a real change to get a release that talked about longevity.

Foster Transformers are boasting about product returns, not normally an issue that people are proud of. In this case the first example was a door bell transformer that was making strange noises. It was indeed making a humming noise, as the wax that protected the core from moisture and damped the intrinsic hum had broken down. Since the wax was put in place in the 1940s, it was perhaps not surprising.

The second problem was caused by a user shorting out a transformer. Until this happened the transformer had been working happily since 1967. Foster used this to plug that the company’s new model is designed to survive shorting.

And finally a real failure: a transformer installed in 1960 actually gave up the ghost.

Well done Foster. In a throw- away society you are a beacon of common sense.