On Feb 12, 10:39 am, Paul M. Eldridge
wrote:
Hi Bill,

There are electronic thermostats for electric heating applications
that modulate output (I have some from Aube that control with my
in-floor radiant heat), but they're fairly expensive. I suspect their
high cost and perhaps concerns related to long-term reliability would
limit their use elsewhere. Variable wattage control would be a nice
feature from the utility's point of view (i.e., by smoothing out
demand), but I suspect most consumers wouldn't care one way or the
other.

Cheers,
Paul


This makes no difference to the utility, because they have thousands
of stoves and similar loads, which are all randomly cycling on and
off, effectively averaging it all together, so smoothing out demand
from one stove doesn't do anything. They would never see it.

The reason its done the way it is on electric ranges is it's a cheap
mechanical switch, that cycles it on and off for varying periods.
To make the heating more even would require turning it on and off
rapidly, which is what is done in wall switch dimmers, which do it on
each AC cycle. That requires electronics. And to do that for a
dimmer, which is 600W max, takes a smaller, less expensive
semiconductor than it would require for a range. It's possible
someone offers it, but I haven't seen one.






On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 07:03:35 -0800, "Bill"
wrote:



Does anyone manufacture a "variable heat" electric range, where when you
select the heat setting, it would have a constant heat at a certain
temperature? (Like you can do with a gas range...)

This would be sort of like a dimmer switch for a light where you can adjust
how much light is output from the bulb.

The way electric ranges work now is they go on and off, on and off.

Less heat means the "burner" goes on for a little while, then off for quite
awhile. Then with more heat, the "burner" is on for a long time, then off
for a little amount of time.

With a gas range, you can adjust the heat so it is constant - no off and on.
Seems they could do this with an electric range as well....- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -