On Feb 12, 9:39 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),...

Looking at the product brochures at http://www.aubethermostats.com/,
they're switching thermostats, too, just w/ models as fast as 15-20
second cycle times and solid-state switching instead of mechanical
relays. They don't actually "modulate" output except in the sense of
averaging, same as the range controls.

To do otherwise would require a mechanism to waste the "extra" power
as a in a voltage-divider-type rheostat which would be quite
inefficient and require quite large power resistors or other sinks.
The mass of the burner element is made relatively large in electric
stoves to make the average temperature reasonably constant. Better
stoves control on higher frequency cycles and have better-designed
burners to minimize the thermal cycling -- my Mom used to claim she
could tell the difference between her stove and others in that
regard. Whether real or simply perceived I have no idea...