DIYbanter - View Single Post - Can I put a coffee warmer on a dimmer switch?

J. Clarke

wrote:
It won't work even if you start with the 300 watt dimmer in the off
position. The 1500 watt heater upon startup may draw as much as
10 times its normal current before the element heats up. That means
that your dimmer will be initially looking at a resistance of less
than one ohm.

Resistive loads don't draw ten times their normal current on startup,
that's an induction motor starting stalled and even then 10x would be
pretty high.

While one should use a dimmer rated for the load, the use of dimmers
and similar devices with coffee makers works quite well.

The right place to ask such a question though is alt.coffee, where
there are many people with expertise in the management and
modification of coffee making apparatus of all kinds, including the
fitting of temperature control devices to them.

--
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--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)