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....

Hello, Bill!
You wrote on Mon, 12 Feb 2007 07:03:35 -0800:

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

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

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

I don't know if such "variable" ranges exist but the off and on
process seems to work OK if the response is fast as it seems to
be on my stove. I wonder how variable heat would work, not I
hope like the dimmer on my outside lights that kills fluorescent
bulbs on the same circuit!

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not

In article , "James Silverton" not.jim.siverton.at.comcast.not wrote:
Hello, Bill!
You wrote on Mon, 12 Feb 2007 07:03:35 -0800:

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

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

Bit like a switching power supply in fact? :-)
[I suspect the sort of thing you're after, given the currents
involved, would require a pretty substantial variable transformer.]

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

I don't know if such "variable" ranges exist but the off and on
process seems to work OK if the response is fast as it seems to
be on my stove. I wonder how variable heat would work, not I
hope like the dimmer on my outside lights that kills fluorescent
bulbs on the same circuit!

Cheers, Phred.

--
LID

On Feb 12, 12:03 pm, "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....

Our rough and ready electric cooking range seems to work well enough.
It has two larger and two smaller elements on top. Each 'burner' has
one of those rotary thermal controls. They last a long time; we have
rarely replaced one.
Also the usual top and bottom elements in the oven controlled by the
clock/timer and a thermostat.
Seems to be no problem setting any element to Full, or Low or anything
in between.
I think you are correct; but it would require a thermostatic control
for each element'. More complicated, more wiring and more expensive.
Do not see the practical need. Cooking requires attention in any case;
something as simple as sliding a pan off centre of a 'burner' (hob)
can slightly alter the cooking and improve/ruin an omelet!

In article ,
says...
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....




Why do you want this? The on/off technique works just fine in my
experience. The thermal mass of the burner and the pan even things out.
For example, when I am simmering a soup on low, the soup simmers at an
even, constant rate even though the element is on for 2 seconds then off
for 10 (more or less).

Microwave ovens work the same way, although I have some vague
recollection that some fancy models have variable power.

--
Peter Aitken

"Peter A" wrote in message

Why do you want this?


Well I installed a woodstove and tried cooking on it. I cooked eggs and
noticed they came out perfect!

When I cook eggs on my electric range, they will tend to stick to the bottom
of the pan or overheat / underheat.

Anyway the difference between cooking on the woodstove and on my electric
range is amazing! The difference of course is the "steady heat" of the wood
stove as opposed to the "on/off" heat of the electric range.

And of course I don't have my woodstove fired up in the summer....

I think the main question here is why would anyone who does any serious
amount of cooking want an electric range to begin with? No real cooking can
be done on them.

--
Steve Barker


"Bill" wrote in message
...
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....

"Steve Barker" wrote in message
...
I think the main question here is why would anyone who does any serious
amount of cooking want an electric range to begin with? No real cooking
can be done on them.

--
Steve Barker


Bullshit. Who told you to say that?

Hello, JoeSpareBedroom!
You wrote on Mon, 12 Feb 2007 16:27:24 GMT:

J "Steve Barker" wrote in
J message
...
?? I think the main question here is why would anyone who
?? does any serious amount of cooking want an electric range
?? to begin with? No real cooking can be done on them.
??
?? --
?? Steve Barker

You probably have noticed the massive cross-posting on this
topic: a pretty good troll indicator, IMHO!

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not

I think you're jumping to conclusions. I doubt it's any variation
in heat that's making the difference.

Bill wrote:
"Peter A" wrote in message
Why do you want this?


Well I installed a woodstove and tried cooking on it. I cooked eggs and
noticed they came out perfect!

When I cook eggs on my electric range, they will tend to stick to the bottom
of the pan or overheat / underheat.

Anyway the difference between cooking on the woodstove and on my electric
range is amazing! The difference of course is the "steady heat" of the wood
stove as opposed to the "on/off" heat of the electric range.

And of course I don't have my woodstove fired up in the summer....

"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...)

If you're talking about the stovetop, perhaps a diffuser would help
your situation if you can't find what you're looking for.

nancy

On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 10:11:05 -0500, "James Silverton"
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not wrote:

I wonder how variable heat would work, not I
hope like the dimmer on my outside lights that kills fluorescent
bulbs on the same circuit!

Same circuit or switch leg?

Lou

On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 10:22:38 -0600, "Steve Barker"
wrote:

I think the main question here is why would anyone who does any serious
amount of cooking want an electric range to begin with? No real cooking can
be done on them.

Nonsense. Maybe 50 years ago, but today electric smoothtops have
just as much heat and control as gas.

Lou

Hello, Lou!
You wrote on Mon, 12 Feb 2007 16:45:19 GMT:

?? I wonder how variable heat would work, not I
?? hope like the dimmer on my outside lights that kills
?? fluorescent bulbs on the same circuit!

LD Same circuit or switch leg?

In the case of the bulb killer, it's the same circuit and
doesn't affect adjacent circuits but I wonder whether a "dimmer"
on the massive amperage stove circuit might affect others.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not

On Feb 12, 10:03?am, "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....

Electric cook tops do not cycle on and off, only the oven does because
it is thermostatically controlled, exactly the same as with gas
ovens. I don't think you understand your own question... I think what
you want is an electric cooktop with a constantly varible control
rather than with preset detents as most all incorporate, but such a
system would serve no purpose because you cannot visually interpolate
the heat setting directly as one can with an open flame... having
preset detents makes more sense with electric cooking. If you really
want constant variable control buy an inexpensive electric hot
plate... perhaps buy an electric fry pan... or get a gas stove.

Sheldon