1000W Hot Plate for Maintaining Temp

[firerat]

I googled this and couldn't really get a good answer.

Would a 1000 W portable electric burner be enough to MAINTAIN (not get to temp) 2-3 gallons of water in a aluminum pot?

I'm planning on using my propane burner to get to 155°F then transfer the pot to the hotplate which will be connected to my nifty Ranco temperature cotroller to maintain the 155°F. I'll then go back to the propane burner for the full on boil.

Does this make sense? Is 1000 W going to be too wimpy? Am I asking repetitve already been answered 5 million time questions?

 

[audger]

unless you are loosing more than about 2000 BTUs/hour to the air thru the sides of your pot, 1000w will maintain that temperature just fine.

if you want to know how many BTUs your pot looses per hour, heat up 2 gallons to 150* and measure the temperature after 1 hour. use the formula:

16.6 x (150 - end temp) = BTUs/hour of radiated heat

as long as the number is lower than 1500 to 2000, you are good. the lower, the better. as an estimate, you will probably come up with a number somewhere between 250 and 800 BTUs (probably closer to 800 if its uninsulated; aluminum is a good conductor of heat). you can add insulation to reduce this number.

 

[firerat]

Awesome!! I'm going to use that formula and see what I come up with.

Cool then this little hot plate I got from my grandma is going to be of good use!!