Again as many folks have posted NO you cannot control a 1500 watt heater element with a dimmer switch period.
Besides a dimmer switch is not a thermostat.
However you can use a old school oven capillary bulb thermostat, just like any pre-digital oven.
The one i used is "uxcell 250V 50-30 Celsius capillary thermostat" (amazon)
I wired leads from thermostat into a junction box with outlets, and then just plugged in element to outlet.
I was able to keep temp as measured by remote thermometer from this site I forget which one between 200-240 all day long. Unregulated temp was 350-400F.
This was on 90F day, lower pan full load lava rocks, and full water pan. When time allows will experiment with perhaps some bricks or other thermal mass. But I think this units +/- 20F is normal for application it was designed for.
If anyone wants more detail or has gone down this road and has more knowledge please post up !
Besides a dimmer switch is not a thermostat.
However you can use a old school oven capillary bulb thermostat, just like any pre-digital oven.
The one i used is "uxcell 250V 50-30 Celsius capillary thermostat" (amazon)
I wired leads from thermostat into a junction box with outlets, and then just plugged in element to outlet.
I was able to keep temp as measured by remote thermometer from this site I forget which one between 200-240 all day long. Unregulated temp was 350-400F.
This was on 90F day, lower pan full load lava rocks, and full water pan. When time allows will experiment with perhaps some bricks or other thermal mass. But I think this units +/- 20F is normal for application it was designed for.
If anyone wants more detail or has gone down this road and has more knowledge please post up !
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