Older electric range controls?

I was just thinking about electric ranges and wondering how the
controls for the heating elements actually work. Does anyone know?
They can't be variable resistors because they would dissipate too much
power. They obviously aren't variable autotransformers. They can't be
triac-dimmers because they pre-date that technology. So what are they?
Some sort of duty-cycling switch? Thanks.
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Older electric range controls?
    ... controls for the heating elements actually work. ... They can't be variable resistors because they would dissipate too much ... What's the typical on-off cycling rate at say 1/2 power. ...
    (alt.home.repair)
  • Re: Older electric range controls?
    ... "Davej" wrote in message ... controls for the heating elements actually work. ... They can't be variable resistors because they would dissipate too much ...
    (alt.home.repair)
  • Re: Older electric range controls?
    ... You got it, the higher you set it, the longer period of cycle time it keeps ... controls for the heating elements actually work. ... They can't be variable resistors because they would dissipate too much ...
    (alt.home.repair)