Adcraft SK5-7

INFINITE KNOB

An infinite switch is a rotary switch which controls the power dissipated by a heating element. It is used on electric ranges, hot plates, warming drawers and zones, barbecue grills, space heaters, quartz heaters and many applications which call for proportionate control of a resistive load. An infinite switch, simmerstat, energy regulator or infinite controller is a type of switch that allows variable power output of a heating element of an electric stove. It is called "infinite" because its average output is infinitely variable rather than being limited to a few switched levels. It uses a bi-metallic strip conductive connection across terminals that disconnects with increased temperature. As current passes through the bimetal connection, it will heat and deform, breaking the connection and turning off the power. After a short time, the bimetal will cool and reconnect. Infinite switches vary the average power delivered to a device by switching frequently between on and off states.

In foodservice equipment, a knob may be as simple as a push button or "palm button". A control knob is a rotary control used to provide input to a device when grasped by an operator and turned, so that the degree of rotation corresponds to the desired input . Such knobs are one of the most common components in restaurant equipment control systems and are used to modulate a wide variety of settings such as temperature, viscosity, speed and more.