Catering hot plate / food warmers - how hot?

[julianf]

I need to be able to keep the jobs that i do hot for a short while to cure.

Ive been looking at hot plates (my work is just flat, so would sit on one fine) but i have no idea how hot they go?

I mean above boiling, or just 65c ish?

...and, yes, ive spent some time on google.


My other option is to make one from scratch with a lump of alloy, some sort of element, and a PID temperature controller. But its easier if i just buy one.... If they go hot enough?

 

[brightspark]

how big and flat are the jobs a 400watt halogen bulb is used in catering to keep food hot and they use dimmers with them to knock the heat down

 

[julianf]

Not large at all - about 500mm x 250mm or so

Im wanting a fairly narrow temp band, so my plan was to have a plate that i could put the alloy sheet onto - being alloy it would get up to the same temp as the plate pretty much instantly, and i could have one of those PID controllers with a solid state relay doing PWM on the element to keep the temp in the band quite closely.

Just been looking at catering griddles too, but i wanted something a bit smaller to store really - i don't need the fat traps etc.

 

[gaz1]

build a hot plate out of a rocket stove

if it can boil water on top of it it can keep your stuff nice and hot also on another point

boil your kettle make a drink and also keep your stuff at certain temps as the system cools away from the center top plate

 

[rtcosic]

I have a cheap 13 amp single 'ring' induction plate that I inherited from the kitchen upgrade.

I have used it to heat steel and cast iron parts.

It has a temperature control function from 60 to 240 in 20 deg increments.

I could envisage placing a steel plate of appropriate thickness on it, setting the desired temperature and it would sit there all day.

Depending on the nature of the things that need to cure you could use an old pan with lid.

We used it to heat up frozen stews and soups when working on the house. Put the pan on the hob at the start of the day, set the temperature to 60 or 80 and ignore it. Come lunch time there was a nice warm pan of soup at just the temperature to eat.

It didn't seem to mind being left on for hours, so we also used it as slow cooker for evening meal. Bung all the ingredients in the pan, put it on the hob, set temperature to 100 and ignore till hungry.

 

[123hotchef]

Not large at all - about 500mm x 250mm or so

Im wanting a fairly narrow temp band, so my plan was to have a plate that i could put the alloy sheet onto - being alloy it would get up to the same temp as the plate pretty much instantly, and i could have one of those PID controllers with a solid state relay doing PWM on the element to keep the temp in the band quite closely.

Just been looking at catering griddles too, but i wanted something a bit smaller to store really - i don't need the fat traps etc.

what is the narrow temp band you require

 

[123hotchef]

how big and flat are the jobs a 400watt halogen bulb is used in catering to keep food hot and they use dimmers with them to knock the heat down

yes that is what we use for hot display servers too

 

[julianf]

what is the narrow temp band you require

I'll have to check the datasheet, but I think it's 140c but not above 160c

Edit - 120, not above 140

This is for curing catalysed inks on metal. I just want somthing that I can lay them on and the temp is all maintained, and I don't have to watch over then checking all the time.

 

[123hotchef]

I'll have to check the datasheet, but I think it's 140c but not above 160c

Edit - 120, not above 140

This is for curing catalysed inks on metal. I just want somthing that I can lay them on and the temp is all maintained, and I don't have to watch over then checking all the time.

i think a electric dry bain marie would be better then if the holegen light thing dont work for you