I acquired an electric uncapping knife from an elderly beekeeper. In comparison to my nearly new one, it overheated quickly. Heated enough that the blade began to arch back like a bimetal thermometer. Melted the cappings.
I am curious if this indicates a fault in the heating element -- which I assume is nichrome wire wrapped on mica. I put it on a "wall dimmer" box, but it still ran hot (though not as excessively). The 600w wall dimmer is likely undersized for the knife.
Is this a characteristic failure mode for the electric knives? Don't want to invest in a larger (15 amp) dimmer switch if the knife is fundamentally at fault.
I am curious if this indicates a fault in the heating element -- which I assume is nichrome wire wrapped on mica. I put it on a "wall dimmer" box, but it still ran hot (though not as excessively). The 600w wall dimmer is likely undersized for the knife.
Is this a characteristic failure mode for the electric knives? Don't want to invest in a larger (15 amp) dimmer switch if the knife is fundamentally at fault.