If you can get an amp clamp, I would check the current on the heater leads. I recall you mentioned you have a PID controller. It may have a triac controlling the current in a variable fashion rather than a simple on/off. That would show up as full current when the boiler is cold but may go into shorter cycles if it is supplying full current or could reduce the current as it approaches set point. The variable current controller would be rather overkill but Bosco does not cut corners so it may be possible. Variable current would tend to keep extremely tight control on the boiler temp.

@bettysnephew

If the machine uses a triac for variable current, is there an easy solution to modify the behavior of how the PID/machine works?

Beautiful machine Rob. Congrats.

If the PID loop is holding the temperature in a stable manner and the power consumption is not excessive, does it really need to be changed? The parameters of the loop are adjustable but going too far on any of them can lead to temperature run away or instability. Until actual current readings can be made, I would not make adjustments, just maybe see if Roberta can provide the settings and suggest possible changes. Give Bosco a chance to answer as they may have seen this before.

Typically the PID is controlled by an SSR which I don"t believe is adjustable. Listening to the steam boiler in my Speedster reheat this morning I got a quiet gurgling once the heating element cut off which continued until the element cooled back down. If the deadband of your PID is tight enough the element might not have time to cool down between cycles although it seems odd that the gurgling wouldn't drop off some. It will be interesting to hear what Roberta has to say.