Introduction:

Electric burners are used in laboratories to heat things.   In order to use it safely and appropriately, it is important to know the correct steps on how to set it up and operate one.

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In laboratories where no gas taps are available, an electric heater can do the same job as a Bunsen burner.  The controls of this model are very simple to use.  Set up the unit near the middle of your table. Plug it in and turn the black knob to the desired level (1 for gentle heat and 7 for maximum heat).

Once it is turned on, both the blue and the red light come on.  When the heating coil (see below) gets to the level of heat which you have chosen, the blue light turns off.  Be careful of the hot coil, it can burn you.  The white grill on the side (with the holes in it) stays cool even when the unit has been on for a long time. 

To heat up something in a beaker, simply place the beaker directly on the silver grill.

When the coil gets hot, it turns orange.  This is normal. 

When the heating is finished, turn the black knob to zero ("0").  Both the red and blue light should be off.  Unplug the electric burner. 

Important:  Let the electric burner cool completely before touching the top or before putting it away in the cupboard.  This could take as much as 20 minutes!