I think we are talking about two different pressure canners. Mine is a
gauged unit. I have to adjust the heat to maintain the pressure at a
certain level. I think the one you describe is a weighted gauge unit?
That works as you describe. I've never used one, sounds easier.
Rob - Va
On Mon, Dec 15, 2008 at 8:02 AM, <Clansgian AT wmconnect.com> wrote:
>
>
>> > You have
>> to take a canner up to a particular temp and then get it to stay at a
>> precise temp to hold a precise pressure.
>
> Doesn't work that way and that's why I was scratching my head over the
> notion
> of the need for a precisely controled stove for canning.
>
> The canner (or pressure cooker) is regulated by a weight, that thing hat
> jiggles when it's up to steam. You get the canner to a boil so that the
> steam can
> blow through the vent and purge out the air. Then when you add te weight,
> it regulates the pressure.
>
> After that all you need is enough heat, not a precise heat. If you have
> more
> heat than is needed to keep the pressure the weight is enforcing, it jiggles
> all the more and more steam and pressure escape.
>
> Depending on your altitude the, say, 15 lb weight might maintain 13 or 14
> lbs
> of pressure and you extend your canning time accordingly. But turning up
> the
> heat will not give you more pressure, it will only make the canner blow more
> steam.
>
> I suppose that if you wanted 10 lbs pressure, you could put on a 15 lb
> weight
> and very finely trim the heat to achieve and maintain it. But that's a
> fool's errand. It makes much more sense to use a 10 lb weight to begin
> with.
>
>
> James
> _______________________________________________
> Homestead list and subscription:
>http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/homestead
> Change your homestead list member options:
>http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/homestead/waltonrp%40gmail.com
> View the archives at:
>https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/homestead
>
>
>