This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
    I apologize if this was covered but here's my question.
I trying to keep all ambient conditions constant including the voltage =
supplied to my i Roaster. 
I roast on the outside deck, and very close to a wall receptacle; and =
it's a humid 80 deg out there right now.
I measure the supply voltage at the receptacle and it's 121.5 VAC and =
I'm thinking that's great because Tom and others in
previous notes say you need the right kind of voltage to run these =
roasters.  Don't use a long and skinny extension cord that will give 
you significant voltage drops , etc.  
Well,  when the i Roast starts the roasting cycles and the heater kicks =
in, the voltage right at the recptacle drops to 115 and  I'm thinking
that's too low.  However when it's through with the roasting and the =
cycle ends and shifts to cool, the voltage pops right back
up to 122, the supply level even with the blower on at high speed =
cooling.  
Would I damage the unit if I put a Variac on this and brought the =
voltage back up to 120 from 115 while it was roasting? I would
assume the heating are relatively tolerant of these kinds of swings, and =
the internal heat control "should" take over and keep
the elements from overheating.  
What do you think? 
Best regards
Joe  

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supplied to my i Roaster. 
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it's a humid 80 deg out there right now.
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I'm thinking that's great because Tom and others in
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roasters.  Don't use a long and skinny extension cord that will give 
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in, the voltage right at the recptacle drops to 115 and  I'm thinking
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cycle ends and shifts to cool, the voltage pops right back
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cooling.  
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voltage back up to 120 from 115 while it was roasting? I would
<Snip>
 the internal heat control "should" take over and keep
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Joe,
If you watch the voltage throughout the entire roast, you'll notice
that it will swing back and forth. In your case it will probably go
from 121 V to 115 V every time the heater coil is energized. The
roaster turns the heater on and off (and changes the fan speed) in
order to track the temperature profile so the voltage change doesn't
only occur at the beginning and end; it changes continually during the
roast.
As for your question, I have the exact same voltage drop (120 V to 115
in my case) and before I begin the roast, with no beans in the
chamber, I set it to the first preset and turn on the roaster. That
activates the heater coil right at the beginning. Then I set my Variac
to 120 and turn the roaster off. The input to the roaster will then be
around 126 V before starting. Then I proceed to fill the chamber with
beans, etc. 
Personally I don't think that the 6-Volt difference will harm the
roaster in any way but let me stress - that's your call. IIRC, I asked
the Hearthware technical folks about a 6-Volt boost and I believe they
said it was OK, but no more than that. But I'm not absolutely sure - I
may be remembering something that never happened (too much coffee)!
Anyhow, after 7 months of roasting, it doesn't seem to be affecting
the iRoast in any negative way (yet) and with the procedure I
described,  I never have to worry about under-roasting the beans. But
I suggest that you go through some roasts with the 115-121 difference
and see what happens with the beans. If they roast to your
satisfaction, you might want to just leave the starting voltage at
120.
Bob Yellin