An autotransformer was preferred for the heater, as a transformer does not heat up as readily as a rheostat and, thus, provides a more constant volt-amperage supply to the heater.An exploded view of the heater (rated at 110 watts and 115 volts, in Figure 2 shows how it may be disassembled for replacement of burned out heating units (available from American Instrument Co., Silver Spring, Md., as replacement parts of an electric micro-Kjeldahl digestion apparatus). When assembled, the small plate (containing side vents for air cooling) which has the heater attached to it, fits into the box and the lid fits tightly over the top.The details of the heater construction are shown in scale drawings in Figure 3. This box and support plate are made of Transite. The heater unit, A, is fastened to the support plate beneath it with four small spacing nuts. A similar set of spacing nuts fastens the electrical contacts to the unit: the nuts are easily removed to replace a heater unit. As the heating unit never becomes extremely hot during an analysis, ordinary coated wire was found to be satisfactory for lead wire from the heater to the power control.