Hi Paul,
Sounds like you were very lucky especially with a/c being involved, and i should think you would give "mr nobody" a bloody good arse kicking if you ever found out who they were
I wonder if you have to be a fully qualified electrician to work on these systems where health and safety is concerned? I now work in the electric vehicle industry and we are very tightly controlled when it comes to anything 240 a/c for the trucks(a/c charging) , but when it comes to the trucks themselves, they operate a/c motors of up to 5Kw using a d/c inverter systems of up to 1000amps from a d/c power source such as an 80volt d/c battery, so no electricians qualification is needed.
I can see the advantages of the electric heated screed, especially as you said, when it comes to the logistics of moving and handling propane or gas oil.
I have had in my operating days lost 2 of pavors (both Bitellis) to propane fires!! Due to gas pipes on the machine failing. These were total burn outs, and believe me these fires very quickly got out of control and got back to the cylinders themselves. Any fires on gas oil burner systems were much easier to control and extinguish.
It seems to me that if the electric systems heat the screed to the correct temps quickly and doesn't cause any sole plate warping etc, reasonably maintenance free and has a good safety system then it sounds like the system to go for
![Thumb up :thumbup:](./images/smilies/icon_b_thumbup.gif)