A crankcase heater's sole purpose is to prevent refrigerant migration and mixing with crankcase oil when the unit is off, and to prevent condensation of refrigerant in the crankcase of a compressor. The crankcase heater keeps refrigerant at a temperature higher than the coldest part of the system. So to describe it as 'self-regulating' is a bit misleading. Yes, in a sense, it regulates automatically as that is its purpose.
Replied on August 04, 2017 by Ron from Industrial Stores