An imaging device includes a controller and fuser assembly. The fuser assembly has a heat transfer and backup member defining a nip and process direction of media travel. The heat transfer member includes a resistive trace with a length twice extending transverse to the process direction. The controller selectively applies AC power to the resistive trace. The controller calculates a power level from zero power to full power to heat the trace to a predetermined set-point temperature from a measured current temperature. The controller maps the calculated power level to one of only eight actual heating power levels that become applied or not to the resistive trace to achieve a desired power flicker and harmonics response otherwise unattainable by merely applying the calculated power level. The actual heating power levels include differing numbers of consecutive half-cycles of AC power and are applied at zero-crossings thereof.