Title. We keep ours at 75F, parents do 77F, and in laws 68F. It made me curious what everyone else keeps theirs at?

    • juliebean@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      1 year ago

      older ones are often electrical, but not really electronic. they use a bimetal strip that bends due to changing temperatures, to complete a circuit at the point you set the slider. it’s actually a really fascinatingly simple bit of tech.

        • juliebean@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          1 year ago

          any idea what the mercury was for? something about getting the heat in and out of the strip faster maybe?

          • metheos@feddit.de
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            3
            ·
            1 year ago

            The Mercury is in a glass tube with two wires and the tube is attached to the bimetallic strip in such a way that the motion of the Mercury due to gravity as the strip moves will close the circuit between the two wires. The Mercury is just being used a liquid conductor.

          • PsychedSy@sh.itjust.works
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            1 year ago

            Yeah, sorry. It was the switch! Two wires on one side. When the capsule tilts from the strip/coil it makes the electrical connection.

            • juliebean@lemm.ee
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              1 year ago

              that is fascinating, thank you and @metheos@feddit.de for the elaboration. quite clever.