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
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        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
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            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
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              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
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              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
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                1 year ago

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

    • andrewta@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Google search would have answered that.

      It’s what controls the furnace or air conditioner in your house. That way you can control how hot or cold your house is.