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.