Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
Can anyone explain to me how these operate? Is it mercury that reacts to temperature?
I can google, but I enjoy Bob's view on things.
Thx
What kind of thermostat? Car cooling system? Home heating/cooling system?
Car thermostats use a wax pellet that melts, expands, and pushes a plunger out to open a poppet valve and let coolant flow.
Home HVAC thermostats use everything from bi-metallic springs that tilt mercury capsules, bi-metallic springs that activate microswitches, to semiconductor sensors that signal a microprocessor to turn a system on or off.