Electrical Projects The details of thermostats have been covered extensively in other books, but a brief review of these temperature-controlling items will be presented here. Basically, a thermostat is a temperature-sensitive switch. When the temperature rises above a predetermined level, the thermostat breaks the circuit.

The heart of a thermostat is a strip made up of two metals with different coefficients of expansion placed side by side.

Some thermostats are not adjustable. Others are adjusted by moving the contact with relation to the bimetal strip. When the contact is closer to the strip, the strip will not have to move as far to connect with it, and the circuit will be completed at a lower temperature.

October 6, 2008