RE: Mystery Equipment

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Basura, Brian by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <brian.basura-at-unistudios-dot-com>

Some of these switches are set up so that when overheated they make
contact, draw a large current from the power supply, and blow a main fuse.
This prevents a fire and necessitates a service call... 

Regards,
Brian B.

 -----Original Message-----
From: 	Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com] 
Sent:	Thursday, April 19, 2001 7:17 AM
To:	tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject:	Re: Mystery Equipment

Original poster: "Jan Florian Wagner by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <jwagner-at-cc.hut.fi>


> I was taking apart a microwave to get components for Gregs MOT doubler
circuit
> and came across this piece of equipment.  I was thinking it was a
resistor and
> hooked it up to my multimeter for a reading and plugged it into the wall. 

Hmm looks familiar - it seems to be one of those thermal switches
connected to the resonator/cooking chamber walls. It has a small bimetal
plate inside which functions as the switch pole. When temperature gets too
high the plage flips over and opens the contacs (or closes them, depending
on switch type). Current does not flow through the bimetal plate (at least
in those that I've taken apart), so the device does not work as an
overcurrent protection.

 - Jan
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