Patio Thermometer Bi-Metal Mechanism Replacement

You might try searching some woodworking or crafts stores and look for kits for thermometer, barometer, hygrometer stations.

Here's one:

You might hane to buy a complete unit and pul the mechanism out, but for $8, you might not get a mechanism much cheaper.

The problem I see is that these units have a fixed degrees of rotation per degree temp ratio. You may have trouble finding one that matches the face of an existing instrument.

-- Paul Hovnanian mailto: snipped-for-privacy@Hovnanian.com

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That's what I was thinking, as a back-up move.

Already made me a cardboard template that I carry with me ;-) A preliminary shopping tour shows that it must be a Taylor bi-metal element. But I haven't yet found a sturdy one... everything is plastic, without the bi-metal encased. I may have to patch-up the existing one. Its problem is a warped housing (from the heat ;-)

...Jim Thompson

If the mechanism is still OK, find someone with a small mill and have a new enclosure made (metal). That's what I'd do (always looking for an excuse to make metal shavings ;-)).

I bought it in a store around 15 years ago, and it's unsigned :-(

...Jim Thompson

-- | James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at

-Ayn Rand, "Atlas Shrugged"

I'd contact the 'artist' who put it there. He/she might not be so hesitant to replace the entire assembly.

RL

Buy a unit (second hand?) and take the pieces you need out of it.

Do you have any gremlins running around your place? I figure that's the only method where bimetalic strips wear out (or actually get bent out of shape).

From memory, they are as easily re-bent back into shape and alignment, though they'll never look like they used to - the bending characteristic is preserved pretty faithfully. It's not like the spring on a jeweled pivot - also a gremlin attractor.

RL

If you were keeping notes, "The plastic housing warped".

...Jim Thompson

I just found a web site selling the 'movement'. Looks like the span is different, but the housing size is the same, so I'll just drop the old bi-metal into the new housing.

...Jim Thompson

Can you put some sort of coating onto the housing to keep it from warping again? Maybe take it to one of those shops that bronze baby shoes and put a thin metal coating over the outside?

Jim

AFAIK those shops do an investment casting, and the product is solid bronze, the same trick will work with a for plastic, expanded polystyrene, or cardboard pattern.

The "housing" is a shallow cup-shaped piece of plastic that warped and cracked around the edges.

I'm contemplating adding a roll-a-shield for the west end of the patio to keep it completely in the shade in the summer. That ought to keep it from reaching excessive temperatures.

...Jim Thompson