this post was submitted on 08 Nov 2024
121 points (96.9% liked)

What is this thing?

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[–] [email protected] 119 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (3 children)

Sensor/thermal bulb from a capillary tube. Likely from a refrigerator.

[–] BartrandDuGuesclin 19 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Alright, thank you! 17 years of wondering are finally over.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You should still keep your piece of trash just for the memories, now.

[–] BartrandDuGuesclin 22 points 1 month ago

Of course! It is my most dearest piece of trash.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

From a quick search, it is used to control the flow of refrigerant based on its temperature. The tube deforms based on how hot or cold the refrigerant is, and there are contacts on the tube to switches that permit or resrrict coolant flow

In other words, it's a simple thermostat

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago
[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago

Just to add my 2 cents, it's more likely a filter/drier from a refrigerator. Those are much more common, even though a sensor/thermal bulb looks very similar.