Thermostats

Birk Manufacturing’s thermostats are an excellent, cost-effective solution for controlling a heater and maintaining a desired temperature set point when tight precision is not required.

Thermostats work by turning heaters on or off as the temperature reaches the set point. They use a bimetallic disc made from two metals that expand and contract at different rates when the temperature changes. As the metals react, the disc bends, triggering a switch which, in turn, controls the heater. This is a highly reliable system to maintain temperature for applications with less critical precision requirements.

Additionally, thermostats are excellent fail-safe devices for temperature management options other than RTD and thermistor sensors. The thermostat can prevent overheating by shutting off the system at a set high-temperature point, acting as an emergency backup. The thermostat can also prevent freezing by turning on the system at a set low-temperature point, acting as a switch to turn the heater on. Both snap and creep thermostats automatically reset themselves once they have been tripped and can be used multiple times without having to be replaced.

Birk offers both snap action and creep action thermostats. Snap action thermostats provide fast switching, making them ideal for thermal protection. Creep action thermostats, on the other hand, offer smooth, gradual adjustments, which can be better suited for control.

For added protection and the ultimate fail-safe measure, Birk can also integrate thermal fuses into your assembly to automatically break the circuit and prevent damage, should the heater begin to overheat. Fuses come in many shapes, sizes and set-point options and are typically set at a higher temperature than the application calls for, turning the heater off before potential burn-out if the sensor or thermostat fails. Fuses are one-time use devices which do not automatically reset themselves and must be replaced after use.

For environments where safety and reliability are critical, we offer hermetically sealed thermostats that are completely airtight. These are ideal for medical, aerospace, or hazardous environments where sparks or exposure to external elements must be avoided.

Birk’s thermostats and thermal fuses can be molded into silicone, epoxied into housings, or integrated into wiring harness assemblies, providing flexibility for different installation needs.