General Electric Thermal Control

Description:

General Electric manufactured this Thermal Control thermostat around 1933. The thermostat came equipped with a Telechron synchronous motor that powered the clock attached to the thermostat. The clock allowed the furnace to turn on and off at a certain time, and the thermostat has two wheels on the right and the left, which allowed the home owner to set a desired temperature during the day and during the evening.

The ubiquity of thermostats in 21st century homes shrouds the decades of innovation, industrial design, and engineering that went into making them an everyday object in almost every home. In the early 20th century, a majority of American households still heated their homes with manually operated furnaces that required a trip down to the basement and stoking the coal fired furnace. Albert Butz’s “damper-flapper” system was patented in 1886 and allowed home owner to set the thermostat to a certain temperature which would open a damper to the furnace, increasing the fire and heating the house. Progressive innovations allowed for the thermostats to use gas lines, incorporate electricity, turn on at a set time, include heating and cooling in one mechanism, and even connect to the internet.

Location: Currently not on view

See more items in: Work and Industry: Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Engineering, Building, and Architecture, Thermostats, Domestic Furnishings

Exhibition:

Exhibition Location:

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: 2008.0011.06Accession Number: 2008.0011Catalog Number: 2008.0011.06

Object Name: thermostat

Measurements: overall: 8 3/8 in x 4 in x 3 1/8 in; 21.2725 cm x 10.16 cm x 7.9375 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ad-4eb8-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_1392737

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.