Thermostat? But for what?

[jeraldo]

I have a strange device in a casing high on my back wall. It is an old electrical thermostat of some kind. It is a plate with a range of temperatures in farenheit going from 30 to 110 degrees over which there is a twist switch which points to the selected temperature. It is a 220/250 volt supply and on the plate is writte PROCON and PROCESS CONTROL GEAR LTD, MADE IN ENGLAND. There is some kind of a capacitor attached to the electrical supply block, too. I am pretty sure the supply is disconnected as it doesn't show up on my electrical screwdriver. What do you think this controlled - probably heating of some kind if it monitors outdoor temperature - but it was set at 70 degrees and I live in the north of Scotland! Any suggestions? I have a photo of it if you wanted me to send it to you ...

[rojash]

Can't imagine anyone wanting to set their heating thermostat to 30 deg. Fahrenheit. That would be 2 degrees below freezing! Equally

"but it was set at 70 degrees and I live in the north of Scotland!"
Why would where you live have any relevance to the desired temperature?

[jeraldo]

... because it doesn't get too warm here and if it was being set at an all year-round temperature I would imagine it would have been set lower to the normal climatic conditions! Yes I agree with your comment about the 30 degrees ... very strange!

[wildwood]

I had one of those thermostats on the wall in a flat many years ago. It turned out to control the power socket near the floor, probably for a heater.

[Hopkirk]

Well my speedometer has numbers at the upper end that the car has no chance of achieving, so they just did the same at the lower end.

[jeraldo]

Like it Hopkirk! But the high numbers are on the left and the lowest on the right so either you start off fast and slow or the needle goes the wrong way!

[keithg]

It's possibly a "Frost Stat" which when it reaches it's set temperature,usually set at just above freezing, it switches on, overriding any timers and switches on the heating to avoid any pipes freezing.

[keithg]

Missed out "I assume it's on a outside wall"

[jeraldo]

Yes, KeithG - on upper outside wall!