What happened to glass thermometers?

[BigAlsGal]

Can you not buy these anymore? After our digital ear thermometer was giving 50 different temps I went to look for just a good ole glass/mercury thermometer. Nothing! Only digital! Of course the new digital gave off a couple of different temps but seemed "better".

I miss the good ole days sometimes.

 

[tvguy]

Walmart has them.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/ENVIRO-S...trategy=SMT&visitor_id=VQeAIp4RyZ3MyqwNUQ18po

 

[Katie Dawn]

They'll probably always be around, but you're seeing them less and less. As you know glass thermometers have mercury in them which can be a hazard if it breaks (combined with shattered glass all over the floor... not my idea of fun.) Locally we've had some events where they ask people to bring their glass thermometers in empty, closed water bottles so they can be disposed of properly. They a given are new digital thermometer to replace it.

 

[Christine]

While you can still buy a glass thermometer, I don't think the new ones contain mercury. I have heard that whatever is in them now, is not as precise as mercury so...not sure it's worth it. I do stick with digital but I buy a more expensive one. The cheaper ones seem to be all over the place.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

They are not IN my Walmarts or anywhere. I guess you have to buy online.

I use the forehead thermometer.

 

[TexasKiwiPrincess]

Current glass thermometers typically contain alcohol. No mercury is used anymore.

 

[luvayorkie]

It may be a dying art, but this guy is keeping it alive:

http://www.ksat.com/weather/watch-live-adam-caskey-builds-thermometers

Most glass thermometers use alcohol these days.

 

[capegirl]

I still have an ancient mercury thermometer. Very accurate, I can't believe it still functions, but it does. As a child, I recall my mother dropping glass thermometers all the time; pieces of mercury would roll around the floor. Back in the day no one thought about the hazard.

 

[Christine]

I still have an ancient mercury thermometer. Very accurate, I can't believe it still functions, but it does. As a child, I recall my mother dropping glass thermometers all the time; pieces of mercury would roll around the floor. Back in the day no one thought about the hazard.

My mother still has one too and we use it now just to see if our digital thermometers are accurate. My mom remembers them dropping/breaking and playing with the mercury.

 

[leebee]

I still have an ancient mercury thermometer. Very accurate, I can't believe it still functions, but it does. As a child, I recall my mother dropping glass thermometers all the time; pieces of mercury would roll around the floor. Back in the day no one thought about the hazard.

It was always so much fun to play with the mercury when the thermometer broke! You could split the drops into teeny tiny drops and they'd reform. The stuff would roll around and was just fun to poke at and play with. I'm glad we didn't know it was dangerous... and I miss using a decent mercury thermometer, as that's what's the most accurate, and as long as you don't break it open and expose the mercury, it's not dangerous.

 

[Klayfish]

Speaking of, my smartphone is acting funny. Where's my good 'ol rotary phone when I need it??

 

[tvguy]

Speaking of, my smartphone is acting funny. Where's my good 'ol rotary phone when I need it??

LOL
I don't recall ever having a battery die in my rotary phone. Or a software upgrade locking it up. And those old Western Electric rotary phones just screamed "Go ahead, keep dropping me, you can't break me".

 

[Ciao Mickey]

It was always so much fun to play with the mercury when the thermometer broke! You could split the drops into teeny tiny drops and they'd reform. The stuff would roll around and was just fun to poke at and play with. I'm glad we didn't know it was dangerous... and I miss using a decent mercury thermometer, as that's what's the most accurate, and as long as you don't break it open and expose the mercury, it's not dangerous.

We did this too. I also would take old dimes (mercury) and put them in the drops, it made them all shiny and new looking as I can recall.

When I look back at my childhood and the things we did it's wonder how we all survived.

 

[Squirlz]

We did this too. I also would take old dimes (mercury) and put them in the drops, it made them all shiny and new looking as I can recall.

When I look back at my childhood and the things we did it's wonder how we all survived.

I don't get the connection between Mercury dimes and mercury the element?

 

[Mirielle]

We did this too. I also would take old dimes (mercury) and put them in the drops, it made them all shiny and new looking as I can recall.

When I look back at my childhood and the things we did it's wonder how we all survived.

Did this with dimes, too. Great fun!

 

[ols386]

I still have an ancient mercury thermometer. Very accurate, I can't believe it still functions, but it does. As a child, I recall my mother dropping glass thermometers all the time; pieces of mercury would roll around the floor. Back in the day no one thought about the hazard.

What was the hazard?

 

[ols386]

I don't get the connection between Mercury dimes and mercury the element?

Me neither.

 

[chartle]

What was the hazard?

You really don't know about mercury poisoning. Worse than lead. Maybe not as bad as cadmium.

 

[chartle]

I don't get the connection between Mercury dimes and mercury the element?

Mercury dimes are mostly silver. I think silver and Mercury react with each other and shin up the dimes.

 

[bcla]

LOL
I don't recall ever having a battery die in my rotary phone. Or a software upgrade locking it up. And those old Western Electric rotary phones just screamed "Go ahead, keep dropping me, you can't break me".

They could still wear out. We've got one, but it's wall mounted and basically is only connected to power now that we have VoIP. The touch tone phones might have been even tougher. If you look inside one, there's very basic circuitry and a heavy duty plastic shell.

Glass thermometers are still made, but most consumer ones are red-dyed alcohol. I do remember resetting an old mercury thermometer by shaking it.

We still have an older Honeywell mercury switch thermostat. I used play with one as a kid.