GoKawiilHow Wax Motors Convert Heat Into Mechanical Motion
Wax motors use a sealed volume of wax—ranging from refined hydrocarbons to plant-derived waxes like paraffin—that expands when heated and contracts when cooled to push and retract a plunger. Heat can come from electric thermistors, solar radiation, combustion byproducts, or ambient sources, while a spring or weight provides the biasing force needed to retract the plunger against seal friction.