Intro to 9 types of Resistors

Intro to 9 types of Resistors

Resistors are the bread and butter to only about every electronic circuit, it’s almost impossible to seek out one without it. So, what do these components look like? How can they be specified on circuit boards?

Like most components, resistors are available all shapes and sizes. Large resistors are often needed for top power situations, miniature resistors are found in very small devices.

The standard through-hole resistor is found in older circuits also as hobby circuits. most resistors have the symbol “R” on a PCB and most are often salvaged for future projects.

 

Carbon Film Resistors Intro to 9 types of Resistors

Carbon film resistors are the foremost basic kind of resistor available and are utilized in the industry for the last 40 years.

These resistors have color bands which signalize their resistance and tolerance levels. While a carbon film resistor’s tolerance level are often as high as 10%, the bulk are around 5% and typically have an influence rating between 0.125W to 5W.

Note: the foremost common resistor is that the 1/4W—which can nearly always be identified by its yellowish-colored body.

 

Intro to 9 types of Resistors: Metal Film Resistors

Metal film resistors are very almost like carbon film resistors—except for his or her greater tolerances and temperature coefficient properties.

They are often found in situations that an accurate resistor is necessary, (such as multi-meters) with tolerance levels typically between 0.1-2%.

Just like carbon film resistors, metal film resistors use color bands to point their resistance.

Intro to 9 types of Resistors: Thin Film Resistors

Thin film resistors are commonly found in modern electronics, as they’re frequently utilized in surface mount resistors.

These resistors have a typical tolerance level between 1-5%, which makes them useful for general use (analog circuitry, pull-up resistors etc).

Thin film resistors are available a variety of sizes—0603 being the foremost common (1.55mm x 0.85mm).

SMD resistors are incredibly small and are difficult to salvage and it’s arguably cheaper to get new parts.

Depending on the resistor, there could also be variety printed thereon . This number is usually a resistor code which represents its resistance.

 

 

Intro to 9 types of Resistors: Power Resistor

Power resistors are very large and sometimes have a coffee resistance level (0 to 100 ohms). they’re designed to be utilized in projects requiring an outsized voltage or current (such as motors and other high powered equipment).

They come in numerous styles with the smaller varieties being made from a white ceramic block, whereas larger resistors are housed in aluminum housings.

Intro to 9 types of Resistors: Carbon Composition Resistors

Carbon composition resistors are one among the primary resistors to be mass produced. Like carbon film resistors, they need color bands that indicate their resistance value and are housed in plastic cylinders (often brown).

These resistors are almost never used for manufacturing purposes as they need poor tolerances and are expensive. However, they’re beneficial as power suppliers, as they need low inductance (being a solid material as against a conductive loop).

 

 

Intro to 9 types of Resistors: Resistor Arrays

Sometimes, many of an equivalent resistors are needed in parallel, like pull-down resistors on a knowledge bus or series protection resistors for input connectors. In these situations, resistor arrays are available both through-hole and SMD format.

out of-hole arrays are either in SIP (single-in-line) or DIP (dual in-line) packaged and are either black or beige in color. SMD resistor arrays look almost like SMD resistors connected together during a SOIC-like package.

 

Intro to 9 types of Resistors: Printed Carbon Resistor

In some instances, the accuracy of a resistor isn’t entirely important (such like pull up/down resistors) and employing a standard carbon film or SMD resistor could also be too costly during a mass-produced environment.

In this case, carbon resistors are often printed directly onto a PCB. These resistors are nothing quite a carbon compound painted between two contact points.

The tolerance of those resistors are often as high as 30% and it’s almost impossible to scrap them.

 

Intro to 9 types of Resistors: Shunts

Shunts are specialized resistors that are utilized in ammeter applications. They often contains a bit of metal between two connectors and have very low resistance (less than 100m Ω).

Shunts are known to be very accurate and capable of handling large currents (10A for instance , isn’t uncommon). These resistors, however, aren’t worth salvaging, as they need a really specific application and are rarely found in circuits.

 

Intro to 9 types of Resistors: Wirewound Resistors

Wirewound resistors are made up of wire wound around an insulating core, often made from materials like nichrome.

They aren’t usually found in domestic circuits and are not ideal for several circuits as they need a high inductance level (due to the coil design). they’re popularly utilized in circuit breakers or as fuses.