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Understanding the Difference Between Rheostat and Potentiometer: A Comparative Analysis

Understanding the Difference Between Rheostat and Potentiometer: A Comparative Analysis

December 19 , 2023 0

Potentiometers are used to manually change the resistance in the circuit or measure the potential difference between the two ends of the circuit; Therefore, potentiometers are called voltage measuring devices. The first potentiometer was invented and patented by inventor George Little in 1871. Potentiometers are passive electronic devices, that is, they do not produce energy, only store or dissipate energy in the form of an electric current. Potentiometer is a kind of multifunctional equipment; In addition to measuring potential differences, it is also used for other purposes, such as voltage division, comparing the electromotive force of a battery, and, of course, as a variable resistor. This article collected and sorted out some potentiometer and adjustable resistance of the difference of information, hope to readers have a relatively large reference value.

Overview OF Potentiometers

A PotenTIometer is a type of variable resistor. It is usually composed of a six-pin potentiometer resistor and a rotating or sliding system, that is, a moving contact moves on the resistor to obtain part of the voltage output.

Potentiometer role - adjust the voltage (including DC voltage and signal voltage) and the size of the current.

A potentiometer is a tunable electronic component. It consists of a resistance body and a rotating or sliding system. When a voltage is applied between the two fixed contacts of the resistance body, the position of the contact on the resistance body is changed by rotating or sliding system, and a voltage that is in a certain relationship with the position of the moving contact can be obtained between the moving contact and the fixed contact. It is mostly used as a voltage divider, when the potentiometer is a four-terminal element. Potentiometer is basically a sliding rheostat, there are several styles, generally used in the sound box volume switch and laser head power size adjustment, potentiometer is an adjustable electronic component.

Variable resistor for voltage division. On the exposed resistor body, one or two movable metal contacts are pressed tightly. Contact position Determines the resistance value between either end of the resistor and the contact. According to the material, wire wound, carbon film, solid core potentiometer; According to the relationship between the output and input voltage ratio and the rotation Angle, the linear potentiometer (linear relationship) and the functional potentiometer (curvy relationship). The main parameters are resistance, tolerance and rated power. It is widely used in electronic equipment as volume control in audio and receivers.

Overview OF Adjustable Resistors

Adjustable resistance is also called variable resistance, its English is Rheostat, adjustable resistance is a class of resistance, the size of the resistance value of the adjustable resistance can be manually adjusted to meet the needs of the circuit.

Adjustable resistance according to the size of the resistance value, the range of adjustment, the form of adjustment, the production process, the production material, the volume size and so on can be divided into many different models and types, divided into: electronic components adjustable resistance, porcelain plate adjustable resistance, patch adjustable resistance, wire wound adjustable resistance and so on.

The nominal value of the adjustable resistance is the resistance value that the standard can be adjusted to, in theory, the resistance value of the adjustable resistance can be adjusted to any value within 0 and the nominal value, but because of the actual structure and design accuracy requirements and other reasons, it is often not easy to achieve 100% "arbitrary" requirements, but "basically" to adjust within the allowed range, so as to change the resistance value.

What Is The Difference Between A Potentiometer And An Adjustable Resistor?

Potentiometer is a resistance element with three leading ends and the resistance value can be adjusted according to a certain change law. A potentiometer usually consists of a resistive body and a removable brush. When the brush moves along the resistance body, the resistance value or voltage that is related to the displacement is obtained at the output end.

First of all, the shape of the variable resistor and the variable potentiometer is not the same, moreover, the variable resistor is just a potentiometer (variable resistor) in the potentiometer sliding rheostat (variable resistor) according to the function is divided into rotating potentiometer and sliding potentiometer (sliding rheostat).

Although potentiometers and adjustable resistors are both devices with variable resistance values, there are still some differences.

1. Potentiometers have multiple connections, and variable resistors do not;

2 Potentiometer large volume, solid structure, long life;

3. Potentiometer operation mode is different, potentiometer has an operating handle;

4. The resistance distribution characteristics of the potentiometer resistor body are different from that of the variable resistor, and the distribution characteristics of the potentiometer resistor body of various output function characteristics are different;

In addition, the potentiometer has a large adjustable range, which is mainly used for circuit (voltage or current) control, and is generally installed on the panel to facilitate adjustment. Adjustable resistance adjustable range is small, mainly used for circuit parameter compensation, generally installed on the circuit board. The potentiometer has a large power ratio and is generally installed on the chassis with an adjustment handle for people to adjust. The general power of the adjustable resistance is relatively small, generally used to adjust the circuit current installed on the circuit board, and generally no longer adjust after adjustment, no adjustment handle.