Adjustable Power Resistor

Image Part Number Description / PDF Quantity Rfq
AVT05006E3R000KE

AVT05006E3R000KE

Vishay / Huntington Electric, Inc.

RES ADJ 3.0 OHM 50W 10% LUGS

33

300WA5D0

300WA5D0

NTE Electronics, Inc.

RES-300W 5 OHM 10%

12

225WA150

225WA150

NTE Electronics, Inc.

RES-225W 500 OHM 10%

60

AVE030020ER800KE

AVE030020ER800KE

Vishay / Huntington Electric, Inc.

RES ADJ .80 OHM 300W 10%

36

RSSD30250A10R0JB06

RSSD30250A10R0JB06

Vishay / Sfernice

ADJ PWR RES 10 OHM 280W CHAS MT

6

D225K10RE

D225K10RE

Ohmite

RESISTOR POWER ADJ 10 OHM 225W

5

AVT05006E1R000KE

AVT05006E1R000KE

Vishay / Huntington Electric, Inc.

RES ADJ 1.0 OHM 50W 10% LUGS

247

AVT10006E100R0KE

AVT10006E100R0KE

Vishay / Huntington Electric, Inc.

RES ADJ 100 OHM 100W 10% LUGS

171

D25K500E

D25K500E

Ohmite

RESISTOR POWER ADJ 500 OHM 25W

23

E300KR63E

E300KR63E

Ohmite

RESISTOR POWER ADJ 0.63 OHM 300W

0

AVT02506E500R0KE

AVT02506E500R0KE

Vishay / Huntington Electric, Inc.

RES ADJ 500 OHM 25W 10% LUGS

117

AVT20020E3R000KE

AVT20020E3R000KE

Vishay / Huntington Electric, Inc.

RES ADJ 3.0 OHM 225W 10% LUGS

127

D225K5R0E

D225K5R0E

Ohmite

RESISTOR POWER ADJ 5 OHM 225W

10

225WA250

225WA250

NTE Electronics, Inc.

RES-225W 5K OHM 10%

4

D100K100E

D100K100E

Ohmite

RESISTOR POWER ADJ 100 OHM 100W

12

100WA025

100WA025

NTE Electronics, Inc.

RES-100W 25 OHM 10%

0

D225K1K0

D225K1K0

Ohmite

RESISTOR POWER ADJ 1K OHM 225W

2

50WA110

50WA110

NTE Electronics, Inc.

RES-50W 100 OHM 10%

8

225WA010

225WA010

NTE Electronics, Inc.

RES-225W 10 OHM 10%

38

D50K100E

D50K100E

Ohmite

RESISTOR POWER ADJ 100 OHM 50W

16

Adjustable Power Resistor

1. Overview

Potentiometers, variable resistors, and adjustable power resistors are three-terminal devices that allow manual or automated adjustment of electrical resistance. These components play a critical role in controlling voltage, current, and power in electronic circuits. Their ability to provide precise resistance tuning makes them essential in applications ranging from consumer electronics to industrial automation. Adjustable power resistors specifically handle high-power loads while maintaining stable performance.

2. Main Types and Functional Classification

TypeFunctional CharacteristicsApplication Examples
Wirewound PotentiometerHigh precision, high-temperature tolerance, durablePower supply calibration, industrial motor control
Carbon Composition PotentiometerLow cost, moderate noise, compact sizeAudio volume control, consumer electronics
Digital PotentiometerDigital interface, programmable resistance, no moving partsSmart thermostats, IoT devices, medical equipment
Cermet PotentiometerStable resistance, low temperature coefficientAerospace systems, precision instrumentation
Adjustable Power ResistorHigh power dissipation (up to 1000W), robust heat managementElectric vehicle charging, industrial heating systems

3. Structure and Composition

Typical components include:
- Resistive Element: Wirewound (nickel-chromium alloy), carbon film, or conductive plastic
- Wiper Contact: Gold-plated bronze or phosphor bronze for low contact resistance
- Housing: Flame-retardant plastic or metal casing for thermal protection
- Adjustment Mechanism: Rotary knob, linear slider, or digital control interface
- Terminals: Copper or brass terminals with solderable coatings

4. Key Technical Specifications

ParameterDescriptionImportance
Resistance RangeTypically 10 to 10M for potentiometers, up to 100k for power resistorsDetermines adjustability range
Power Rating0.1W to 1000W depending on constructionDefines maximum power handling
ResolutionAnalog: 0.1% step; Digital: 8-16 bit precisionControls tuning accuracy
Temperature Coefficient50-500 ppm/ CMeasures stability under thermal stress
Life Cycle10,000-100,000 rotations (mechanical)Determines durability

5. Application Fields

  • Consumer Electronics: Audio equipment (volume control), gaming controllers
  • Industrial: CNC machine calibration, process control systems
  • Automotive: Electric vehicle battery management, throttle position sensors
  • Medical: MRI machine parameter adjustment, infusion pump control
  • Renewable Energy: Solar inverter power optimization, wind turbine pitch control

6. Leading Manufacturers and Representative Products

ManufacturerProduct SeriesKey Features
Bourns Inc.3382P SeriesMiniature trimmer potentiometer with 0.1% resolution
Vishay Precision GroupDHP10 SeriesHigh-power wirewound resistor (1000W, 0.25% tolerance)
TE ConnectivityPrecision PotentiometersMilitary-grade cermet resistors (MIL-PRF-39023 qualified)
Analog DevicesAD5293 Digital Potentiometer1024-position I C-controlled resistor ( 1% end-to-end tolerance)

7. Selection Guidelines

Key considerations:
- Power Requirements: Select resistors with 20% higher power rating than maximum load
- Environmental Conditions: Choose sealed enclosures for high-humidity environments
- Precision Needs: Use digital potentiometers for sub-1% accuracy requirements
- Cost Optimization: Balance wirewound (high cost, high durability) vs. carbon film (lower cost, shorter lifespan)
- Mounting Style: Through-hole for high vibration environments, surface-mount for PCB integration

8. Industry Trends

Future developments include:
- Miniaturization: 0402 package digital potentiometers entering mass production
- Smart Integration: IoT-enabled resistors with real-time resistance monitoring
- Material Innovation: Graphene-based resistive elements improving thermal stability by 40%
- Automated Adjustment: AI-controlled power resistors for dynamic load balancing
- Environmental Compliance: RoHS-compliant conductive plastics replacing cadmium-based compounds

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