What is a carbon film resistor?
Carbon film resistor is an electronic component that provides resistance to electric current. Although there are many types of resistors made of many different materials, the carbon film resistor has a thin carbon film around the cylinder. As the electric current flows from one end of the resistor to the other, the carbon film provides a measured amount of resistance to the power current. The carbon used in resistors is subject to processing to create its resistance value. The non -conductive cylinder, usually made of ceramics or epoxy, then has a carbon applied to its surface to form a thin carbon film. Metal closures, each with metal lead, then attach at both ends of the cylinder. Finally, the resistor is coated with a non -conductive color and marked with a color code that identifies its resistance value.
When the resistor is finished in the electronic circuit, the electric current arrives at one end cap, travels through the carbon film of the resistor, and then comes out on the other end cap to the rest of the perimeter. ThereforeThe resistance value of the carbon film resistor depends on the distance of the electric current through the carbon film by the resistor. However, the resistor often has a value higher than the carbon itself is provided in a straight line.
In order to create carbon films resistors with higher resistance value, the way through the carbon film must be increased. To achieve this, there is a cut in the carbon film of the resistor to create an extended path. While the shape of this cut can be many different patterns, the most common is a spiral cut. This basically creates a long ribbon of carbon film wrapped around the cylinder.
Depending on the ribbon width, this journey can be many times longer than a direct shot from one end of the resistance to another. In addition, by changing the cut width, many different resistors with different resistant values from the same design of the basic carbon film resistor can be produced. The use of this cutting method allows ECOnomic production of carbon films resistors, which makes them the least expensive of all standard types of resistors.
carbon films resistors have other desired attributes in addition to low costs. Their simple but highly efficient and durable design gives them many uses, including almost every consumer electronic device that can be imagined. They may have resistance from 1 to 10 000 000 ohms, offer an output rating of 1/8 to 5 watts, handle up to 600 volts and tolerate temperatures from -67 ° F to more than 300 ° F (about -55 ° C to more than 149 ° C).