DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ANDHRA PRADESH
Name : P. VENKAT RAO.
Designation : Lecturer.
Branch : Electronics and
Communication Engg.
Institute : Govt. Model Residential
Polytechnic, Gajwel.
Year / Semester : I Year.
Subject : Electronic Components & Devices
Subject Code : EC-105
Major Topic : Resistors.
Duration : 100 Mts.
Sub Topic : Constructional features of Wire-
wound potentiometers.
Teaching Aids : ANIMATIONS & DIAGRAMS
EC105.10 TO 11 1
OBJECTIVES

On completion of this period, you would be able to

understand the following:

• What is meant by a Wire-wound Potentiometer?

• Constructional details of Wire-wound Potentiometer.

• Specifications of Wire-wound Potentiometers.

• The applications of Wire-wound Potentiometers.

EC105.10 TO 11 2
 RECAP
• In the last class we have studied about fixed

resistors and the standard values of commercially

available resistors.
• If resistors of very precise values are required for some
specific application, special requests are to be made to
the manufacturer.

• Here comes the importance of Variable resistors.

EC105.10 TO 11 3
Variable Resistors- Potentiometers

• Variable resistors: In electronic circuits, sometimes it

becomes necessary to adjust the values of currents and

voltages.

EC105.10 TO 11 4
Variable Resistors- Potentiometers

• For example, it is often desired to change the

volume (or loudness) of sound, the brightness of

a television picture, etc..

• Such adjustments can be done by using variable

resistors.

EC105.10 TO 11 5
Variable Resistors- Potentiometers

• The variable resistors are usually called rheostats

in other applications, the smaller variable resistors

commonly used in electronic circuits are called

potentiometers (usually abbreviated to ‘pots’).

EC105.10 TO 11 6
Potentiometer- Wire wound type
• The symbol for potentiometer is shown
in the following Fig.1 (a)

• The basic construction of wire wound potentiometer is

also shown in the Fig.1 (b)

Fig 1
EC105.10 TO 11 7
Potentiometer- Wire wound type
• The resistance wire (alloy of Nickel & Chromium) is wound
over a dough-shaped core of bakelite or ceramic.

• There is a rotating shaft at the centre of the core.

Rotating Shaft

Nichrome
Wire

Fig 2
EC105.10 TO 11 8
Potentiometer- Wire wound type
• The shaft moves an arm and a contact point (wiper) from
end to end of the resistance element.

• There are three terminals coming out of a potentiometer.

• The outer two are the end points of the resistance

element, and the middle leads to the rotating ‘contact.

WIPER

THREE
TERMINALS

EC105.10 TO 11 9
Potentiometer- Wire wound type

• A potentiometer can be either linear or nonlinear.

• Following fig. shows the construction of both a linear and

nonlinear (tapered type) potentiometer.
LINEAR POT NON-LINEAR
POT

Fig.3 EC105.10 TO 11 10
 UNIFORM NON-UNIFORM HEIGHT
HEIGHT

Fig.4
• In the linear type, the former (the part over which the
wire is wound) is of uniform height and that is why the
resistance varies linearly with the rotation of the contact.

• In nonlinear potentiometer, the height of the form is not

uniform.

EC105.10 TO 11 11
Non-Linear Potentiometer

• To make Non-Linear potentiometer, a tapered strip is

taken and the resistance wire is wound over it, ensuring a
uniform pitch.

• The strip is then bent into a round shape.

• The tapered strip gives a non-linear variation of resistance

with the rotation of the moving contact.

EC105.10 TO 11 12
Non-Linear Potentiometer

• The strip can be tapered suitably so as to obtain a

desired variation in resistance per unit rotation of the
moving contact.

• The ‘pots’ used as volume control in sound equipment

are generally of the nonlinear type
(logarithmic variation).

EC105.10 TO 11 13
Specifications of Wire-wound potentiometers

• Resistance value : 0.1 Ω to 150 K Ω

• Tolerance : 20 %

• Power rating : 1.5 Watts to 4 Watts.

EC105.10 TO 11 14
Applications of Wire-wound Potentiometer

• Used in Amplifier balance controls.

• Small motor controls.

• Servo control circuits.

• TV receivers.

• Analog computers.

EC105.10 TO 11 15
Wire – wound Potentiometer

• The parts of an older wire wound pot showing slider and

resistance element.

Fig.5
EC105.10 TO 11 16
Different varieties of Potentiometers
• Constant current potentiometer is used for measuring

voltages below 1.5 volts.

• The constant resistance potentiometer is a variation of

the basic idea in which a variable current is fed through a

fixed resistor. These are used primarily for

measurements in the milli volt and microvolt range.

EC105.10 TO 11 17
Different varieties of Potentiometers

• Microvolt potentiometer is used down to readings of

1000 nV or so.

• Thermocouple potentiometer used with thermocouples

also measure the temperature at which the

thermocouple wires are connected.

EC105.10 TO 11 18
Different varieties of Potentiometers

Fig.6
EC105.10 TO 11 19
Rotary Potentiometer

Fig.7
EC105.10 TO 11 20
Potentiometer Element Segments

Fig 8
EC105.10 TO 11 21
Linear Potentiometer

Fig.9
EC105.10 TO 11 22
Motorized Potentiometer

Fig.10
EC105.10 TO 11 23
Hollow Shaft Potentiometer

Fig.11 EC105.10 TO 11 24
Element Segments & Wiper Assemblies

Fig.12 EC105.10 TO 11 25
Rotary Potentiometer - types

Fig.13
EC105.10 TO 11 26
Rotary Potentiometer with Rear Terminals

Fig.14
EC105.10 TO 11 27
Dual Cup
Potentiometer with Terminals

Fig.15
EC105.10 TO 11 28
Rotary Potentiometer with Flange
Mount/Terminals

Fig.16
EC105.10 TO 11 29
6 Cup Potentiometer with Terminals and Taps

Fig.17

EC105.10 TO 11 30
Long Linear Potentiometer with Ball Rod Ends

Fig.18

EC105.10 TO 11 31
Motorized Potentiometer with Lead Wires

Fig.19

EC105.10 TO 11 32
Rotary with Clutch and Spring Return
Potentiometer

Fig.20
EC105.10 TO 11 33
Motorized Potentiometer with Special Lead Wires

Fig.21
EC105.10 TO 11 34
Hollow Shaft Potentiometer with Special
Connector

Fig.22
EC105.10 TO 11 35
Hollow Shaft Potentiometer
with Triple Redundant

Fig.23
EC105.10 TO 11 36
SUMMARY
In this topic, you have learnt about

• Definition of potentiometer.

• Constructional details of Wire-wound Potentiometer.

• Different types of Wire-wound Potentiometers.

• Specifications of Wire-wound Potentiometers.

• Applications of Wire-wound Potentiometers.

EC105.10 TO 11 37
QUIZ

EC105.10 TO 11 38
1. The other name for potentiometers is

a. Lots

c. Pots

e. Cots

g. Dots

EC105.10 TO 11 39
2. The other name for rotating contact in a
potentiometer assembly is called

a. Diper

c. Super

e. Wiper

g. Piper

EC105.10 TO 11 40
3. The number of terminals a potentiometer has

a. Two

c. Three

e. Four

g. None

EC105.10 TO 11 41
4. Power rating of a wire-wound potentiometer is

a. 20 Watts

c. 10 Watts

e. 5 Watts

g. 2 Watts

EC105.10 TO 11 42
Frequently asked questions

• What is meant by a potentiometer?

• Describe the constructional details of wire-wound

potentiometer.

• List the specifications of wire-wound potentiometer.

• Mention the applications of wire-wound potentiometers.

EC105.10 TO 11 43