Resistor Dictionary, Terms, and Definitions

Resistor Terms:

Carbon Film Resistor: A type of resistor produced using carbon as the resistive material.

Center Tap Trimmer: A trimmer [variable resistor] with four terminals. The fourth terminal is fixed to the mid-point of the tap [non-movable]. The other three terminal comprise the wiper and the two fixed ends.

Chassis Mount: A type of resistor package designed to be mounted using a bolt, the case is metal. Same style shown with; Aluminum Housed Resistor. Reference; MIL-PRF-18546 Resistors, Fixed, Wire-Wound [Power Type, Chassis Mounted].

Chassis Mount

Chip Attenuator: A Surface Mount Device that provide either 'Pi' Attenuator Pads, or 'T' Attenuator Pads, [PI-Pads, T-Pads]. PI-Pads have a minimum of four leads, two for the common lead [ground] and one each for the input and output of the PI circuit. A T-Pad have the same amount of leads or a minimum of three leads, one common connection. The standard surface mount chip sizes apply, with the larger sizes having either more leads [pads] or handling more power. Companies that manufacture Chip Attenuators

Chip Resistor: A Surface Mount Resistor, or Surface Mount Device [SMD]. Resistor Chip Sizes

Different Sizes of Chip Resistors

Color Codes: Resistor color codes (used on thru-hole devices) indicate the devices value, tolerance and in some cases its failure rate. Table of Resistor Color Codes.
Note in some cases 1 percent resistors may use a three digit or four digit code to denote resistor values, see below right for a table of how to decode the 3 digit code or 4 digit code. These code are also applicable to 2 percent and 5 percent tolerances.

Resistor Color Code Bands

Current Sense Resistor: Ultra low ohm devices used to measure current. Current Sense Resistors are low resistance precision resistors used to measure AC or DC electrical currents by the voltage drop those currents create across the resistance. Current Sense Resistors may be produced as low power surface mount devices or high wattage free-air devices. Four terminal thick film Kelvin resistors provide separate source and sense leads for precise current sensing applications.

Current Sense Resistor

Cut Tape Resistor: Resistors purchased on a roll of paper tape. Cut-Tape refers to a portion of the original size of the tape which has been cut to order, or to the amount required. Normally cut-tape only refer to axial leaded resistors.

Cut Tape Resistor