Chassis Mount Resistors

Chassis mount resistors are a form of wirewound resistors and are more specifically considered a power resistor, Some have power ratings up to and beyond 250 watts. These type resistors, as well as all resistors, are categorized as a passive electronic component.

Chassis mount resistors are a type of power resistor that has a heat sink to dissipate the heat away from the resistor. This is because the power the resistor takes generates an extensive amount of heat that could damage the actual resistor if it is not diverted away from the component.

The actual heat sink is almost always constructed of aluminum. This is due to the fact that aluminum is such an excellent conductor and can easily transfer the heat the resistor generates away from the resistor's body and into the surrounding air. This process, of course, protects the resistor from over heating.

Being a power resistor, as you might imagine, they are often used in power applications. This is especially true where there may not be a heat sink internal to the system or power supply that can act to transfer the heat for it.

These resistors are available in standard tolerances from 0.1% to 5%, but closer tolerances are also available, as well as non-inductive values. The resistances range from 0.005 ohms to 700K ohms depending upon the power rating of the resistor and its subsequent size.

Tepro of Florida, Inc. offers a full line of chassis mount resistors and although they are not used quite as often as they once were, with the move from analog systems to digital, they are still an important component that has a place in many power applications today.