Precision Potentiometer – Positioning
When installing the precision potentiometer to the equipment, it is necessary to position its input shaft by using a tester or the like. This time, we will introduce the positioning method of the Green Pot (Conductive Plastic)/ Wire Wound and Blue Pot (MR-element)/ Orange Pot (Hall-IC) by using a tester.
Testers are available in analog and digital but in the case of the analog tester, since a large current may flow for moving the needle and that may cause the burn out the resistive element of precision potentiometer (hereinafter, this is called “potentiometer”), therefore it is recommended to use the digital tester.
If you have only an analog tester, please reduce the range so that it does not exceed 1mA.
Positioning method of Conductive Plastic and Wire Wound Potentiometer
Green Pot (Conductive Plastic Potentiometer) and Wire Wound potentiometer have two ways of positioning: resistance measurement and voltage measurement.
・Resistance Measurement
Since measuring the resistance value does not require a power supply, it can be measured using a tester only.
1. Set the range of the tester to “Ω”.
2. Put the two test leads from tester to either terminal 1-terminal 2 or terminal 2-terminal 3 of the potentiometer respectively as shown in the following illustration.
3. Turn the input shaft of potentiometer slowly in CW/CCW direction to seek for the required resistance value.
(Note)
The output from the potentiomter will not generate “0Ω” due to the added contact resistance of the sliding wiper whose resistance depends on the total resistance of the pot but it would be about 10Ω if the pot is new.
Relevant Video “Resistance Measurement”
・Voltage Measurement
For measuring the voltage, a power supply is required. Do not supply the voltage above the maximum supplied voltage.
1. Set the range of the tester to DC voltage “ー~V”.
2. Connect the power supply to terminal 1 (+) and terminal 3 (GND) of potentiometer.
3. Put the two test leads of the tester to either terminal 1- terminal 2 or terminal 2- terminal 3 respectively.
4. Turn the input shaft of potentiometer slowly in CW/CCW direction to seek for the required voltage value.
(Note)
Do not power in connecting terminals 1 and 2 or terminals 2 and 3 of Green Pot/ Wire Wound as this will cause a short circuit leading to the burn-out of the sliding wiper and the resistive element.
Relevant Video “Voltage Measurement”
Positioning Method of MR-Element and Hall-IC Potentiometer
Blue Pot (MR-element) creates resistance output but this output is unstable therefore please measure voltage output.
Orange Pot is a potentiometer using Hall-IC. Although we classify it as a potentiometer, the concept is different from the actual potentiometer such as having no resistance value. Therefore, it can only measure voltage.
Please refer to “Voltage Measurement” of “Position method of Green Pot/ Wire Wound potentiometer” as above.
In powering up the Orange Pot, +(IN) and -(GND) must be connected correctly for the reason that the pot will stop working due to its self-diagnostic function if the terminals were inversely connected.
Ratiometer
For measuring output voltage it is necessary to have an external power supply and the addition of the power supply might be a troublesome additional task for some end users therefore with our products what we have available is a handy instrument called a “Ratiometer” that can measure voltage output (voltage ratio output) without the need for having an external power supply present.
Relevant Video “Ratiometer”
Since the “Ratiometer” has not acquired the necessary certification for it to be used within the U.S. as the result it is not for sale but if you are interested in putting its usage into your application then the device can be rented out to you on a monthly contract basis and as the result please contact us for more details.
If you have any inquires, opinions, or requests that you would like to make, please contact us.
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