Posted by: tfabris
Silly basic electronics question. - 04/09/2006 23:06
Let's say I have a variable resistor that tapers between "approximately zero resistance" and "about 90 ohms resistance".
Is there any way to add regular resistors to the circuit (in some fancy pattern) that will change it so that it goes between "approximately zero resistance" and "a huge gigantic insane amount of resistance" but still tapers smoothly between those two extremes?
Posted by: tfabris
Re: Silly basic electronics question. - 04/09/2006 23:35
Hm. Researching it more, it appears that I'm simply wiring the thing up wrong. I've just got a knobby thingy that I want to alter the volume of a line-level circuit. I'm only using two of the terminals and I think I'm supposed to be using all three terminals to make it work right.
Posted by: lectric
Re: Silly basic electronics question. - 05/09/2006 02:10
Normally, the first terminal is ground, the second is variable resistance, and the third is full resistance. So normally, only pins 1 and 2 are used. Not all 3. And in answer to your first question, No. Get a bigger pot. Adding a resistor in series will just slide your impedance. In other words, you add a 100 Ohm resistor in, you get a pot that goes from 100 to 190 Ohms.
Posted by: lectric
Re: Silly basic electronics question. - 05/09/2006 02:12
Oh, and you could also use pin 3 to have an opposite resistance path. So when you turn the pot up, you get less and less resistance between pin 2 and 3 while getting more and more resistance between pins 1 and 2. Think of it like a fader.
Posted by: mlord
Re: Silly basic electronics question. - 05/09/2006 17:26
Ahh.. yup, you're right. I had it backwards in my mind.
Thanks!