Thumbwheel Potentiometers

3352W-1-103 Application Field and Working Principle

Thumbwheel Potentiometers are intended for use in a wide range of control applications. This type of potentiometer consists of a rotating shaft which has a fixed contact arrangement mounted on it. This contact arrangement is typically made up of three hook-up contacts, allowing the potentiometer to be configured as either a linear, logarithmic, or square-law potentiometer. The rotation of the shaft determines the voltage which is generated across the potentiometer terminals by the action of the contact arrangement. The 3350W-1-103 is an example of a thumbwheel type potentiometer.

The 3350W-1-103 consists of a sliding core mounted within a sealed plastic housing. The core has a shaft attached to the end of it and a series of contact fingers which move over the face of the core, creating a resistance path between the two electrical taps. A thumbwheel is attached to the shaft of the core, allowing the user to adjust the resistance by turning the wheel in either direction. The thumbwheel is calibrated in Ohms, and the slider can be adjusted continuously over a range of 10K Ω.

The 3350W-1-103 is an excellent choice for applications such as volume control and dimmer switches. The adjustment of the resistance is simple and allows for precise control over the level of the signal. The 3350W-1-103 is also popular for use as a rheostat in applications such as speed controllers, electronic filters, and audio tone control.

The working principle of the 3350W-1-103 is relatively straightforward. When the shaft is rotated, the contact fingers move along the resistance path, increasing or decreasing the resistance accordingly. The resistance of the 3350W-1-103 is determined by the amount of resistance in the contact fingers, and the exact amount of resistance can be adjusted by turning the thumbwheel. When the resistance of the potentiometer is increased, the voltage generated across the terminals also increases. Conversely, when the resistance of the potentiometer is decreased, the voltage decreases. The voltage output of the 3350W-1-103 is always proportional to the resistance, and can be adjusted in a linear fashion.

The 3350W-1-103 is a popular choice for a wide variety of control applications due to its precision and reliability. It is also easy to use, as the adjustment of the resistance is as simple as rotating the thumbwheel. The 3350W-1-103 is also available in a wide range of sizes and resistance values, allowing it to be used in almost any application requiring a potentiometer.