How to calculate resistor power?Resistor power calculation formula

How to calculate resistor power?

The power of a resistor can be calculated using the following formula:

Resistor power calculation formula

P=I²×R

Where P is the power, I is the current through the resistor, and R is the resistance value

What does 1 4 watt resistor mean?

‌Resistance 1/4W means that the rated power of the resistor is 1/4 watt (0.25W). ‌ In a circuit, a resistor consumes power and generates heat when current passes through it. If the current passing through the resistor is too large and exceeds its rated power, the resistor may burn out and fail to work properly.

What does 1 8w resistor mean?

A resistor of 1/8W means that the rated power of the resistor is 1/8W. This means that when the resistor is working normally, the power it consumes cannot exceed 1/8W, otherwise it may cause the resistor to overheat or even burn out. 1/8W resistors are usually used in low-power circuits, such as LED light circuits and small audio circuits, because these circuits have low power requirements.

What does 1 10w resistor mean?

A resistor of 1/10W means that the maximum power dissipation of the resistor is 0.1 watt. This means that under normal working conditions, the heat generated by the resistor cannot exceed 0.1 watt, otherwise the resistor may be damaged.

The power of a resistor refers to the maximum power dissipation it can withstand when working. Common chip resistor power levels include 1/20W, 1/16W, 1/8W, 1/4W, 1/2W, 1W, etc. Among them, 1/16W, 1/8W, 1/10W, and 1/4W are the most widely used. In addition, the error range of a resistor is usually expressed as the allowable change in its resistance value. For example, a 1% error range means that the actual resistance value of the resistor may vary within ±1% of the nominal value, that is, between 9.9kΩ and 10.1kΩ.

The influence of resistance power on circuit

When choosing a resistor, in addition to considering its resistance value, you also need to pay attention to its rated power. If the current is too large and exceeds the rated power of the resistor, the resistor may burn out, causing the circuit to not work properly. Therefore, when choosing a resistor, it is very important to ensure that the current does not exceed its rated power.

Resistor identification method

There are many ways to identify resistors, the most common ones are digital identification and color ring identification. The digital identification method usually uses three or four digits to indicate the resistance value of the resistor, where the first few digits indicate the significant digits and the last digit indicates the power of 10. For example, 150 indicates 150Ω and 103 indicates 10kΩ. The color ring identification method uses different colored rings to indicate the resistance value and error range of the resistor, and is usually used for smaller resistors.