What are Thermistors?
Thermistor, a word formed by combining thermal with resistor, refers to a device whose electrical resistance, or ability to conduct electricity, is controlled by temperature. Thermistors come in two varieties; NTC, negative thermal coefficient, and PTC, positive thermal coefficient, sometimes called posisitors. The resistance of NTC thermistors decreases proportionally with increases in temperature. They are most commonly made from the oxides of metals such as manganese, cobalt, nickel and copper. The metals are oxidized through a chemical reaction, ground to a fine powder, then compressed and subject to very high heat. Some NTC thermistors are crystallized from semiconducting material such as silicon and germanium. Electrical circuitry is colder at startup than after running for a length of time. NTC thermistors are used to take advantage of this to protect the circuitry from the surge in electrical flow that accompanies startup. Because the resistance of NTC thermistors varies gradua
Thermistor, a word formed by combining thermal with resistor, referrs to a device whose electrical resistance, or ability to conduct electricity, is controlled by temperature. Thermistors come in two varieties; NTC, negative thermal coefficient, and PTC, positive thermal coefficient, sometimes called posisitors. The resistance of NTC thermistors decreases proportionally with increases in temperature. They are most commonly made from the oxides of metals such as manganese, cobalt, nickel and copper. The metals are oxidized through a chemical reaction, ground to a fine powder, then compressed and subject to very high heat. Some NTC thermistors are crystallized from semiconducting material such as silicon and germanium. Electrical circuitry is colder at startup than after running for a length of time. NTC thermistors are used to take advantage of this to protect the circuitry from the surge in electrical flow that accompanies startup. Because the resistance of NTC thermistors varies gradu
Thermistors are resistive devices made up of metal oxides that are formed into a bead and encapsulated in epoxy or glass. Thermistors generally have a negative temperature coefficient; the resistance decreases as temperature increases. While thermistors are very sensitive, they are typically non-linear and have a limited temperature range. Low sensor cost Thermistor elements are typically less expensive than RTD elements in the sensor form. High resistance High resistance equates to high sensitivity. Thermistors provide a larger voltage drop over a specific temperature using the same measuring current. Self heating is more problematic with a thermistor due to its small size. Point sensing Point sensing is a major attribute of thermistors within limited temperature ranges. Typical applications are insitu biological monitoring where the small size and mass are critical. Thermistors are best suited for low cost applications over limited temperature ranges.
Thermistors (THERMally sensitive resistors), are solid state, electronic devices which detect thermal environmental changes for use in Temperature measurement, control and compensation circuitry. Quality Thermistor, Inc. manufacturers temperature sensors comprised of two basic thermistor technologies: Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) thermistors exhibit a non-linear, decreasing electrical resistance with increasing environmental temperature. Correspondingly, NTC thermistors exhibit a non-linear increasing electrical resistance with decreasing environmental temperature. An NTC thermistors exponential and inverse Resistance / Temperature (R/T) characteristic delivers precise, repeatable thermal sensing with field interchangeable capability. Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) thermistors exhibit a linear, increasing electrical resistance with increasing environmental temperature. Correspondingly, PTC t
