{"id":2907,"date":"2020-11-24T10:00:42","date_gmt":"2020-11-24T18:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/?p=2907"},"modified":"2023-02-26T08:17:45","modified_gmt":"2023-02-26T16:17:45","slug":"what-is-rheostat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/what-is-rheostat\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Rheostat? All You Need to Know About Rheostats and Their Working Principles"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/what-is-rheostat\/#What_is_Rheostat\" >What is Rheostat?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/what-is-rheostat\/#Types_of_rheostats\" >Types of rheostats<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/what-is-rheostat\/#Working_of_rheostat\" >Working of rheostat<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>If you are among the ones who search to know what rheostat is, you are in the right place. In this article from Linquip, we want to talk about rheostats, how they work, their types and function, and so on. If you are eager to know how they help our day to day life, continue reading this article.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Rheostat\"><\/span>What is Rheostat?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>That\u2019s the question we want to answer in this article. If you want to understand the rheostat diagram, you need to know what is meant by rheostat and its definition.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>What is meant by rheostat?<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Rheostat Wikipedia definition defines it as \u201ca two-terminal variable resistor\u201d. This <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Resistor#:~:text=A%20resistor%20is%20a%20passive,transmission%20lines%2C%20among%20other%20uses.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">resistor<\/a> has been designed to control the flow of the current throughout a circuit. Rheostat can change the resistance of the circuit without any disruption as well. Many people think these adjustable resistors are the same as potentiometers. Although they are very similar, the difference is that they only use two terminals.<\/p>\n<p>Rheostat symbol is pretty simple too. Although different standards have different symbols for rheostats, the most commonly used is a rectangle that is placed between two linear lines, and a tilted arrow crosses the rectangle. You can see this symbol in the image below:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2902 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/What-is-rheostat-symbol.jpg\" alt=\"what is rheostat\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-box su-box-style-default\" id=\"\" style=\"border-color:#00021e;border-radius:3px;max-width:none\"><div class=\"su-box-title\" style=\"background-color:#263551;color:#89cadb;border-top-left-radius:1px;border-top-right-radius:1px\">Read More on Linquip<\/div><div class=\"su-box-content su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"border-bottom-left-radius:1px;border-bottom-right-radius:1px\"><a title=\"Rheostat function\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/rheostat-functio\u2026e-complete-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rheostat function<\/a>: The complete guide to how rheostats work and their application<\/div><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Types_of_rheostats\"><\/span>Types of rheostats<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Now, let\u2019s dive into the world of different rheostat types. There are different types of rheostats in the market but three of them are more popular than the others. These types are Linear, Rotary, and Preset. The most popular rheostat type is rotary.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>\n<h3>Rotary rheostat<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>This type, as mentioned above, is the commonly used one. A rotary rheostat is normally used in power applications. As the name suggests, its resistive path is rotary. There\u2019s a shaft that\u2019s mounted on top of rheostat\u2019s wiper and its movement will change the length that\u2019s affecting the resistance.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li>\n<h3>Linear rheostat<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Linear rheostat\u2019s working principle is the same as the rotary ones. But the difference between these two is the movement that affects the resistance. The linear one, unlike rotary rheostat, has a linear movement for changing the length. This rheostat type is usually used in laboratory applications. Linear rheostat\u2019s sliding terminal moves across a linear path to change the resistance. For using a rheostat, only one of its fixed terminals will be connected to the slider.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li>\n<h3>Preset rheostat<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The third item in the most popular rheostat type is the preset rheostat. This type is usually used in a printed circuit board (also known as PCB). If rheostats are used in PCBs, they are preset rheostats; if used elsewhere, they are considered as trimmers. Preset rheostats have been designed for calibration purposes inside such circuits.<\/p>\n<p>This small rheostat also has two terminal (and sometimes three) but only one fixed terminal is used. \u00a0Keep in mind that even in three-terminal rheostats, only two terminals are used. You can also wire potentiometers to work as a rheostat for different purposes.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2903 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/51hV6IacPzL._SL1001_.jpg\" alt=\"what is rheostat\" width=\"700\" height=\"472\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/51hV6IacPzL._SL1001_.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/51hV6IacPzL._SL1001_-300x202.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/51hV6IacPzL._SL1001_-696x469.jpg 696w, https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/51hV6IacPzL._SL1001_-623x420.jpg 623w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Working_of_rheostat\"><\/span>Working of rheostat<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Up to here, you only learned \u201cwhat is rheostat\u201d and its different types. But knowing how it works and its uses are also important to know exactly \u201cwhat is a rheostat used for\u201d and how it can help improve the quality of your life.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>How does a rheostat control the current in a circuit?<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In order to change the current in a circuit, its applied voltage or its resistance should change. Rheostat function for changing the circuit\u2019s current happens by changing the resistance of the circuit. Increasing the resistance leads to a decrease in the current of the circuit. And if you need to increase the current, you should decrease the resistance.<\/p>\n<p>Different factors affect the resistance and therefore, the current: length, type, and area of cross-section. For a rheostat, this factor is the length. The aforementioned contact that moves in a rheostat is the item that is used for changing the length, resulting in a change in resistance and therefore, in the current.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>Does a rheostat reduce voltage?<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A rheostat\u2019s main function is to change the current. So, when it\u2019s placed across a voltage source, there would be a fixed voltage across the rheostat. With the increase of the resistance, the current decreases. Remember that V=IR in the basic electrical engineering (V stands for voltage, I is for current and R is for resistance) since the voltage source is fixed, the two other factors should change to affect the voltage.<\/p>\n<p>Since rheostats are used to change the current, and the voltage is fixed, it should change the resistance to affect the current and this process also affects the voltage. So, you can say that the voltage can also be controlled by a rheostat since the two items that affect the voltage changes via rheostat.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2904 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/What-is-rheostat-index-image.jpg\" alt=\"what is rheostat\" width=\"700\" height=\"488\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/What-is-rheostat-index-image.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/What-is-rheostat-index-image-300x209.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/What-is-rheostat-index-image-696x485.jpg 696w, https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/What-is-rheostat-index-image-602x420.jpg 602w, https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/What-is-rheostat-index-image-100x70.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>How do you use a rheostat?<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Rheostat uses are different but the main use of a rheostat is when controlling the current in a circuit is needed. You can use them as a voltage divider, or even as a variable resistive load. Rheostats are also used in testing laboratories and electrical workshops for testing purposes.<\/p>\n<p>You can test different circuits with various currents that are changed via a rheostat. Plus, you can provide different voltage conditions for the circuits in those labs. Another common use of rheostats is in lighting circuits. You can use them as dimming devices in those circuits.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>So, that was the answer to \u201cwhat is a rheostat?\u201d now you can easily describe what a rheostat is, how it works, and its function. Plus, you learned how useful they are for changing the current and even their application in lighting circuits. If you have any questions about rheostats, you can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/sign-up?client_redirect=\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">sign up on Linquip<\/a> and ask our experts. Comment below and let us know what you think about this adjustable resistor.<\/p>\n<h3><b>Buy Equipment or Ask for a Service<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>By using Linquip RFQ Service, you can expect\u00a0to receive quotations from various suppliers across multiple industries and regions.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/linquip.com\/get-quote?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=product_list&amp;utm_term=product_list&amp;utm_content=rfq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click Here to Request a Quotation From Suppliers and Service Providers<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Read More on Linquip<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/parts-of-cnc-machine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">13 Parts of CNC Machine + Function &amp; PDF: A Clear Guide<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/what-is-a-polarized-capacitor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What is a Polarized Capacitor? 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Types &amp; Function<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/potentiometer-vs-rheostat\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What is the Difference Between Potentiometer and Rheostat?<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you are among the ones who search to know what rheostat is, you are in the right place. In this article from Linquip, we want to talk about rheostats, how they work, their types and function, and so on. If you are eager to know how they help our day to day life, continue &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":2901,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-electrical-component"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2907"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2907\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27032,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2907\/revisions\/27032"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2901"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}