Resistors

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JoeCon
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Resistors

Post by JoeCon »

Guys

My brother just dropped off a box full of resistors he got from who knows where! Anyways they are mostly 1watt metal oxide types. From reading here metal oxides should only go in the power supply circuit not the tone path due to noise problems, correct?

Luckily there are some 2-3 and 5 waters too...

Thanks.
Last edited by JoeCon on Thu Aug 07, 2014 11:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
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jelle
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Re: Resistors

Post by jelle »

1W metal oxide resistors can be used in the preamp too: plates, cathodes, grids, etc. Good score!
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JoeCon
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Re: Resistors

Post by JoeCon »

Jelle

Excellent...looks like I gotta build something!
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Gaz
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Re: Resistors

Post by Gaz »

Good enough for Mr. Bartel of Tone King...

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Re: Resistors

Post by Stevem »

They are good for anywhere, just note that above 320 TO 350 volts a 1/2 watt resistor should be upped to a 1 watter!
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Re: Resistors

Post by matt h »

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Structo
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Re: Resistors

Post by Structo »

Yeah but 1w resistors are easier to handle and usually have longer leads. :wink:
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Re: Resistors

Post by John_P_WI »

Structo wrote:Yeah but 1w resistors are easier to handle and usually have longer leads. :wink:
Yeah, especially as we age and our eyes go to hell.... :x
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Re: Resistors

Post by labb »

Just note that's an opinion, not a fact or rule. The voltage ratings of resistors is, unless otherwise specified (I'm thinking chassis-mount heatsinked jobbies), the voltage drop through the resistor, not absolute. Check the datasheets of the components you are going to use and respect those ratings.

I don't think that is correct. Resistor voltage drop has to do with it's power rating (watt) voltage rating has to do with the volts applied to the resistor and has to do with the dialectic strength of its construction. Most builder don't take this into consideration in guitar amp building.
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JoeCon
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Re: Resistors

Post by JoeCon »

...and I have always heard that a higher wattage resistor will be less noisey than it's smaller wattage version. Urban Myth???
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Re: Resistors

Post by matt h »

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Re: Resistors

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martin manning
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Re: Resistors

Post by martin manning »

Most half-watt MF resistors I use are rated at 350V max working voltage, 700V max overload, and the 1W are rated the same.

In a PI the supply voltage might be as high as 450V, but the peak voltage drop across the plate resistors under signal conditions won't be more than about 2/3 of the supply voltage. Maximum working voltage is therefore more like 275V.

Millions of Amps have been built with 1/2W plate resistors on all the preamp tubes, and they rarely fail from over-voltage.

Edit: The 2/3 fraction of supply voltage quoted above applies for a typical 12AX7 PI. With a higher-current tube, 12AT7 e.g., the max working voltage can be a bit higher, 70-75% of supply. If the supply voltage is high, 450V say, then the max working voltage of the plate resistors will approach the 350V max for typical resistors. In that case resistors with higher ratings might be in order, but simply going to a 1W power rating will not necessarily bring a higher voltage rating.
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