Resistors

The RS comprehensive range of resistors features high-quality components well-suited to all types of electronic circuits. Allowing you to control electric currents precisely and reliably across a vast number of applications, there are well over 70,000 electrical resistors in our catalog.

Spanning resistor arrays, film resistors, wire wound resistors, metal oxide resistors, and countless more, all the resistors for sale in our range come from trusted manufacturers. As well as our quality RS PRO range, we stock components from Vishay, TE Connectivity, Ohmite, Bourns, and Arcol.

That means that whatever circuit you are creating and whichever component you need to protect, it's almost certain we will have a current limiting resistor to suit your needs.

Browse our range using the search options to the left or scroll down to find out more about electrical resistors, what they are, how they are used, and more. Alternatively, contact our experts or visit our expert hub.

What are electrical resistors?

Perhaps the most crucial electronic component in use, electrical resistors regulate electric currents within circuits. Their functionality is key to protecting sensitive components such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), sensors, transistors, and integrated circuits.

These sorts of components will utilize the entirety of the current flowing into them, but in doing so will burn out and become damaged. Resistors stop this from happening. When placed in sequence behind the delicate component, they ensure that only a safe, efficient amount of energy can flow beyond them, with their resistance measured in ohms.

There are many ways in which current limiting resistors function. They can control energy at a fixed level (fixed resistors), respond to changes in temperature (thermistors), user input (potentiometers), light (photoresistors), voltage (varistors), magnetic field (magneto resistors), mechanical load (strain gauges), and more.

How do different types of resistors work?

Resistors are formed out of various materials in a range of designs. Each is suited to a different task. Here are some of the most common and how they work.

• Power resistors - Allowing users to reduce a much greater amount of electrical energy than most resistors, power resistors are created from much hardier materials and can cope with much greater temperature increases, owing to the greater energy flowing into them. This type of component also includes those used in alternating current (AC) circuits, AC resistors.
• Wirewound resistors - A rather antiquated form of an electrical resistor, wire-wound components feature coils of an alloy such as copper-nickel manganese wound around an insulating core. They allow very high amounts of power to flow through them since the alloys used do not experience altered resistance due to temperature variations.
• Resistor arrays and divider networks - These parts, known as resistor arrays or resistor divider networks, are components formed of multiple resistors that can spit the voltage flowing through them. This saves a great amount of space within the circuit, compared to using multiple individual resistors.
• Film resistors - Made from carbon or metal, these resistors are constructed from a film of the material placed on an insulating core; the thickness of the film impacts the resistance of the component. They are highly non-inductive, making them excellent for precise applications.
• Carbon composition resistors - A fixed type of resistor, carbon composition components comprise conductive carbon particles held together with a non-conducting binder, encased in a mold. They can cope with strong pulses of energy but they are unable to provide high levels of precision due to having resistance values that can change over time.
• Ceramic composition resistors - Made from a solid ceramic core, ceramic composition resistors cope extremely well with energy pulses, making them a choice component for high-voltage circuits.
• Metal foil resistors - Accurate and balanced, metal foil resistors feature an extremely thin layer of metal on a ceramic backing. They have excellent heat conductivity, low noise, and high stability thanks to their low-temperature coefficient of resistance.
• Surface mount resistor - Typically used in printed circuit boards where space-saving is a crucial concern, surface mount resistors are small, thin resistors that are soldered atop the chipset.

What are resistors used for?

Electrical resistors are used in practically every single electrical and electronic circuit. They are used to reduce the flow of current, change signal levels, terminate transmission lines, divide voltages, generate heat, match and load circuits, fix time constants, and control gain.

In any electrical device where the functionality of its components could be damaged by too high an electric current, a resistor of some type will be used.

Why you can trust the RS resistors range

As one of the largest and most established component suppliers and distributors in North America, you can rely on all electrical resistors for sale across our extensive catalog.

Each component comes from authorized and trusted manufacturers and is designed and created in line with all applicable regulations. TT Electronics, Caddock, Panasonic, RCD Components, Spectrol - whichever brand you need, you can trust our resistors to do the required job perfectly, protecting your circuits and the components that make them.

Bring stability and control to your electronics applications with electrical resistors from RS. Get in touch with our team if you have any queries or view our expert hub to learn more about electronics, manufacturing, and much more.