Thermistor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermistor Thermistor A thermistor is a type of resistor whose resistance varies significantly with temperature , more so than in standard resistors. The word is a portmanteau of thermal and resistor . Thermistors are widely used as inrush current limiters, temperature sensors , self-resetting overcurrent protectors, and self-regulating heating elements . Thermistors differ from resistance temperature detectors (RTD) in that the material used in a thermistor is generally a ceramic or polymer, while RTDs use pure metals. The temperature response is also different; RTDs are useful over larger temperature ranges, while thermistors typically achieve a higher precision within a limited temperature range, typically −90 °C to 130 °C. [1] Negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor, bead type, insulated wires Basic oper...