I'm trying to understand if I can connect two 1/4 watt resistors in parallel to achieve a higher wattage, specifically to get a total of 1/2 watt. Will this setup work, and are there any important details I need to know about resistance and heat dissipation?
4 Answers
Yes, but for the best results, you should keep the resistors the same value. If they differ, one will inevitably limit your wattage capacity. For example, pairing a 50-ohm with a 1M ohm resistor will not work well since the high-resistance one won't dissipate much heat.
Yes, you can put two resistors in parallel to increase the wattage capacity. However, keep in mind that doing this will halve the resistance. For example, if you wanted a 50-ohm total, you'd need to use two 100-ohm resistors. Just remember that with two resistors in parallel, you're effectively dividing the power, but also lowering the overall resistance. Do some calculations to ensure it all fits your needs!
If you're using three resistors, it can get a bit complex. You would split the total resistance among them, so if you're aiming for 50 ohms total, you'd ideally use three 150-ohm resistors in parallel.
You're right about the power division, but remember that the total resistance will be less. To keep things efficient, make sure your resistors are spaced apart properly. Just twisting them together might lead to overheating, reducing their combined wattage.
If you're working with surface-mounted resistors, be careful. The power ratings might depend on how they're mounted. If they're too close together, they could heat up too much, impacting their total power handling.
You might also consider a series-parallel setup. If you have two 50-ohm resistors in parallel, connecting that setup in series with another two 50-ohm resistors will give you 50 ohms total with a 4x increase in power capacity.