Electronics > Beginners
finding harvested resistors power rating
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gkmaia:
I harvested a bunch of resistors and I am now facing a question... what are the power rating for these resistors?

Is there a test circuit capable of measuring how much power a resistor can handle? Therefor "measuring" it is power rating?
wraper:
Not possible. Same size resistors will heat to same temperature with same power applied. And power rating depends on their maximum temperature rating which you don't know.
T3sl4co1l:
Sort of possible.  What do they look like, for starters?

Tim
rsjsouza:
Apart from through hole carbon/metal film resistors that usually have well determined sizes between 1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1 and 2 Watts, it becomes quite difficult if you are talking about SMD. Similar scenario trying to find the voltage rating of SMD ceramic capacitors, for example.

A good reference that can help you is at:
http://www.resistorguide.com/resistor-sizes-and-packages/
David Hess:
If they are common leaded film resistors, then they power derate to zero at about a 150C surface temperature.  So applying enough power to raise them to that temperature will give a good estimate of their power capability.

The same can be done for other resistor types if you can find a representative power derating curve for them.
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