2
\$\begingroup\$

What charge does the wiper of a potentiometer give? Negative or positive? I connect the left pin to the positive and right pin to negative. My potentiometer looks like this. The wiper is facing backward and the left and right pins are facing at to your right and left hand respectively. Take the potentiometer below 1K-1M in the picture given below

enter image description here

\$\endgroup\$
20
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ Depends on the position. What are you trying to do? \$\endgroup\$
    – JaySabir
    Commented Aug 17, 2020 at 6:15
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ #Sathvik, Welcome and nice to meet you.Ah, let me see. It depends on what you mean by "Left" and "Right". Suppose you connect Left pin to negative/ground/0V, and Right pin to positive/1.5V of a battery, then the wiper should give 0V~1.5V, or 1.5V~0V, depending on if you turn the knob Clockwise or CounterClockwise. Perhaps you can give us link to, or a photo of your potentiometer. Or you can read the following catalog and let us know which potentiometer in the catalog looks like yours: fr.aliexpress.com/category/205006085/potentiometers.html. Cheers. \$\endgroup\$
    – tlfong01
    Commented Aug 17, 2020 at 6:16
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ @tlfong01 Anotyher good comment-answer. These are as good as many of the answers which others give. Posting such as an answer makes them more accessible and more permanent. \$\endgroup\$
    – Russell McMahon ♦
    Commented Aug 18, 2020 at 7:19
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ @tlfong01 That has some merit :-) - but look at the other two answers. You all seem to have taken the same meaning as I would have - right or wrong. \$\endgroup\$
    – Russell McMahon ♦
    Commented Aug 18, 2020 at 7:48
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ @tlfong01 I meant that we all had the same understanding - and that we may all be right or all be wrong :-). But I think we are right. || I understand the 'ask many questions and understand the true question" approach. I lean that way AND/BUT the site ethos tends to discourage this approach. [I don't make the rules]. I tend in comments where much more input is needed to ask a list of questions which need to be answered to get a proper understanding - and then usually give some guidance after that. \$\endgroup\$
    – Russell McMahon ♦
    Commented Aug 18, 2020 at 12:39

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
1
\$\begingroup\$

The "charge" will be somewhere inbetween your negative & positive. It's a voltage divider.

\$\endgroup\$
1
\$\begingroup\$

It's relative.

Relative to L, the slider would be more negative as it moves from L to R.

Likewise, relative to R, the slider would be more positive as it moves from R to L.

enter image description here

\$\endgroup\$

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.