Can a 125mw dual gang pot handle 10w audio output?

Question

I want to build balance control for two audio amplifier circuits, and I want to use dual gang pot.

I want to know if I connected it directly to the outputs of the two audio amplifiers circuit then to the speakers if the the resistance go to about 0 ohm will it be ok for 10W output.

Answer 1

I want to know if I connected it directly to the outputs of the two audio amplifiers circuit then to the speakers if the the resistance go to about 0 ohm will it be OK for 10W output.

No.

• Potentiometers are usually rated at 0.125 W.
• The maximum current the pot can handle is given by \$ P = I^2 R \$ which can be rewritten as \$ I = \sqrt {\frac {P}{R}} \$. If you choose, for example, a 100 Ω potentiometer then \$ I = \sqrt {\frac {0.125}{100}} = 35 \ \text {mA}\$.
• With an 8 Ω loudspeaker this would give you about \$ P = I^2 R = 0.035^2 \times 8 = 0.01 \ \text W \$ from you speaker.

The correct way to reduce speaker volume is to reduce the amplifier input signal level using a potentiometer.