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Questions tagged [tolerance]

A window of acceptance, often expressed as a percentage, in which a non-perfect value is still accepted as usable.

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38 votes
8 answers
11k views

Are two (or N) resistors in series more precise than one big resistor?

Let's say I have one 2 kΩ resistor with 5% tolerance. If I replace it with two 1 kΩ resistors with 5% tolerance, will resulting tolerance go up, down, or remain unchanged? I'm bad with ...
Amomum's user avatar
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29 votes
3 answers
3k views

Why are resistors tolerances relative instead of absolute?

Every resistor has a tolerance, this provides the user with an idea of the accuracy of the product. This tolerance is represented by a percentage. This means: a big value resistor will be less ...
M.Ferru's user avatar
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27 votes
10 answers
12k views

Can a 10% resistor be used as a 1% resistor?

If my schematic calls for a 1% resistor, can I use a 10% resistor that measures to the correct resistance within 1% or is there some quality to tolerance beyond what it measures Ohm-wise? For example,...
Tyler Durden's user avatar
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23 votes
11 answers
7k views

Is there ever any reason to prefer 5% tolerance resistors over 1%?

I work at an electronics store and the other day a customer came in who was rebuilding a circuit board. I sold him some resistors, but later he came back in wanting to return some of them because they ...
Justin Pederson's user avatar
20 votes
11 answers
6k views

Is there a way to average resistors together to get a tighter overall resistance tolerance?

I have a very sensitive, kHz frequency level, application where I need two matched resistors of the same resistance better than 0.05%. Like maybe by one magnitude (0.005%). I am basically needing to ...
Josh Girgis's user avatar
17 votes
7 answers
7k views

Why are we still using resistors with 5% tolerance while they can even manufacture a 14.318182MHz crystal?

Year is 2012 and I can only find 5%-tol resistors in the local market. They can make transistors at molecular scale, they can manufacture 14.318182MHz crystals, they can place trillions of flip-flops ...
hkBattousai's user avatar
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16 votes
2 answers
1k views

4-bit bus address selection via analog input pin: Monte Carlo simulation shows overlapping address values

I designed a small sensor PCB for my master thesis with an ATtiny44 microcontroller. I need about 200 of these boards for my application and 16 are always locally connected to controller board. The ...
KarlKarlsom's user avatar
  • 1,854
14 votes
6 answers
5k views

Resistors - binning and weird distributions

I read about a little quirk related to binning resistors in a comment on this recent question. Some manufacturers will sell, for example, 1% and 5% resistors that are really made in the same batch. ...
Greg d'Eon's user avatar
  • 3,857
12 votes
5 answers
4k views

Why would a part be available as 4.99k and 5k?

I was looking at chip resistors, and came across the MORNTA1001AT5, which comes in many resistance values. The resistor tolerance is 0.1%, so what is the logic of having the part available in both 4....
b degnan's user avatar
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10 votes
10 answers
8k views

Reducing the tolerance of resistors manually

All the resistors available come with a finite amount tolerance. This is undesirable particularly in highly sensitive systems. While we can use resistors with the least tolerance available, I want to ...
TheLoneKing's user avatar
8 votes
3 answers
2k views

PCB enclosure tolerances [closed]

I can imagine problems of PCBs not fitting into their enclosures or misaligned screw/hole pairs. Are these type of problems common, especially with the dirt cheap enclosures? I am planning to use one ...
kellogs's user avatar
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8 votes
3 answers
14k views

Parts tolerance simulations in ltspice

I just recently found this tutorial (and various other places mentioning a similar technique) when trying to evaluate how one of my circuits behaves when using real world components with real world ...
PlasmaHH's user avatar
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7 votes
6 answers
7k views

Resistor Tolerance - are measured resistor with the same value but different tolerances the same?

Probably a real newbie question but I can't seem to find an answer easily... If I have 2 resistors both 1K but one is a 1% tolerance and the other is 10% and I measure them and they are the same. Let'...
Guy Taylor's user avatar
6 votes
7 answers
2k views

Component Tolerance Probability

This is more of a manufacturing question than anything else. What is the probability distribution of component tolerances? For example, let's say I ordered a 100 ohm, 5% resistor, and I order 100 ...
JohnnyMac's user avatar
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6 votes
4 answers
2k views

In terms of costs of mass production: is it better to try to reduce resistances' tolerance or capacitors' tolerance?

So I am doing a small project of optimization of components tolerance to reduce the impact of circuit sensitivity to meet a project specification. Right now I am with 5% resistors and inductors and 3% ...
Granger Obliviate's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
8k views

How to calculate aging tolerance of Resistor?

I wanted to calculate the worst case minimum and maximum value of Resistor 1K by considering all the tolerances(initial tolerance,temperature,environmental factors and aging). Here is the link for ...
ANONYMOUS's user avatar
  • 167
6 votes
1 answer
3k views

4/5 band resistor - extra black band

I have two resistors which need to be replaced. I tried to determine the value, but it can't make sense of these black bands: For reference the bands are: brown - silver - green - brown - black ...
tehwalris's user avatar
  • 796
6 votes
6 answers
3k views

Statistical accuracy of multiple resistors in series or parallel

I'm having a senior moment and would appreciate clarity. I'm working on an inverting amplifier design where I need to add low-pass filtering and a voltage clamp. Without the filtering and clamp, the ...
Dwayne Reid's user avatar
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6 votes
2 answers
2k views

5V Tolerance of 3.3V OUTPUT pin

Let's assume the following scenario: uC (@3.3V VDD) drives an I/O pin HIGH 3.3V (just to be clear, it's not an open-drain pin, so the p-channel mosfet of the output pin is actually driving the pin to ...
Nitro's user avatar
  • 61
5 votes
4 answers
5k views

Root Sum Square

Can anyone in a simple way explain why this formula works. It is the Root Sum of Squares where you square your values then add together then take the square root. It seems to be used quite a lot in ...
Edba's user avatar
  • 177
5 votes
5 answers
6k views

Rules for choosing power rating of a resistor

Let's say we're designing a system, and within it we have some resistor \$R\$ with a voltage difference \$V\$ across its terminals. Then it dissipates power \$P = V^2 / R \$. Of course the resistor ...
Electrical Architect's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
56 views

How can power factor be reliably estimated given the phase error in current sense transformers?

The majority of mains power sensing devices I've seen (both commercial products and ICs) utilise a current sensing transformer. Many of them also calculate or estimate power factor. However, the phase ...
Polynomial's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
500 views

Why so much variance in the continuity beeper threshold? How do these beepers work anyway?

In this answer it is mentioned that the EEVBlog-branded BM235 meter has a threshold of between 30 and 480 ohms for its continuity beeper (as seen on page 25 of the datasheet). My first thought was "...
Hearth's user avatar
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4 votes
7 answers
2k views

Precise Electronic Measurements

I've been looking into various electronic components and noticed rampant 5%, 10%, and even 20% tolerances and accuracies not only in basic components such as capacitors, inductors, and resistors, but ...
beardeadclown's user avatar
4 votes
6 answers
1k views

What is the (most likely) technical reason behind temperature specifications?

Im talking about electronic devices, which may be handheld or similar, so nothing exposed to "artificial" temperature (welding, soldering, cooling with liquid gas). Devices designed to be operated by (...
Evgeni's user avatar
  • 349
4 votes
2 answers
3k views

Confusion with the meaning of a component tolerance in terms of accuracy and standard deviation

As far as I understand a component's tolerance relates the difference between the actual component value and the value given on the data sheet. If a 1k Ohm resistor have ±5% tolerance, is this 5% ...
user1245's user avatar
  • 4,385
4 votes
2 answers
913 views

What is the maximum error of this ADC?

I've read every article on the first two pages of Google trying to understand DNL and INL. Not a single lesson gave a specific example I could relate to, so now I'm still wildly confused and have no ...
AJ_Smoothie's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
4k views

What's the DC voltage range typically tolerated by modern smartphones?

The modern USB charging circuitry of mobile phones is pretty sophisticated. For example they can negotiate higher charging voltages etc. This question, inspired by a discussion on worldbuilding, is ...
Peter - Reinstate Monica's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
400 views

Tolerance on a resistor when looking at a schematics

In the schematics at the end of this document, there are a bunch of resistors. The author says in a footnote: Part Notes, All Pages: Unless noted: Resistors are 5%, 0.12 W, or better, for standard 5%...
DarkBulle's user avatar
  • 549
3 votes
3 answers
7k views

Can I use a 5% tolerance resistor instead of a 10% tolerance resistor?

can I use a 5% tolerance resistor instead of a 10% tolerance resistor? It is for an organ from the 60's. All resistors stated in Schematics are 10% 1/2 watt. But I can't find a 6.8k 1/2watt 10% ...
Steve S's user avatar
  • 47
3 votes
5 answers
1k views

Tolerance of board-to-board headers

I am designing two boards. The bottom one is the power board that contains power switches on IMS (metal-clad board), while the top board is the logic board (4-layer FR4). Board to board height is ...
Eng Sam's user avatar
  • 489
3 votes
3 answers
648 views

Is there a specific definition for the tolerance value of a resistor?

Is there any authoritative definition for what the tolerance value of a resistor actually specifies, or is it just a de-facto common understanding, or are the details left up to individual ...
epiii2's user avatar
  • 33
3 votes
4 answers
3k views

What exactly does a resistor's tolerance rating mean?

I thought that I had this pretty much figured out over 30 years ago during my initial schooling, but various answers posted to a support forum of a major semiconductor manufacturer(name withheld to ...
GB - AE7OO's user avatar
  • 1,093
3 votes
4 answers
7k views

Jitter in 'ppm' and 'ns'

In many datasheets clock tolerance is in ppm and in some other it is in ns or ps. What is the difference in giving clock tolerance in ppm and ns/ps. How it can be converted from one unit to another?
Athuljith Ranjith's user avatar
3 votes
4 answers
284 views

Do photodiodes have tolerances?

Below is the beginning schematic for a circuit I'm working on. We have a previous revision of that product (Rev A), and two sets of recent product (Rev B1 and B2). Rev B1 was made 2 weeks prior to Rev ...
Luke's user avatar
  • 525
3 votes
3 answers
206 views

Is a precise capacitor ratio repeatable?

I have designed a 1 MΩ, 0-100 MHz fixed attenuator circuit (15 pF / 300 pF). I am using 1% C0G capacitors. There is also a TS5A2053 analog switch connected to the output of the attenuator. The ...
PaulB's user avatar
  • 409
3 votes
2 answers
1k views

Component has a x% tolerance: What does this mean exactly?

All components have specification tolerances and ranges. Some examples are:- Resistor 1% Electrolytic capacitor 20% Zener diode breakdown voltage 5% Clearly it kinda indicates that the ...
Paul Uszak's user avatar
  • 7,621
3 votes
0 answers
1k views

Monte Carlo Analysis in LTspice: Gaussian or Uniform distribution for the tolerance of resistors?

I am running 1000 simulations in LTspice to do Monte Carlo Analysis of the output voltage signal on a circuit with 3% tolerance resistors. Firstly, does LTspice assume the resistors' values are ...
doumham's user avatar
  • 31
2 votes
2 answers
1k views

Cascading resistors in series

Suppose, let's assume an IC pin requires a 10kohm 1% tolerant resistor connected to ground for its proper operation. In that case, can someone tell me whether I can split the required resistors into ...
user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
1k views

How much is the tolerance of the transistors?

I am simulating circuits on SPICE (LTSpice and PSpice), I have assigned tolerances to both resistors, capacitors and inductors. But now I would like to try to understand how much a transistor can ...
Brando's user avatar
  • 33
2 votes
5 answers
3k views

Hand-matching resistors: high-end DMM vs Wheatstone bridge

I wrote an article dealing with the question of hand-matching resistors to high tolerances using a DMM. The driving purpose behind that article is to show that it's harder to do that than one might na&...
Warren Young's user avatar
  • 3,762
2 votes
2 answers
190 views

Question about the accuracy of integrated resistors

I'm studying the implementation of resistors in integrated technology. In particular the books deals with the accuracy of the obtained resistors. It says: Then it says: "We observe that the value of ...
Stefanino's user avatar
  • 616
2 votes
2 answers
528 views

Can an electronic system be built with absolutely no single point of failure?

Is it possible to make an electronic system, where every sub-system is duplicated and absolutely nothing is a single point of failure and if a failure (or multiple failures) occurs the system itself ...
ConanTheGerbil's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
1k views

Does the LT Spice monte carlo simulation definitely output the max and min voltage for any number of simulation runs?

I have the following circuit, in which i need to calculate max and min voltages possible (considering resistor tolerance). Does running a monte carlo simulation consider the absolute max and min ...
Nick Rogers's user avatar
2 votes
4 answers
906 views

soldering input pins to SN74HC595N shift register -- heat tolerance

I'm working on a project that uses the SN74HC595N shift register from TI. The nature of this project requires that I solder on pin extensions. My soldering skills are not too solid, so I'm worried ...
Ben's user avatar
  • 21
2 votes
1 answer
2k views

Set the Gain of an Opamp Accurately Using a Potentiometer

I want to set the gain of an opamp accurately using an potentiometer, with low thermal drift and good long-term stability. From what I've read, there are three basic ways of doing it, but none of them ...
比尔盖子's user avatar
  • 7,467
2 votes
1 answer
548 views

1.2 GHz Cloverleaf Antenna tolerance

I'm working on building my own Cloverleaf antennas, to work at 1.2 GHz, for the video system on my Quadcopter. At this frequency, what kind of tolerance am I looking at in terms of the length of the ...
Chris's user avatar
  • 617
2 votes
1 answer
2k views

Forward voltage tolerance on an ordinary diode

If one examines the datasheet of a diode such as the Vishay US1G, there is a graph of the typical voltage vs current such as Figure 3 below (with multiple lines for different temperatures): However, ...
Damien's user avatar
  • 1,524
2 votes
1 answer
4k views

PCIe add-in card thickness tolerance

I can't find a tolerance measurement for the 62 mils thickness specified in the PCIe electromechanical spec. How much leeway do I have for board thickness in an add-in card. Additional details: I'm ...
lm317's user avatar
  • 1,010
2 votes
1 answer
132 views

Should I be conservative about setting the output voltage of the CV phase of Li-Ion charging

Background My application features a Li-Ion battery (NCR18650B) which I'm charging with the standard CC/CV method. Various constraints force me to use a generic buck converter (with current limiter) ...
anrieff's user avatar
  • 5,497