Correct way to mount resistors

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Shersbomar
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Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2017 11:15 pm

Correct way to mount resistors

Post by Shersbomar » Wed Jul 19, 2017 1:32 am

I (we) am (are) fairly new to the electronic repair venture. My husband is a musician of 40+ years and has acquired quite a few amps and other equipment (some quite old that no longer work). After spending thousands on repair work over the last few years, we have decided to start repairing our own. In "studying" the equipment that doesn't work, I noticed that a lot (if not all) of the boards have resistors that are mounted the opposite way from each other (the tolerance bands are not facing the same way). I have heard conflicting info on mounting resistors. One says it doesn't matter because they are not polarity wise and another says it does matter and can cause serious issues if mounted the wrong way. IS there a right and wrong way to mount a resistor? And if so, how would I know which way the tolerance band should be facing?

Thank you in advance for any info and advice. -Shersbomar

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Enzo
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Re: Correct way to mount resistors

Post by Enzo » Sat Jul 22, 2017 4:37 pm

Electrically it doesn't matter a whit, put them in either way. Resistors have no polarity, no "outside foil" equivalent, no reason at all to worry about it. You have noticed that resistors can point every which way in commercial equipment, equipment that works, even if the particular unit does not work now, it once did.

When I build something or repair something, I LIKE to put them all facing the one direction. I think it looks more professional, plus it is ever so slightly easier to read the codes when they all face the same way.

I would love to see someone's rationale for insisting there could be damage if they were "backwards", that should be amusing. People can rationalize just about anything. Doesn't make it right.

Electrolytic and tantalum caps have polarity, semiconductors have polarity, be concerned to get those right, but resistors? Doesn't matter.

Shersbomar
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Re: Correct way to mount resistors

Post by Shersbomar » Sun Jul 23, 2017 1:20 am

Thank you, Enzo. Much appreciated. :)

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