Rheostat dials are a component of rheostats, a type of two-terminal variable resistormade up of one end contact and a wiper. The dials are used to display the degree of change in resistance that is made when a user turns the rheostat knob.
How do rheostats work?
Rheostats are a common way to vary the resistance in a circuit. They are now often referred to by the more general term potentiometer. A user turns a rheostat knob to point to a given number on the dial, which alters the resistance of the device. Higher power rheostats use a wire wound around an insulator, and the resistance changes depending on where on the wire the wiper is positioned.
Types of rheostat dials
Rheostat dials differ depending on their function. Some are simply a kind of flat panel display engraved with numbers, while others have a protruding dial with numbers on it, designed to be used with a shaft.
