What are the performance characteristics of a thermistor?
Release Date:
2022-07-19
Author:
Commonly used temperature sensors are classified into Thermistors and platinum resistance thermometers, thermocouples, DS18B20 . The following is Thermistor Performance advantages and disadvantages:
Thermistor Performance Features
1. Thermistor It has the following advantages:
① High sensitivity. The temperature coefficient of resistance (α) of a thermistor is 10 to 100 times greater than that of metals; therefore, lower‑precision indicating instruments can be used.
② High resistance value. Its resistance is 1 to 4 orders of magnitude higher than that of a platinum resistance thermometer.
③ Small size and simple structure. It can be fabricated into various shapes as required; currently, the smallest bead‑type thermistor measures as little as Φ0.2 mm and is commonly used for measuring “point” temperatures.
④ Short response time.
⑤ Low power consumption and no reference‑terminal compensation required, making it suitable for long‑distance measurement and control.
⑥ With abundant resources, low cost, and excellent chemical stability, the component’s surface is encapsulated with glass or other ceramic materials, making it suitable for harsh environments. By effectively leveraging these characteristics, it is possible to develop thermometers that offer high sensitivity, rapid response, and ease of use.

2. Thermistor Disadvantages
Thermistor The drawback is that its resistance–temperature relationship is nonlinear. The component also exhibits poor stability and limited interchangeability. Furthermore, except for high‑temperature thermistors, it cannot be used at temperatures above 350°C.
Thermistor Precautions for Use
1. In order to reduce Thermistor Regarding changes in service life, environments subject to rapid temperature fluctuations should be avoided whenever possible.
2. Exercise caution when applying overcurrent. Overcurrent will cause damage. Thermistor 。
3. Measurement should commence only after a period equivalent to 5–7 times the time constant has elapsed.
4. When Thermistor When using a metal protective sheath, to minimize errors caused by thermal conduction, ensure adequate insertion depth. For water and gas media, the insertion depth should be at least 15 times and 25 times the pipe diameter, respectively.
5. If water droplets or dust adhere between the leads or on the surface of the insulator, the measurement results will become unstable and introduce errors; therefore, care should be taken to ensure that the thermistor possesses waterproof, moisture‑resistant, and cold‑resistant properties.
6. Error caused by self-heating. Thermistor elements are very small in size yet have high resistance values, making them prone to significant errors due to self‑heating from the measurement current. To minimize this error, it is essential to reduce the measurement current. As mentioned above, the resistance of a thermistor varies dramatically with temperature; even a tiny current can produce a large output signal. Therefore, by… Thermistor The energy generated by the current should be between one-tenth and one-thousandth of the dissipation constant δ.
7. Influence of lead resistance. The nominal resistance of a thermistor, ranging from 0.55 to 30 kΩ, is quite high; even with two leads, the effect of lead resistance can still be neglected.
Huizhou Jin Yuan Xiang Electronic Co., Ltd. specializes in the production and manufacture of temperature sensors, thermistors, PT100, and PT1000 platinum resistance thermometers. We welcome inquiries with product images and offer free samples.
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