Why do I have these?? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: techninja80
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2025, 06:35:15 pm
content: Well I was doing some organizing, and then found that I have 0 ohms resistors. Then it dawned on me. Why would you even use a 0 ohms resistor. Isn't that just wire?So enlighten me Great wizards of the electron. What's up with this.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2025, 06:44:31 pm
content: A zero-ohm resistor is just a package around a wire (or the SMT equivalent) that matches the package for real resistors.When a jumper is required on some versions of a PCB, a zero-ohm resistor can be inserted with normal component placing equipment.(For example, changing from a two-resistor voltage divider to a straight connection, depending on circuit version).If you search for them, you may find a 5% tolerance quoted, just to amuse people.Sometimes, they were used on simple PCBs in place of a wire to look better to the observer, when it was necessary for one conductor to cross over a surface trace.

author: Konkedout
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2025, 06:51:23 pm
content: I use 0 ohm chip resistors in 0603 and 1206 size. Yes they are functionally just a wire. But when you design a board to take a chip resistor, it is very quick and easy to use a 0 ohm resistor.I use them to connect or disconnect optional circuits in a prototype circuit.I would not bother to use 0 ohm axial resistors. But before SMT was popular, a 0 ohm resistor could be placed by automatic machinery which is designed to install axial resistors on a pc board. Nowadays, most mass production is done with SMT.

author: Fryguy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2025, 07:04:36 pm
content: Industrial "pick and place machines" needed them because the robots could not pick up and place a blank piece of wire on a pcb - the problem was solved simply by shaping them like resistors .And they look much nicer too . . .

author: Aldo22
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2025, 07:06:33 pm
content: They also come in SMD assortments (0R).In the attachment you can see one "in action" in a 50Ω load resistor.I think this PCB was intended for something else.

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2025, 07:21:15 pm
content: Often they are used in large schematics to separate functional blocks.This is useful during test or during a repair. You can desolder a zero ohm in order to isolate the functional blocks and to identify where a defect is, then verify/repair the defective block, and solder back the zero ohm bridge.

author: PGPG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2025, 08:29:28 pm
content: At 2 layer PCB I want to have whole bottom being continuous GND so I have to do all connections at top. In such case I am sometimes using 0R to cross tracks.

author: Analog Kid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2025, 09:53:29 pm
content: I want a 0 ohm 20% resistor.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2025, 09:56:25 pm
content: In the real world, you can obtain 0.5 pF +/- 0.5 pF capacitors.As I stated above, a percentage tolerance on 0 ohms is merely amusing.

author: Analog Kid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2025, 09:57:10 pm
content: I'm glad you got my little joke.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2025, 10:06:46 pm
content: I appreciate your repeating my joke from the first response.

author: Analog Kid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2025, 10:11:17 pm
content: That was a joke?Sorry, your stand-up technique needs a little workshopping.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2025, 10:12:43 pm
content: The key word is "amusing".

author: Analog Kid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2025, 10:23:33 pm
content: Two old farts arguing over what's funny and what's not is ... not amusing.

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2025, 07:38:27 am
content: Please follow the forum rules.Quotehttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/forum-rules-please-read/

author: ahsrabrifat
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2025, 08:01:18 am
content: These are the alternatives of jumper wires. For breaboards you have jumper wires. For PCBs, you can use these to short two lines.