Zero ohm resistor vs a jumper

[z-adamson]

I bought some amplifier board DIY kits on eBay for my hafler dh200 / 220 amps.

I noticed that they use multiple zero ohm resistors.

Is there any technical reason as to why one should be used over the other?

 

[Lavane]

Maybe used kind of like a fuse? Have the resistor burn out before passing too much current?

 

[fred soop]

Those are not really resistors. They are jumper wires with a body. This makes it possible for automated insertion equipment to handle those parts as if they were resistors. This is much easier than automated equipment attempting to handle jumper wire.

 

[turnitdown]

Learn something every day.

 

[avionic]

Those are not really resistors. They are jumper wires with a body. This makes it possible for automated insertion equipment to handle those parts as if they were resistors. This is much easier than automated equipment attempting to handle jumper wire.

Exactly...

 

[EngineerNate]

I didn't know they existed until one was included in an assortment I bought to have on hand. Now I know why they exist!

 

[BinaryMike]

Those are not really resistors. They are jumper wires with a body. This makes it possible for automated insertion equipment to handle those parts as if they were resistors. This is much easier than automated equipment attempting to handle jumper wire.

You're correct, but I've seen many PCBs in imported stereo gear with dozens of neatly inserted wire jumpers of varying length. Some very sophisticated auto-insertion machinery was apparently developed to avoid manufacturing double-sided PCBs for this gear. It's remarkable because the cost of two-layer PCBs seems very low from my point of view, which is based on production batches of one or two thousand at most.

 

[Lavane]

Yup, learn something every day.

 

[Binkman]

Member @leesonic has posted replacing jumpers with 1 ohm resistors.

 

[gadget73]

I've seen more zero ohm surface mounts than through-hole, but both definitely exist. Most of the jumpers I see aren't standard resistor length.

 

[z-adamson]

The zero ohm resistor also has the advantage of the "body" that insulates the internal jumper, making it less likely for an accidental short while probing around, making adjustments etc.

Right?

 

[Lavane]

I've seen more zero ohm surface mounts than through-hole, but both definitely exist. Most of the jumpers I see aren't standard resistor length.

I wonder why that is? I bought a small assortment of jumpers and none are standard 1/2 or 1 watt length.

 

[gadget73]

guessing it has to do with board layout requirements. I expect they don't get used when a zero ohm will work just for stuffing reasons.