Old Resistors

[tbkent]

I have some old resistors I purchased at a "garage sale" at a radio station. They seemed old when I got them, and that was probably 15+ years ago. I would like to learn about them, and I would LOVE to find something to do with them other than throw them away - I'm absolutely not thinking I'm going to cash in, I just hope to find that they can be useful to someone, somewhere.

here is a photo of the resistors:



The large resistors are about 0.25" in diameter and the resistor body is about 1.5" or 2" long. They are Sprague, 250 Ohms, 10W. Most of the larger ones have never been used. The smaller ones are not labeled, and none of them have the color bands I learned about in high school. They all appear to be ceramic.

Can anyone tell me anything about them? Are they still usable?

[whitelabrat]

They're absolutely usable, if you need 250 ohm resistors. The look like milspec resistors but that's a guess from the way they are labled. The unlabled ones could be measured with an ohm meter.

Don't throw away. Someone will take them.

[Frank Berry]

Those resistors are a great find.
I wish I had found them.

I see from your profile that you are a PhD student. I have a PhD in Electrical Engineering. What are you studying? PhD in what area?

[tbkent]

Thanks Frank. I'm studying Political Science at Michigan. Actually, I start in the fall, but since I'm not otherwise employed currently, that is my occupation. :-)

[Frank Berry]

Which school?
You're going to be a busy guy with your studies.

[VivaVee]

31 of the 250 Ohm resistors in parallel will make a nice 8.06 Ohm dummy load with a power rating of 310W...

[tbkent]

@Frank: Sorry, at the University of Michigan. Things are looking up for the football team I understand... at least, defined negatively, we are moving upward as compared to Ohio State.

@VivaVee: I see what you did there (250Ohm/31=8.06, 10W*31=310), but what could such a thing be used for?

[tomchr]

8 ohm dummy load.... Hello!!!! Used for testing an audio amplifier...

[TheLaw117]

Yeah they do look like Military spec because they are encased in that resin (or whatever it is), and they have the values printed on the surface, instead of using color codes.

So looks like a great find to me. Sprague is a good brand so you won't have issues.

I couldn't guess what type they are, but they are probably of the metal film/oxide variety. You don't find all that many carbon film/composition with mil-spec badging.

They might be wirewound...

Have fun. =D

[tbkent]

thanks guys. mostly i just need to get rid of them - i am not a radio/stereo builder. does anyone want them? what's a fair price to ask for them in the Swap Meet forum?