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Varistor.
Varistors by MarketResearch.com
The Resistor Handbook by Cletus J. Kaiser
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Varistor
A varistor is an electronic component designed to protect circuits against excessive voltage. The most common type is a metal oxide varistor, or MOV.
The name is a contraction of "variable resistor"* ? however its construction is quite similar to that of a capacitor. Just like a capacitor it consists of two metal plates separated by an insulator. When the voltage between the two plates reaches a certain value, the insulator breaks down and admits the flow of current.
Varistors have a capacitance and could be called capacitors; likewise, all capacitors have a breakdown voltage. The difference is that in most capacitors, breakdown is highly undesirable, and usually results in the destruction of the device. Varistors on the other hand are designed to repeatedly withstand breakdown. While the insulator is in breakdown, it still has a non-zero resistance, and hence heats up while conducting current. If the size of the transient pulse (often measured in joules) is too high, the device may melt, or otherwise be damaged. For example, a nearby lightning strike may permanently damage a varistor.
Important parameters for varistors are response time (how long it takes the varistor to break down), maximum current and a well-defined breakdown voltage. When used in communications lines (such as phone lines used for modems), high capacitance is undesirable since it absorbs high frequency signals, thereby reducing the available bandwidth of the line being protected.
Another method for suppressing voltage spikes is the transient voltage suppression diode (TVS). There are two significant differences between a varistor and a TVS:
- Varistors typically have an order of magnitude more leakage current, ie they will drain a battery 10 times faster.
- Varistors degrade over time. This shows up after repeated transient events.
Another transient voltage supression device is the gas discharge tube, which unfortunately, has a much higher break down voltage, but also a much much higher carring capicity, and can withstand multiple high voltage hits (i.e., from lightning) without significant degradation.
*Note: a true resistor with continuously variable resistance is called a potentiometer, or "pot" as a slang word.
The above article is adapted from from Wikipedia All Wikipedia article text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License
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