Wirewound resistor

One common use for wirewound resistors seems to be as the load for a converter. I also use that configuration when doing thermals to simulate the customer s system and for noise and ripple measurements. But rarely do I use it for anything else. I would strongly suggest you get yourself a good electronic load. But do remember to set it to CC mode (constant current mode). Because a resistor (or an electronic load set to CR mode) is just too benign. For example, rarely does it reveal any fundamental start-up issues. 

Small wirewound resistors are made by winding the resistance wire round a proprietary bobbin and then encapsulating it in silicone rubber over which an epoxy shell is moulded. Other resistor formats use foil elements with Kapton/adhesive insulation coated with epoxy enamel. 

Plastic potentiomers described as robust yet economical use a conductive polymer as the resistive element of the design. The polymer used is effectively a thick screen-printed film ink similar to the cermet (ceramic/metal) compounds which are also used in variable resistors. Conductive polymers are superior to cermet in terms of their dynamic noise characteristic but have inferior moisture resistance, temperature coefficients, power dissipation and wiper current capacities. The temperature coefficient and power handling capabilities of wirewound resistors are higher. 

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