Arcol

The Arcol HS series

The HS series is Arcol’s signature range and the reason many engineers know the name. Housed in an extruded aluminium body, an HS resistor bolts directly to a chassis or heatsink and moves heat away fast — so a compact part can handle far more power than its size suggests. Common ratings run from around 10W up to 300W when properly heatsinked, in a wide spread of resistance values and tolerances. It is the default choice for braking, dummy-load and power-supply circuits where space is tight and the resistor runs hot.

Where Arcol resistors are used

Power resistors do the jobs ordinary resistors cannot: dynamic and regenerative braking in motor drives, inrush-current limiting, snubber and discharge circuits, bleeder and load-bank resistors, EV and energy-conversion hardware, and precise current sensing. Wherever a design needs to absorb, limit or measure meaningful power, there is an Arcol part rated for it.

Managing heat

Power resistors run hot by design, so mounting and heat dissipation are part of the specification, not an afterthought. Aluminium-housed parts are built to mount to a heatsink or chassis; pair them with the right thermal management and they will hold their rating reliably. If you are unsure how much heatsinking a given part needs, our technical team can help you size it.

Comparing options? Look across the wider resistor range to find the value, tolerance and power rating your circuit needs.

Arcol resistors: frequently asked questions

What are Arcol resistors used for?

Arcol resistors handle high-power tasks that standard resistors cannot: braking in motor drives, inrush limiting, snubber and discharge circuits, load banks, power supplies and current sensing. They are widely used in industrial, energy and EV hardware.

What is the Arcol HS series?

The HS series is Arcol’s range of aluminium-housed power resistors. The metal body mounts to a chassis or heatsink to dissipate heat, letting a compact part handle high power — commonly from around 10W up to 300W when heatsinked.

How do I choose the right power resistor rating?

Match the resistance and tolerance to your circuit, then check the power rating against the heat the part must dissipate — including how it is mounted. Aluminium-housed parts need a heatsink to reach their full rating. Our technical team can help you size it.

What is a current-sense resistor?

A current-sense (or shunt) resistor is a low-value, low-tolerance resistor placed in a circuit so the voltage across it can be measured to work out the current flowing. Arcol makes current-sense parts for accurate measurement.

Are Arcol resistors available on a stock agreement?

Yes. Arcol resistors can be placed on a long-term stock agreement, where we pledge to hold stock, pricing and availability for 12 months — useful for production runs and repeat builds.

Is Arcol the same as Ohmite?

Arcol is now part of the Ohmite group but remains its own brand of power resistors, including the well-known HS aluminium-housed series. We stock Arcol-branded parts.