Answer
Jan 22, 2024 - 05:38 AM
Both RTDs and thermistors are temperature sensors that change resistance with changes in temperature but there are differences between the two sensors. RTDs are normally made from metal wire or metal film. Although there are many different types of RTDs, the most common type of RTD is made from platinum which has a base resistance of 100 ohms at 0°C. These RTDs are called PT100s because of the platinum construction and 100 ohm base resistance. Thermistors are made from semi-conductor material and normally have a higher base resistance that RTDs. For example common thermistors have base resistance of 2252Ω and 10KΩ. From a users perspective, RTDs normally have a wider measurement range but are less accurate than thermistors. One challenge in using thermistors is that there is a wide variety of thermistors and less standardization than with RTDs. Because of this it is harder to find compatible instrumentation that will support thermistors. If a thermistor is being used in a custom design the lack of standards may not be an issue but if you are looking for a off-the-shelf instrument to use in a temperature measurement application, RTD, especially PT100, compatible instrumentation is much more abundantly available.
