B103 10kΩ Dial Potentiometer - 16mm Thumbwheel (3-Pin Single-Gang)

Technical Specifications

• Component Type: Dial / Thumbwheel Potentiometer

• Resistance Value: 10kΩ (Marked B103)

• Taper: Linear (B Type)

• Wheel Diameter: 16.0mm

• Wheel Edge Thickness: 2mm

• Pin Pitch/Width: Total width 10.8mm across 3 pins

• Configuration: Single-Gang, 3-Pin

• Housing: Metal shield with structural PCB mounting tabs

Key Applications and Projects

• Portable Audio Amplifiers: Acting as a compact volume dial for DIY pocket radios or LM386 audio amplifier modules.

• Screen Brightness/Contrast: Adjusting the contrast of 16x2 LCD screens or the brightness of LED backlights on custom control panels.

• Analog Parameter Tuning: Serving as a miniature variable input dial for microcontrollers to adjust blink rates, servo motor angles, or timer delays.

Unlock New Capabilities (Project Evolution)The Mini MIDI Controller: Don't just use it for volume! Mount three of these 16mm thumbwheel potentiometers side-by-side on a custom PCB wired to an Arduino Pro Micro. Program the Arduino as a USB MIDI device. Now you have a custom, ultra-low-profile mixing board to intuitively control EQ levels, brush sizes in Photoshop, or audio tracks in OBS Studio, taking up less space than a standard keyboard numeric pad!

PACKAGE INCLUDED

• 1 x B103 (10kΩ) 16mm Thumbwheel Dial Potentiometer

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

1. What is the total resistance of this potentiometer? The resistance is 10k Ohms, which is indicated by the "B103" marking.

2. What does the "B" in B103 stand for? In potentiometer manufacturing codes, "B" typically denotes a linear taper, meaning the resistance changes at a constant rate as the wheel is turned.

3. What is the overall diameter of the thumbwheel? The overall diameter of the black wheel is exactly 16.0mm.

4. How thick is the edge of the thumbwheel? The ridged edge of the thumbwheel has a thickness of 2mm.

5. How many electrical pins does it have? This is a single-gang model and features three active electrical pins.

6. What is the distance across the pin array? The total width across the pin array is 10.8mm.

7. Why are there five holes on the PCB but only three pins? The internal PCB is often shared in manufacturing with dual-gang (stereo) versions of the potentiometer. Because this is a single-gang mono version, only three pins are populated.

8. What material is the thumbwheel made of? The thumbwheel is molded from black plastic.

9. Does the thumbwheel have grip? Yes, the outer edge of the wheel is heavily ridged (knurled) to provide friction for your thumb.

10. What is printed on the metal housing? The part number "B103" is stamped directly onto the face of the metal shield.

11. How is the internal PCB secured to the housing? It is secured via folded metal tabs extending from the main metal shield over the edges of the green PCB.

12. Can this be used as a volume control? Yes, dial potentiometers like this are the industry standard for controlling volume on portable radios and mini amplifiers.

13. Is this a single-turn or multi-turn potentiometer? This is a standard single-turn potentiometer; it features a hard physical stop at the minimum and maximum rotational limits.

14. Can it be mounted on a breadboard? The pins are somewhat short and bent, making it difficult to seat securely in a standard breadboard. It is best suited for direct PCB soldering.

15. How do I wire it as a variable voltage divider? Connect one outer pin to your voltage source (VCC), the other outer pin to Ground (GND), and read the variable voltage from the center wiper pin.

16. Is the thumbwheel removable? No, the black plastic thumbwheel is permanently integrated into the rotating wiper assembly and cannot be removed without destroying the component.

17. Which pin is the wiper? The center pin among the three active electrical pins is the wiper.

18. What do the extra metal legs on the sides do? The outer metal legs extending from the shield are structural mounting tabs designed to be soldered to the PCB to absorb physical stress when the wheel is turned.

19. Can I use this with an Arduino or ESP32? Yes, by wiring it as a voltage divider, you can connect the center pin to an Analog-to-Digital (ADC) pin on your microcontroller to read its position.

20. Is the back of the thumbwheel completely flat? No, the back of the black plastic wheel features a molded circular recess and a central rotation pivot.