Vishay P16S pot - great idea but can't make sense of the datasheet

I've used the Vishay P16 series "knobpots" before, they are great where you want to mount a control knob but you have very limited space, or if you don't want to mess about fitting a pot and finding a suitable knob. Anyway, they have now brought out one with a switch, the P16S. Example: P16SNP473MAB15, Farnell part 2360075.

Great, really useful, but can anyone figure out how it works? The thing only has 3 pins. That's 3 for the pot and... where's the switch? The datasheet does not explain it at all.

jw0752 over 11 years ago

Hi Chris,
It looks like the resistance of the pot between terminals a and b varies between zero ohms and the value of the pot. If the pot is turned to it's full counter clockwise position past the detent then the resistance between terminal a and terminal b goes to infinity. While not like a conventional switch this condition is very readable with a microprocessor and can be used to put the unit into a low power mode.
John
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