[Premium-Rx] Experiment: How to readjust a drifted carboncompresistor

[Tisha Hayes]

If someone had a bit of equipment something you could try would be to put
several drifted high resistors in a vacuum chamber and provide varying
degrees of heat (with no heat on the control samples). The heated sample
should be restored quicker as the outgassing of any moisture would not be
replaced with moisture or oxygen.

I bet that the unheated sample in a vacuum would see some return to normal
but not as fast as the heated value. Also I bet that the components left in
vacuum would remain stable when they are cooled.If you gradually
repressurized the samples with an inert, dry gas they would probably remain
stable.

The comments are right, there are several factors at work there. The ratio
of carbon to clay. The amount of compression used during the resistor
forming process, The coating on the resistor, etc...

If the components are space-rated they were probably tested in a vacuum
over longer durations. Also since space can have significant variations in
temperature you can bet that was tested too.

NASA frequently published very exhaustive reports and test procedures on
this type of stuff. I have read a few on other electronics testing methods
(not resistors or I would cite the reference). If someone went digging you
probably could find that an entire team of PhD's spent a few million
dollars checking it out.

-- 
Ms. Tisha Hayes. AA4HA

*""In this denial of the right to participate in government, not merely the
degradation of woman and the perpetuation of a great injustice happens, but
the maiming and repudiation of one-half of the moral and intellectual power
of the government of the world." -- Fredrick Douglass"*