Trimmer Capacitors

Trimmer capacitors are varied using a screwdriver. Trimmer capacitors are usually fixed in such a place where there is no need to change the value of capacitance, once fixed.

There are three leads of a trimmer capacitor, one connected to stationary plate, one to rotary and the other one is common. The movable disc is a semi-circular shaped one. A trimmer capacitor would look like the ones in the following figure.

There are two parallel conducting plates present with a dielectric in the middle. Depending upon this dielectric used, there are air trimmer capacitors and ceramic trimmer capacitors. The constructional details of a trimmer capacitor are as shown below.

One of the two plates is movable, while the other is fixed. The dielectric material is fixed. When the movable plate is moved, opposite to the area between movable and fixed electrode, then the capacitance can be changed. The capacitance will be higher if the opposite area gets bigger, as both the electrodes act as two plates of a capacitor.

The Trimmer Capacitors are easily fixed on a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) and they are mostly used for calibration of equipment.