Rheostat heatsink question

[Novex]

Pcmods.com and Caseetc.com both have Rheostat fanbuses for sale. On both of them there are heatsinks on each rheostat. Do you need these? Could I buy the rheostat kit at sidewindercomputers.com and install them without a heatsink and not have them overheat?

 

[Hoot]

If a rheostat needs a heatsink on it to perform then you are using the wrong wattage rheostat for the job. Are you sure you were not looking at a semiconductor voltage regulator device? Quite often, they have a heatsink on them to dissipate waste heat. Real rheostats (variable power resistors) can tolerate running warm to hot. They are designed for it. That is why they are made out of ceramic. This is what a real rheostat looks like:

Hoot

 

[Novex]

Thanks Hoot.
I was refering to this, but doesnt matter because you answered my question.

 

[donny_paycheck]

Yes, that is a variable voltage regulator circuit. The heatsinks are mounted on the voltage regulator ICs themselves.

 

[Novex]

I didnt know what a variable voltage regulator circuit was. Thanks for telling me.