Shunts and jumpers are integral components in the world of electronics, primarily designed to manage and modify circuit connections. A shunt is a low-resistance connector that allows an electric current to pass around another point in the circuit. The main function of a shunt is to create a temporary path for electrical flow, which is particularly useful for measuring the current through a high-current circuit. Jumpers, on the other hand, are small, short pieces of conductor used to close, open, or bypass part of an electronic circuit. They're often utilized on printed circuit boards (PCBs) as a form of manual switch to control certain functions or to configure electronic devices for various modes of operation.
These components are characterized by their versatility and ease of use. Shunts can be found in a myriad of applications, ranging from electrical metering to protect or isolate components during a surge, to industrial control systems where they assist in current measurement and calibration. Jumpers, with their capacity to alter circuit paths without the need for soldering, are crucial for tasks like setting configurations on hardware or selecting operational modes. Some of the prominent manufacturers specializing in high-quality shunts and jumpers include TE Connectivity, Harwin, Molex, and Samtec, among others.