Using trimmers in place of pots

[mdc]

I've found those multi-turn cermets to be kind of fragile, but maybe I just bought cheap ones? It's easy to dial them past the stop on either end and break them.

 

[Feral Feline]

I've had no such problems with the Bourns I used.

 

[bowanderror]

I've found those multi-turn cermets to be kind of fragile, but maybe I just bought cheap ones? It's easy to dial them past the stop on either end and break them.

Oh shit, can you break them by doing that? I have defo gone past the click a fair few times.

Lately I've been using a DMM to set multiturn trimmers to the middle of their resistance before installing them. Knowing the starting point definitely makes dialing them in a LOT easier.

 

[finebyfine]

I have little adapter boards that map three footprints to eachother: 3362 trimpots, 9mm potentiometers and 16mm potentiometers. 9mm and 16mm pots will lineup hole locations. https://easyeda.com/editor#id=146b023547944d7585f292f524ba5fe7

I forget how many of these I have made and on hand if any - I don't use them often - but happy to mail some out to anyone if I have some.

 

[Danbieranowski]

I have little adapter boards that map three footprints to eachother: 3362 trimpots, 9mm potentiometers and 16mm potentiometers. 9mm and 16mm pots will lineup hole locations. https://easyeda.com/editor#id=146b023547944d7585f292f524ba5fe7

I forget how many of these I have made and on hand if any - I don't use them often - but happy to mail some out to anyone if I have some.

That's exactly what I was hoping for! Happy to pay you for a handful if you have them.

 

[fig]

Oh shit, can you break them by doing that? I have defo gone past the click a fair few times.

Lately I've been using a DMM to set multiturn trimmers to the middle of their resistance before installing them. Knowing the starting point definitely makes dialing them in a LOT easier.

Same here, though I rarely use them any unless fine-tuning is apparently crucial like measuring for a bias resistor. Incidentally, I learned that on this forum.

 

[daeg]

Seems promising as long as the legs can reach the pot spacing!

I've done this before and I didn't like the way it turned out. The legs had to be bend so much that it wasn't even close to flush with the board and the whole thing could be bent over with a slight push.

 

[Danbieranowski]

I've done this before and I didn't like the way it turned out. The legs had to be bend so much that it wasn't even close to flush with the board and the whole thing could be bent over with a slight push.

Same here. It's definitely not an ideal solution.