PCB Pots Tricks

[VanWhy]

I bought a bunch of cheap pots to save some money but I could only get those "PCB mounted" or whatever they are called. They work fine (a little off tolerance but not too bad). Only thing is I need to solder legs to the ends. I use cut off leads from LED's, Caps, etc. I've been using a clothespin to hold to pot while trying to line up the leads to the pot leads. It's gets a but tedious. For S&G's I just wanted to ask if anyone else had any quicks tips or tricks to using these pots.

 

[Erik S]

I just compared a regular right angle pot to a sip male-male pin header. The pot pins line up with every other header pin.

You could get some right angle headers, pull two pins, and solder away.

40 Pin 2.54mm Right Angle Single Row Pin Header

Tayda Electronics - Get It Fast - Same Day Shipping

www.taydaelectronics.com

 

[DGWVI]

I bend little J hooks, and then twist them into S loops on the leads like so -

 

[VanWhy]

I just compared a regular right angle pot to a sip male-male pin header. The pot pins line up with every other header pin.

You could get some right angle headers, pull two pins, and solder away.

Interesting. I am looking into this. Thank you

 

[VanWhy]

I bend little J hooks, and then twist them into S loops on the leads like so -

I like this too, thanks for sharing. Is that just solid core wire?

 

[DGWVI]

I like this too, thanks for sharing. Is that just solid core wire?

That's a resistor lead, but I do typically use solid core wire.

 

[jwin615]

I've had to make due with a couple of these out of old AliExpress orders
I treated the leg rivets as solder lugs. Threaded bare wire through them and bent the wire over flush to the leg. Soldered to the leg. Thought it would be more structurally sound that way.

 

[VanWhy]

I've had to make due with a couple of these out of old AliExpress orders
I treated the leg rivets as solder lugs. Threaded bare wire through them and bent the wire over flush to the leg. Soldered to the leg. Thought it would be more structurally sound that way.

Thanks for sharing. I was wondering if that was an option as well. After the feedback from this thread I think solid bare wire for sure is the way to go. And wrap around those rivets or even the posts. I'm going to try that. The more I do I can get in a rhythm and knock them out.

 

[derevaun]

I worry about movement of the wire while the solder transitions to solid, causing cold joints. Probably not a big deal, but it's bringing me down. So I laid out this helper for wired pots and just got the first draft from JLC today. I included some pads for adding fixed resistors to change the taper/value of a pot. The holes are 1mm and pretty tight, which I think is a good thing in this case, accepting the old maxim that one shouldn't rely on the solder joint for mechanical strength.

 

[temol]

Solid wire or stripboard.

 

[Laundryroom David]

I worry about movement of the wire while the solder transitions to solid, causing cold joints. Probably not a big deal, but it's bringing me down. So I laid out this helper for wired pots and just got the first draft from JLC today. I included some pads for adding fixed resistors to change the taper/value of a pot. The holes are 1mm and pretty tight, which I think is a good thing in this case, accepting the old maxim that one shouldn't rely on the solder joint for mechanical strength.

Great idea! I would buy this.

 

[xefned]

Great idea! I would buy this.

+1. Very cool.

 

[jwin615]

I worry about movement of the wire while the solder transitions to solid, causing cold joints. Probably not a big deal, but it's bringing me down. So I laid out this helper for wired pots and just got the first draft from JLC today. I included some pads for adding fixed resistors to change the taper/value of a pot. The holes are 1mm and pretty tight, which I think is a good thing in this case, accepting the old maxim that one shouldn't rely on the solder joint for mechanical strength.

Is this not getting more expensive than right angle pots at this point?
And adding more solder/failure points?

 

[mnemonic]

I’ve used little sections of tagboard on these pcb pin pots before to attach solid core wire but it was more trouble than it’s worth, so now I just buy whichever pots are available and solder some solid core wire to the pins, like above. Never had a failure but also I’m not selling them nor gigging with them.

 

[Betty Wont]

Fuzzdog makes a bunch of pcbs that are designed for this kind of pot.

Axis Fuzz

Jimi used one on the title track of Axis Bold As Love . What else do you need to know? Oh go on then. The Fuzz Face's more sophisticated big brother. Richer, fuller fuzz with more bottom end and even more responsive to playing dynamics and guitar volume. This baby can cut through a band for...

shop.pedalparts.co.uk

 

[derevaun]

Is this not getting more expensive than right angle pots at this point?
And adding more solder/failure points?

Yeah I think Tayda's right angle pots cost around 10 cents more, and that's less than the boards cost at around 20 cents. It does makes sense for boards designed for wired pots, etched/vero, changing the pot layout to reuse an enclosure, etc. Also helps use up those pots accumulated due to drunken order mistakes

 

[xefned]

Yeah I think Tayda's right angle pots cost around 10 cents more, and that's less than the boards cost at around 20 cents. It does makes sense for boards designed for wired pots, etched/vero, changing the pot layout to reuse an enclosure, etc. Also helps use up those pots accumulated due to drunken order mistakes

These days, I buy right-angle pots.
But I have a surplus of that type from the pre-modern stompbox era. (Pre-Madbean/PedalPCB.) (From back when I was etching TonePad projects.)

At 20¢/board, I'd be saving money because I'd be able to put these old pots to use more easily:

 

[Laundryroom David]

Is this not getting more expensive than right angle pots at this point?
And adding more solder/failure points?

Yes and not necessarily.

 

[Erik S]

These days, I buy right-angle pots.
But I have a surplus of that type from the pre-modern stompbox era.

Plus if you use these ones, you can adjust your pedals without bending over!

 

[jwin615]

With all those extended shafts, you could build 2/3 pot board and have the knobs front/rear mounted(with "top" being traditional). Be good for any always on pedals(buffers, preamps). Then you could stack another pedal on top.
I keep mine around for modifications. Good for vero, etc. But I stockpile an unhealthy amount of components(and pcbs).