PCB mount volume pot without a PCB

[timhowell]

I'm getting ready to move my SSE from my test setup (read "big piece of wood with everything screwed to it") to a custom chassis. So far I haven't been using a volume pot, but I've got a PCB mount Alps volume pot that I'm going to use. Is it a bad idea to try and solder the wires to and from the volume pot directly to the leads, rather than purchasing a small PCB for the volume pot? My main concern is whether the solder connections will be mechanically strong enough given that the pot leads don't have any eyes to stick the wires through.

--TWH

 

[vinylkid58]

There should be no strain on the wires once soldered onto the pot tabs. Didn't have any trouble with the Alps pot I have, and it was used by a friend, before being gifted to me.

jeff

 

[sofaspud]

You should probably use spaghetti (plastic tubing) at least, to insulate the pot leads. Heat shrink tubing will provide a little more grip to the connection. I don't have problems this way, using these less than ideal but discounted pots.

 

[rayma]

I'm getting ready to move my SSE from my test setup (read "big piece of wood with everything screwed to it") to a custom chassis. So far I haven't been using a volume pot, but I've got a PCB mount Alps volume pot that I'm going to use. Is it a bad idea to try and solder the wires to and from the volume pot directly to the leads, rather than purchasing a small PCB for the volume pot? My main concern is whether the solder connections will be mechanically strong enough given that the pot leads don't have any eyes to stick the wires through.

--TWH

That's what I've always done, fewer connections in the signsl path. Twist the output wires together.

 

[denny3249]

Careful soldering technique and shrink tubing, you'll be ok..... I've used the Alps PCB mount on 1/2 a dozen projects w/o any problem.....

 

[JMFahey]

I always use PCB legs pots; most go into a PCB hole, a few (prototypes, mods, etc.) wired straight.

Never ever a problem at all, just taking a couple small precautions.

Either:

a) just wrap 1 turn of wire around pot pin so you now have "needle with a copper ring around it" ... like in a PCB

... or

b) at least increase contact surface: pre-tin both pot pin and wire tip, put them parallel (instead of at 90 degrees) and melt them together.
As recommended above, heat shrink improves things a lot, not by its own mechanical strength (a weak thin wall soft plastic tube will never compare to a metal to metal soldered together joint) but because it will minimize wire/cable flexing in the future.