Potentiometers: what do you suggest??

[Tom May]

Lenox (Buck) Buchanan <lbuchanan at qualcomm.com> writes:

> Clarostat RV4 series pots (and probably all Clarostat models) have a back
> cover material (probably aluminum) that cannot be soldered too.  If you
> don't want to solder to the back, the RV4 models are only 5$ each from
> Digi-Key

If you buy them by the 100.  Singles are $8.77.

> and are a happy medium between the ultra expensive stuff and the
> cheap stuff.

I have a handful of Clarostat 53C3 series pots which the Newark
catalog claims are the commercial version of the RV4 series.  Odd,
since they are more expensive than the military RV4s.  They should be
the same as the 53C1 series available from Digi-Key, but with a
shorter shaft.  I don't like them because they have a fair amount of
static friction so it's hard to make fine adjustments -- once you've
applied enough torque to get the thing moving it will break free and
you'll overshoot your target.  They also have a scratchy feel.  Are
the RV4s like this?  Is this a characteristic of plastic pots in
general?

Tom.