[sdiy] Shorting pots

[David G. Dixon]

Here's the neophyte, back with another stupid question...

I've recently wired up my custom-dual-pcb MFOS Sound Lab Mini Synth Plus
w/Guitar Trigger, and I've been debugging it for a day or so.  After finding
the wire I forgot to install, switching a couple of erroneous connections,
etc., I have now come to the conclusion that (other than a noise transistor
which isn't very noisy) all of the remaining problems with my circuit are
due to shorting potentiometers (alas, a very cheap variety of Chinese 16-mm
B100K's from my neighborhood electronic components store).  Specifically,
contact seems to have been mostly lost between the connectors and the carbon
strip, such that tugging on the wires (or even slightly jarring them in some
cases) re-establishes the connection, with highly variable results with
respect to the resistance/voltage obtained.

This leads to my stupid question(s): How sensitive, in your experience, are
pots to being soldered, desoldered, and resoldered?  Are some pots more
"reusable" than others, or, having been used once, should they be tossed in
the bin?  Also, must one be particularly careful when soldering pots,
generally?

Dying to know...

David G. Dixon
Professor
Department of Materials Engineering
University of British Columbia
309-6350 Stores Road
Vancouver, B.C.  V6T 1Z4
Canada
 
Tel 1-604-822-3679
Fax 1-604-822-3619
 
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