Really frustrated with PEC Pots

[jckid649]

I have some that came with RJ's kit and these things won't take solder for the buss wire for nothing. I've sanded them with a dremel till I've left a small dent and gouges behind. If I sand much harder I'm gonna drill a hole through the back of them. Either way I'm gonna cook them with heat from the iron trying to get these to work. If there's not an easier solution I'm just gonna toss them and get some different ones.

Any ideas?

[xtian]

Are you set on being a purist? Because many of us do not solder anything to the backs of pots. It creates ground loops!

[jckid649]

Are you set on being a purist? Because many of us do not solder anything to the backs of pots. It creates ground loops!

Then why is the buss wire in every picture and layout? How else do you get it to stay on the back of the pots?

If you don't use the buss wire then where are you running all of those grounds?

[Mark]

I used RF washers as you can't solder to the backs of those pots, they are something like stainless steel. This is how I did it.

[img766]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s69/ ... fc69c9.jpg[/img]

[RJ Guitars]

Are you set on being a purist? Because many of us do not solder anything to the backs of pots. It creates ground loops!

Then why is the buss wire in every picture and layout? How else do you get it to stay on the back of the pots?

If you don't use the buss wire then where are you running all of those grounds?

nothing wrong with your technique... those are stainless steel and you couldn't solder them with a blow torch... nothing short of a TIG welder will work. Use the terminal lugs, that is the right way to do that. Go to this link and look closely at his build photos: https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.php?t=23759

[jckid649]

The ones that came in the bag don't look like these. How do I use them?

[Cantplay]

Some stainless can be soldered by this technique.

Sand and flux. Form a pool of solder on the piece, and with the tip scratch through the solder to scrub the oxide off the stainless.

This exposes the unoxidized metal, and the solder can stick.

John

[RJ Guitars]

The ones that came in the bag don't look like these. How do I use them?

I think this is them... either of these techniques works great. Also consider just clipping off one of them and using only one side.

[Mark]

Those are the RF washers I used, and it worked a treat. You just won't solder to stainless steel, you'll have a blob form and the flux will hold it to the pot, but the electrical connection will be very poor.

[tubetek]

Could anyone tell Me where to purchase a small supply of the pot grounding tabs shown here; I'm not having any luck finding them online. Perhaps someone would be willing to sell me about a dozen from their stash? Any info appreciated; thanks in advance...tubetek

[tubetek]

Could anyone tell Me where to purchase a small supply of the pot grounding tabs shown here; I'm not having any luck finding them online. Perhaps someone would be willing to sell me about a dozen from their stash? Any info appreciated; thanks in advance...tubetek

[martin manning]

With all due respect, why bother? Just use hook-up wire to connect the ground lugs from one pot to the next and finally to the bus ground point. Using the pot bushings to make grounds to the chassis is not really the best idea.

[tubetek]

sorry... double post

[tubetek]

@martin- that's how I've done it in the past; I just like the way this looks...certainly not a deal breaker...

[RJ Guitars]

Could anyone tell Me where to purchase a small supply of the pot grounding tabs shown here; I'm not having any luck finding them online. Perhaps someone would be willing to sell me about a dozen from their stash? Any info appreciated; thanks in advance...tubetek

Email me a mailing address and I'll set you up with a dozen.

Also, there have been a few folks mention just skipping this practice altogether. I figure KF started this because the wooden faceplates keep you from really getting the mounting nuts tight. I don't believe there is any other technical reason to do this but it does make it look more authentic. If you have non-stainless pot cases you do cook the pots when you get them hot enough to put a buss bar on there... you'll also hate yourself when it's time to change a pot. Having said that, Fender and other manufacturers routinely soldered to the back of their pots.