Scratchy pots

[lebouche]

I just bought some pre amps and the eq's and some other functions click when you move em. Is this a big deal?
Doesn't bother me too much but wondering if there's some impending doom I'm unaware of.
Thanks

[Droolbucket]

Sometimes pots will get dirty or oxidize, especially if they've been in one position for a long time. With the power off, turn them through their complete rotation 10 or 12 times. If they're still scratchy, it's time to pop open the cover and apply a contact cleaner like Caig's Deoxit or equivalent for a thorough cleaning. In most cases, this will take care of the problem.
2 other scenarios... the pot has been used so much it's worn out, and needs to be replaced. Another culprit is a leaky capacitor leaking DC voltage onto the pot, and the only fix is to replace the leaky cap.
This is all routine stuff.... cleaning the pots is something you can easily do yourself, and if you're handy with a soldering iron, replacing the pots is pretty simple also. (Just make sure you get the right value, and the right taper.... audio or linear.) Finding a leaky cap is a little more involved, but any decent tech should be able to track it down fairly quickly.
Good luck!

[nobby]

Whatever happened to Scratchy Potts?

Scratchy, are you lurking? :grin:

http://thewombforums.com/member.php?u=252

[Watershed]

I just bought some pre amps and the eq's and some other functions click when you move em. Is this a big deal?
Doesn't bother me too much but wondering if there's some impending doom I'm unaware of.
Thanks

Are you sure they're not sposed to be detented pots?

[mousdrvr]

Whatever happened to Scratchy Potts?

Scratchy, are you lurking? :grin:

http://thewombforums.com/member.php?u=252

Word! When I saw this post I thought he was back.

He did this tune called Cellophane Sea, I thought that shit was brilliant and it's still in heavy rotation on radio free mous.

I pm'd him a while back and said basically "Yo Jimmy Hoffa, WTF?" He did respond and said he still lurks. Maybe you guys can get him to appear and maybe ya know stick around for a cape or something.


Lebouche, sorry for the hijack bro.


-mous

[ella]

Yeah, Caig DeoxIT for switches and contacts, DeoxIT FaderLube (formerly CaiLube MCL) for conductive plastic pots and faders. Great products.

[mykllynyrd]

Can I hijack too? My Sansamp PSA1 has digital knobs (I guess) and they seem to drift when not being touched sometimes. They are not physically moving but the PSA thinks they are turning a little bit so it changes whatever parameter it thinks is turning. I can lock out the pots but that kinda defeats the purpose. Does anyone know if "digital" knobs can be cleaned? I've tried the dry turning 10-12 times thing, but I don't want to spray CAIGs in there since I don't think they are traditional pots.