replacing resistors with pots

[bsmcc2010]

If i wanted to replace a resistor with a pot, how would i do it?

From what i know the input to the resistor would take 1 lug, and the output would take the wiper. right?

what about the third lug-or am i completely wrong?

[StereoKills]

Spot on.

You can tie the wiper to the 3rd lug (just in case the wiper fails in some rare case).

[bsmcc2010]

awesome,

so if i was replacing a 150k resistor, could i in theory put a 250k pot there and have a range from 0-250k of resistance?

[alparent]

Yes you could....test it out....depending on the situation you might not want to go under a certain value (just add a resistor of that value in series with your pot)
next question........linear or log pot?

[bsmcc2010]

well from what i know (which isn't a lot) log pots are to replicate how the human ear would actually hear something? So the log curve follows what we would hear as a steady increase in volume. I think.

So it's for an attack knob on a compressor pedal so i'm assuming i use a linear pot?

[alparent]

but sometimes you will find that the action is more at one end or the other of your pot...so a log or even reverse log will give more action in the fun part.

[bsmcc2010]

well maybe when i get round to doing it i'll have to order 1 of each

[bsmcc2010]

one more question-does this mean that you could replace any pot with a higher value pot to get a better sweep.

for example increasing the values of the sensitivity and level controls on a compressor to get more/less of each?

[alparent]

yes and no
Usually a pot value is selected for it's usufull range. You only get so much rotation so if the usefull range is lets say 10k to 200k a 250k is good. But if youuse a huge pot like a 1M instead of a 250K it will work and you might get other cool settings.....but it will be hard to dial in what you want......just a little turn will change the value a lot. It's like setting the mouse speed on you computer to the max. You barely move the mouse and the cursor is all over the place.......hard to controle.

Best thing is to try it out....get a bunch of pot values and have fun.

PS. I'm really not technical......hopefully someone else will chime in and explain this more thoroughly.

[StereoKills]

That's a great analogy Alain.

[egasimus]

Usually a pot value is selected for it's usufull range. You only get so much rotation so if the usefull range is lets say 10k to 200k a 250k is good. But if youuse a huge pot like a 1M instead of a 250K it will work and you might get other cool settings.....but it will be hard to dial in what you want......just a little turn will change the value a lot. It's like setting the mouse speed on you computer to the max. You barely move the mouse and the cursor is all over the place.......hard to controle.

This is then fixed by PUTTING A HUGE KNOB ON IT
(Or, more humbly, switching a resistor in series with the pot so you have Lo and Hi ranges)
(Or, Coarse and Fine pots, like in the Tremulus Lune)
But I'd prefer to just PUT A HUGE KNOB and be done with it