Can pots be damaged by being soldered too often?

[David]

This question will put me back in the newbie category.  So be it.  I've gotten my pad-per-hole assembly down pretty good now.  I seem to be having issues with outboard components at this point.  I have a simple "Muffer" distortion on the bench.  I've decided that I'm going to keep it simple until I get a completed, fully functional project out the bloody door and onto my pedalboard!  The board works fine.  The previous board worked fine -- until I put the outboard controls on it and boxed it.  I put the volume control on the new one (yes, I scavenged it from the previous one), and presto!  Nothing!  I smell a rat -- or maybe a defective pot.  Is it possible to damage a pot by soldering it too often?  This one's been in probably 6 to 10 previous pedals that never got completed due to my formerly (I hope) poor assembly techniques.

Anyone got any ideas?

[bwanasonic]

Is it possible to damage a pot by soldering it too often?  This one's been in probably 6 to 10 previous pedals that never got completed due to my formerly (I hope) poor assembly techniques.

Anyone got any ideas?

It has more to do with how hot you get the part when you solder. You may have used a bit too much heat at some point.  You should be able to check it with a DMM.  I can't say if that part is the problem, or maybe you are grounding something against the enclosure inadvertantly (pot/jack lug)? Have you read the troubleshooting article at Geofx? The symptoms you describe are covered.

Kerry M

[puretube]

yes, it happens.
Not neccessarily through the soldering heat, but through mechanical
strain of the wiring hooked on to it or the combination, that can cause the solder-lug to become loosened from the resistance-coating (can`t find the right name right now).
This may cause a temporary disconnection or a steady one.
Go get a new pot, but keep the old, which you can probably use as a variable resistor in another project, if only one of the ends "broke off".
Measure the resistances between the 3 lugs, and you`ll find out if and which connection is lost - if its the whiper - forget about it...


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