Static After Pot Swap [resolved]

dkeen · 853

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Offline dkeen

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on: December 19, 2023, 03:52:47 AM
Hi all,

I know that my first step should be to reflow the joints, but I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on these symptoms / circumstances... it's driving me nuts at work today and I can't do anything about it just yet.

I swapped the stock pot on my Crack last night for an Audio Note 100K Stereo Pot.

I'm now getting two or three things:
-A very quiet hum, which doesn't seem to change with volume or anything else (I might just be imagining this as new)

-The real problem: A sort of chugging ticking / static sound.. this seems to more or less completely go away if I hover / cup my hand over the general area of the volume knob / pot.

-Occasionally, a slightly louder pop as I turn up the volume, seemingly in a particular spot on the dial, but it is not consistent and seems to have maybe stopped happening.


Other considerations:
-Some of the wires connecting to the pot are a bit shorter than they were before, and in more cramped quarters / proximity than they originally were. I did replace and re-braid the long black wire.

-I -think- that my joints look good, but I worry that perhaps the pot sustained too much heat to a lug or two in the process of getting them there.

-I did use one thick zinc plated washer as a spacer between the pot and the plate, to adjust how far it sticks out of the plate.

thank you!
« Last Edit: December 19, 2023, 10:09:02 AM by Paul Birkeland »



Offline Paul Birkeland

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Reply #1 on: December 19, 2023, 05:53:32 AM
Where did you source the pot? 

If cupping your hand over the pot changes the nature of what you're hearing, that would have me wondering if the back side of the chassis panel is painted and not allowing any metal bits of the pot to get a proper earth reference.

Paul "PB" Birkeland

Bottlehead Grunt & The Repro Man


Offline dkeen

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Reply #2 on: December 19, 2023, 07:12:49 AM
Hi Paul, thanks for your response!

The pot was sourced from partsconnexion.

The back of the plate is not painted, but as mentioned, I did use a washer as a spacer between the pot and mounting to the plate. The pot itself seemed to be plastic, by and large, I don't think there was really any metal contacting the plate (or washer, in this case), or much metal at all, aside from the solder lugs..

Thanks!
« Last Edit: December 19, 2023, 07:26:46 AM by dkeen »



Offline Paul Birkeland

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Reply #3 on: December 19, 2023, 08:04:36 AM
I would 100% try removing that spacer.

Paul "PB" Birkeland

Bottlehead Grunt & The Repro Man


Offline dkeen

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Reply #4 on: December 19, 2023, 09:44:38 AM
I removed the spacer. Still seems to be an issue, although it seems to ebb and flow a bit. Almost seems like moving a device near it will ramp it up a bit, but moving the device away again doesn't seem to necessarily calm it down after it gets going.

If I hover my hand to the left of the side of the amp, (even as far as 8+ onches away) or again, kind of cupping the volume knob (not touching anything in either case), it still goes away.

The sound is similar to a soda quietly fizzing / popping in a glass.



Offline dkeen

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Reply #5 on: December 19, 2023, 09:46:24 AM
Hah.. I think I just figured it out..

It -seems- to be my mesh wifi router. It didn't cause any problems at all with the stock pot.



Offline Paul Birkeland

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Reply #6 on: December 19, 2023, 09:59:15 AM
It -seems- to be my mesh wifi router. It didn't cause any problems at all with the stock pot.
The stock pot has pretty good shielding.

Paul "PB" Birkeland

Bottlehead Grunt & The Repro Man


Offline dkeen

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Reply #7 on: December 19, 2023, 10:05:29 AM
Makes sense!

I appreciate your attention and help.