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Bottlehead Kits => Crack => Topic started by: xcoolhandx on April 18, 2014, 03:03:11 PM

Title: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: xcoolhandx on April 18, 2014, 03:03:11 PM
I received this great looking pot the other day and I'm having hard time figuring out how to wire this beast ,I would appreciate some help ,this is what I was able to get from the seller
and the stepper
EDIT; if someone could point out where each wire should be soldier it would be great
Thank you
 
 
Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: Paul Birkeland on April 18, 2014, 03:19:13 PM
"In" comes from the RCA jacks, "Out" goes to the tubes, "Ground" is all the black wires.
Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: xcoolhandx on April 18, 2014, 03:26:07 PM
I'm getting confused when looking at the diagram ..it looks like the diagram shows two pots or this is one pot ,just two  different view  since I have to connect two black wires ?
Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: Paul Birkeland on April 18, 2014, 03:26:50 PM
The diagram shows two different controls.

You should be able to look at your control and determine which side of the drawing applies.

-PB
Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: xcoolhandx on April 18, 2014, 03:31:03 PM
so if I connect two black wires to the bottom "copper wire "(anywhere-back or front )  I should be fine right ?
Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: Paul Birkeland on April 18, 2014, 05:53:55 PM
The yellow rings on that drawing aren't connected together.

The ground lugs of the pot on the Crack are wired together.

You will need to wire the ground rings of the new control together, otherwise you're in for some unpleasant issues.

-PB
Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: JamieMcC on April 18, 2014, 09:58:31 PM
Tried a google image search of dale stepped attenuator and came up with these

(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi10.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa150%2Ftubesforever%2FAttenuatorSchematic.jpg&hash=7736e317b77446ee72dab8829c3763690497a519)

http://kikitronic.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/dale-23-steps-attenuator.html

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/4x-24-Step-50K-Stereo-Attenuator-Volume-Control-Pot-Log-Free-shipping/482073639.html

Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: mcandmar on April 20, 2014, 07:35:49 AM
The pic Jamie posted says it all, there is no dedicated ground lug so you have to solder the ground wires onto the ring instead.  As PB said make sure you join the two ground rings together.
Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: xcoolhandx on April 20, 2014, 08:40:51 AM
I didn't know I would gain that much from this mod ,I figured just by changing this two commponents-> caps (8%) + attenuator (7 %) =15% sound improvement ,I think that's pretty significant
Thanks everyone  !...
P.S. how long it takes to burn-in one of this ?

Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: mcandmar on April 20, 2014, 08:48:26 AM
Nicely done, that diagram will be useful for others in the future..
Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: JamieMcC on April 20, 2014, 09:00:42 AM
I didn't know I would gain that much from this mod ,I figured just by changing this two commponents-> caps (8%) + attenuator (7 %) =15% sound improvement ,I think that's pretty significant
Thanks (Jamie and  Coucasian !...
P.S. how long it takes to burn-in one of this ?

Happy to hear you like your stepper. Fitting mine was probably the best price vrs performance ratio mod I have made so far and also my very first mod I made to my Crack (or anything else electrical) it was quiet a nerve wracking but ultimately very rewarding experience for me.

No idea about burn in, most things seem to need a little time after soldering in to sound their best hopefully someone else will chime in on burn in for this type of component.
Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: MJS242 on December 27, 2014, 03:24:21 PM
I'm getting ready to install this same attenuator but the pins seem a little different than what was originally mentioned in this thread.  I've created a diagram of what I'm working with and what I plan to do.  I was hoping someone could do a reality check for me before I start soldering.  Any assistance would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance!

(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FtlWdQRL.jpg&hash=9cc9a9e7cf0e4b3f1c43d374a5a261e3be1596d5) 
Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: Grainger49 on December 28, 2014, 05:08:19 AM
Your judicious use of heat shrink tubing makes me smile.  That looks like a professional installation.

Assuming the red in each cable is that channel's signal common your wiring looks spot on to me.

Tying the two signal commons (grounds) together before taking it to the safety/chassis ground is simplicity (I mean that in a good way).
Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: xcoolhandx on December 28, 2014, 06:07:14 AM
@MJS242 look at my  diagram  and the pick from manual (green is ground instead of black in manual picture ),yes 3,5,6 are ground and then you just connect/ground- top/bottom ring
Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: PharmaCyclist on December 29, 2014, 02:56:56 PM
Would anyone mind letting me know where they picked up one of these?  I see a few sources, namely eBay, and also note that you can buy a pre-soldered unit or an entire kit.  I am waiting on my Crack kit in the mail and very antsy to get going on something, so part of me is thinking that maybe the DIY Pot would be a good way to polish up my soldering skills.  Any insight/thoughts on this?  Before any assumptions are made, I plan on fully assembling the kit stock and testing it thoroughly before trying to actually add this pot to the mix-- but all I'm reading here convinces me it will be worthwhile.  Thanks,

Mike
Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: mcandmar on December 29, 2014, 03:06:54 PM
I bought the kit version once and swore never again, it was tedious and at times extremely frustrating to assemble.  The two i have bought since then were both pre assembled :)
Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: PharmaCyclist on December 29, 2014, 03:26:07 PM
I had fears it might be that way instead of a pleasurable experience--- the assembled is only about 11.00 more as well.  I'm thinking I may forego this idea so far :)
Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: denti alligator on December 29, 2014, 03:28:52 PM
These can also be used in the SEX, right? I'm thinking of ordering two.
Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: mcandmar on December 29, 2014, 03:54:21 PM
I had fears it might be that way instead of a pleasurable experience--- the assembled is only about 11.00 more as well.  I'm thinking I may forego this idea so far :)

Some may find it therapeutic :)  Keep in mind all you get is a bag of 80+ resistors, a switch, and a brief page of chinglish instructions.  You have to dissemble the switch to get the resistors in and build it up in layers, working out which resistor value to place where is a bit of brain teaser, and then for the two resistor strings to ground you have to make up a metal loop and solder all the resistors to it. The end result isn't pretty. In contrast the assembled versions are extremely well made, whoever assembled mine has some serious solder slinging skills.

These can also be used in the SEX, right? I'm thinking of ordering two.

Yes, many have done so.
Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: PharmaCyclist on December 29, 2014, 04:33:36 PM
I appreciate the info-- I will opt for the pre-assembled option.  I was wondering about the ground-wire loops as I was looking at the kit and I'm glad you cleared that up-- I was imagining that to be a hassle and was assuming they would send a nice, circular piece of wire to do it with-- doesn't sound that way! 
Title: Re: wiring Dale 100K Attenuator ?
Post by: MJS242 on January 05, 2015, 04:45:58 PM
Thanks for the replies on this.  Got around to doing it tonight and everything went well and it sounds great.  This is a really nice, fairly inexpensive upgrade.