Hookup Wires to Pots Question

[dragonbat13]

Im building the Princeton Reverb to Dougs exact layout/schematic.

I am in the process of hooking up the heaters and will move on the the control pots.

In regards to the control pots, it seems Doug set the hookup wires into the turrets with the components instead of wrapping them around the turrets.  Is there a reason for this?  It would seem that they should be wrapped around. 

The only reason I can see to inserting the hookup wires into the turrets instead of wrapping them is to allow easier removal of the wires in case there is a need to access the underside of the board.  Am I right?

Thanks for the help.

[PharmRock]

I've built 2 amps now using Doug's approach on this, which he shows in detail here:
https://el34world.com/projects/Plexi6V6.htm

It makes for a easier and cleaner build in my opinion, as the last thing you are usually doing is installing the pot to board wires.  Since the board is populated with components by this time, getting the pot to board wire neatly wrapped around the turret lug may be a little tricky.  Going straight into the top of the turret with the component lead (s) makes it an easier job and results in neater and shorter wire runs. Its also a little easier to visualize where the wires are precisely going to on the board.

 

[mresistor]

Many people like myself bring the pot wires and the tube and other wires to the board and wrap it around the turret.  I use the top holes in the turrets to mount the parts leads. To me it makes for a cleaner looking build.  Some people here also drill holes next to the turrets on the edge of the board and bring the pot and tube wires in from underneath and it looks real tidy and neat.  Sluckey here has shown that the best way to not worry about underboard wires to turrets is to remove enough insulation of the underboard wire to bring the wire up to the top of the turret and bend it over the top so that it will never fall out. 


I will use one members photos from his website,  P2PAmps,  to show you these methods..   http://www.p2pamps.com/princeton-reverb-clone-5

[mresistor]

Having thought about having to access under the board in amps, my idea would be to un fasten the pots and jacks and some power and other leads at the ps end and then unfasten the board and you could lift it up on one side..   hopefully one would never have to do it, and so far I haven't in my experiences of working on many different vintage amps such as Fenders with eyelet boards. PCB amps are a total different story.

[shooter]

fwiw;
I add all the "fly" wires when I do the components

[sluckey]

In regards to the control pots, it seems Doug set the hookup wires into the turrets with the components instead of wrapping them around the turrets.  Is there a reason for this?

Personal preference.

[dragonbat13]

Many people like myself bring the pot wires and the tube and other wires to the board and wrap it around the turret.  I use the top holes in the turrets to mount the parts leads. To me it makes for a cleaner looking build.  Some people here also drill holes next to the turrets on the edge of the board and bring the pot and tube wires in from underneath and it looks real tidy and neat.  Sluckey here has shown that the best way to not worry about underboard wires to turrets is to remove enough insulation of the underboard wire to bring the wire up to the top of the turret and bend it over the top so that it will never fall out. 


I will use one members photos from his website,  P2PAmps,  to show you these methods..   http://www.p2pamps.com/princeton-reverb-clone-5

I wish I would have ran the underboard wires through the tops of the turrets, but its too late.  I think I am just going to go into the tops on this one, but will change things up on the next build. 

Thanks for all the help.

[sluckey]

I wish I would have ran the underboard wires through the tops of the turrets, but its too late.

Hopefully those underboard jumpers will not fall off as you solder component to the top side. That can be difficult to diagnose and very difficult to correct.

[dragonbat13]

I wish I would have ran the underboard wires through the tops of the turrets, but its too late.

Hopefully those underboard jumpers will not fall off as you solder component to the top side. That can be difficult to diagnose and very difficult to correct.

OK you convinced me.  Since I don't have the pots or components installed yet Ill pull the board and flip it to correct the install.  The advice is very appreciated.  It would be a drag to have to do it later.

[Blueboozer]

I wish I would have ran the underboard wires through the tops of the turrets, but its too late.

Hopefully those underboard jumpers will not fall off as you solder component to the top side. That can be difficult to diagnose and very difficult to correct.

Hard lesson learned. Took me forever to figure out why my build wasn’t working.

[sluckey]

Another couple tips about my method of dealing with underboard jumpers...

I use 24AWG bare solid buss wire for all jumpers, top and bottom. I usually strip some insulation from 22AWG wire to use as insulation for the buss wire when needed.

When you bend the jumper lead over the top of the turret, put just a bit of solder on the ***OUTSIDE*** of the turret to hold it in place. But no solder on the inside of the turret at this time. Wait until you have all components leads in a turret before doing the final solder.

Here are a couple pics of my board jumpers...

     http://sluckeyamps.com/VAC15/05.jpg
     http://sluckeyamps.com/VAC15/underboard_jumper.jpg

[EL34]

Im building the Princeton Reverb to Dougs exact layout/schematic.

I am in the process of hooking up the heaters and will move on the the control pots.

In regards to the control pots, it seems Doug set the hookup wires into the turrets with the components instead of wrapping them around the turrets.  Is there a reason for this?  It would seem that they should be wrapped around. 

The only reason I can see to inserting the hookup wires into the turrets instead of wrapping them is to allow easier removal of the wires in case there is a need to access the underside of the board.  Am I right?

No reason except all the parts are on the board and it is easier for me to just shove the pot wires down into a lug hole

[dude]

I wish I would have ran the underboard wires through the tops of the turrets, but its too late.

Hopefully those underboard jumpers will not fall off as you solder component to the top side. That can be difficult to diagnose and very difficult to correct.

One way to help under bd. wires from falling out while heating top of turrets or eyelets is to use solid core, bringing the wire up and bending it over like a hook.


EDIT: l should have read farther, Sluckey had posted my suggestion

[Bieworm]

I never do underboard wires. If there is something wrong they're hard to access.
When I wire I always follow the schematic,  meaning I always do the components and wires at the same time. Except for the big caps.. they go first. But then again, they should because I start at the power supply..

But that's just 'a' way..

[acheld]

Being a hamfisted sort, when I started building some years ago, my under board wires were falling out left and right.

My solution, which I still use, is to use a very small dab of Permatex 1/2" away from the turret to ensure the under board wire can not fall out.   May not be elegant, but it does work well, and if you are careful with the Permatex it is not ugly.  Of course, if the board is not removed, you never know it is there.

Obviously, Sluckey's build capabilities far exceed mine, and I am going to try the 24AWG bus wire trick. I've always used 22AWG thus far,  and the problem is that not all components will slip into the top of the turret with 22AWG already in place.   Soldering on the outside for the smaller bus wire should help with that.

Biggest problem for me has always been at nodes B, C, and D -- where you have fat resistors and multiple components coming together at one point.  If there is a good way of mitigating  that problem, I'd love to know since my junctions there are always inelegant.  Not bad, just not as pretty as I would like.

[sluckey]

Biggest problem for me has always been at nodes B, C, and D -- where you have fat resistors and multiple components coming together at one point.  If there is a good way of mitigating  that problem, I'd love to know since my junctions there are always inelegant.  Not bad, just not as pretty as I would like.

There's no magic way around that. I prefer to use cap cans to avoid that situation. I can get two 3 watt metal oxide resistors in one hole. I've done one or two builds where I put the caps on the board. Caps went in the hole, resistors were wrapped around the turret. Like this...

     http://sluckeyamps.com/supro/supro_02_big.jpg

One reason I like the 1/2 watt metal film resistors and Xicon caps is because I can put 4 components in the hole, or I can do 1 jumper and 3 components, or 2 jumpers and 2 components. Like this...

     http://sluckeyamps.com/phoenix/p11_big.jpg

[dude]

A solution would be to offer different turret hole diameters, size the same just a bigger hole option. This would solve all these issues.
Possibility, maybe drill out the hole slightly bigger were needed..?

[mresistor]

some just swage the hole out..  its a brass turret that can be enlarged...  take a tool like an awl and open up the hole .. 

[EL34]

some just swage the hole out..  its a brass turret that can be enlarged...  take a tool like an awl and open up the hole ..

Yes, that's what I do and that is what is listed in the install instructions for all my boards
https://el34world.com/Hoffman/instructions.htm

[acheld]

OK, I missed that part in the instructions. . .