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[Tomm Williams]

Recently picked up a Soundcraft Monitor2 at a very reasonable price. Only problem, it wasn't packed very well during shipping and arrived with one Aux knob snapped off just above the pot. Found replacement pots for cheap which are on their way. Any suggestions/guidance as to replacing the pot ?

[Scott Holtzman]

Recently picked up a Soundcraft Monitor2 at a very reasonable price. Only problem, it wasn't packed very well during shipping and arrived with one Aux knob snapped off just above the pot. Found replacement pots for cheap which are on their way. Any suggestions/guidance as to replacing the pot ?

1 - Take it apart
2 - Take a picture so you know where wires go, if all same color label
3 - Unsolder the wires
4 - Remove damaged component
5 - Install replacement component (exact part, not just same specs)
6 - Insert tinned wires from step 3 on the 3 legs of the pot
7 - Solder
8 - Test
9 - Reassemble
10 - Optional, have a cold one

[Riley Casey]

Whats your level of solder / desolder skill?  Its pretty straightforward if you have the right tools - a temperature controlled soldering iron, solder sucker tool, wicking braid … or a genuine desolder station.  Take the usual care not to lift any traces as you desolder ( excess heat is a bad thing ), take some care to get the pot shaft perpendicular to the PCB as you install it.  Dry fit the new pot including confirming it fits in the hole thru the module before doing any soldering - particularly if you found them 'cheap'. 

Not the end of the world if you do lift a trace, just make an extension of the trace with a piece of resistor lead and wrap it around the potentiometer pin in question then add a blob of hot glue to stabilize the pot to the board.

I don't know that model Soundcraft specifically but do take the time to completely remove the PCD from the module extrusion.

Recently picked up a Soundcraft Monitor2 at a very reasonable price. Only problem, it wasn't packed very well during shipping and arrived with one Aux knob snapped off just above the pot. Found replacement pots for cheap which are on their way. Any suggestions/guidance as to replacing the pot ?

[Ivan Beaver]

It all depends on how the pot is wired to the board.

My guess is that there are no actual wires attached to the pot-but rather that the pot is attached directly to the circuit board.

Now whether it is a single board for multiple channels (some consoles have as many as 8 channels on a single board), or a single board per channel.

It may require removal of a lot of hardware.  I don't know the console.

It also depends on if the circuit board is single or double sided.  Double sided is harder to remove parts from.

And if they used lead free solder-that is even harder to remove.

This could be an hour or less project or several hours-depending on a lot of stuff I don't know about.

Of course it also depends on your skill level and experience.

Not everybody can do everything themselves.

[Chuck Simon]

It all depends on how the pot is wired to the board.

My guess is that there are no actual wires attached to the pot-but rather that the pot is attached directly to the circuit board.

Now whether it is a single board for multiple channels (some consoles have as many as 8 channels on a single board), or a single board per channel.

It may require removal of a lot of hardware.  I don't know the console.

It also depends on if the circuit board is single or double sided.  Double sided is harder to remove parts from.

And if they used lead free solder-that is even harder to remove.

This could be an hour or less project or several hours-depending on a lot of stuff I don't know about.

Of course it also depends on your skill level and experience.

Not everybody can do everything themselves.

In other words, I wouldn't touch that with a 10 foot pole!  I would pay someone with experience to do the job properly.  I think it's worth it!

[Ivan Beaver]

In other words, I wouldn't touch that with a 10 foot pole!  I would pay someone with experience to do the job properly.  I think it's worth it!

As the old quote goes.

Yes the part is 0.10.  The other $75 is knowing where to put it-------

[Scott Holtzman]

It all depends on how the pot is wired to the board.

My guess is that there are no actual wires attached to the pot-but rather that the pot is attached directly to the circuit board.

Now whether it is a single board for multiple channels (some consoles have as many as 8 channels on a single board), or a single board per channel.

It may require removal of a lot of hardware.  I don't know the console.

It also depends on if the circuit board is single or double sided.  Double sided is harder to remove parts from.

And if they used lead free solder-that is even harder to remove.

This could be an hour or less project or several hours-depending on a lot of stuff I don't know about.

Of course it also depends on your skill level and experience.

Not everybody can do everything themselves.

My answer was meant to be on the "fun" side but some really great points were raised.  If all the pots are on one board it could be much more difficult.  If you have to take 100 jam nuts off just to get between the PCB and the top of the mixer that is a real pain.

Why don't you crack it open and post some good, well lit, high rez pictures.

As was asked what is your level of soldering skills?  I would not use solder wick, a vacuum solder sucker works better in this case.  Also some chisel point solder tools if you have to heat the trace and lift the formed lead from the pot itself.  If you are good you can race between the three traces and get it hot enough to lift off and then tack one leg in of the new pot, flow the other two legs then reflow the one you just tacked.

[Tomm Williams]

This console has 32 individual channel boards. I may have mislead on the replacement pots, they are Soundcraft factory pots, they just didn't cost much. And as to my soldering skills, I would rate them as a step above barbaric. On the assumption I cannot find local help, suggestions as to where I might send the board and pot to have it installed?

[David Sturzenbecher]

This console has 32 individual channel boards. I may have mislead on the replacement pots, they are Soundcraft factory pots, they just didn't cost much. And as to my soldering skills, I would rate them as a step above barbaric. On the assumption I cannot find local help, suggestions as to where I might send the board and pot to have it installed?

While some say soldering is an art, replacing this pot should be something you can do.  Watch about 30 youtube videos, then find some old piece of gear that doesn't work anymore, and practice removing and replaceing a couple resistors, caps, pots, etc.

[dave briar]

Umm...  Take it to Andy?

[Ivan Beaver]

While some say soldering is an art, replacing this pot should be something you can do.  Watch about 30 youtube videos, then find some old piece of gear that doesn't work anymore, and practice removing and replaceing a couple resistors, caps, pots, etc.

I would argue that soldering is pretty easy.

DESOLDERING is the real "art".  Especially depending on the type of board-the part-type of solder etc.

In some cases it is real easy to ruin a board if you are not careful and know what you are doing.

Of course with a simple board like a mixing console-and audio freq-there are some "work arounds" if you tear up the traces/pads.

[Tim Padrick]

With a PC mount pot, the best way is usually to cut the leads/pins (as close to the pot as possible) so they can be removed one at a time.  If the pot has a support bracket, cut that too if you can.

[ProSoundWeb Community]