[bcowen]

No worries, we've all been solder rookies at one point - except maybe Paladin. I'm beginning to suspect he was born with a silver iron in hand and has since evolved the ability to accurately test values just by sense of touch.

Just be happy you don't have to desolder anything. I curse the person who invented desoldering braid!

On the desoldering braid, a lot depends on the quality IME. I've used some that were more maddening than helpful, but have had good success with the Sodlr-Wick brand on the left. The Chem-Wik Lite is OK and better than many others I've used, but not as good as the Sodlr-Wick. Both made by Chemtronics, but the Chem-Wik is cheaper....and you find out why after you've used both. The picture doesn't show it well, but the Sodlr-Wick has smaller diameter copper strands and a denser weave, and also seems to be loaded with about twice as much flux. I even wrote 'best' on it just to make sure I ordered the right one the next time around.

Also, there's a shelf life involved with this stuff which presumably has to do with the copper oxidizing the longer it's exposed to air. I keep mine in a zip-lock bag when not in use just to limit the exposure as best possible.

 

[bcowen]

Did you major in Greek (life)?....

No, skiing. I went to college in the mountains. I did attend classes every now and then when the snow base was too thin at Beech and Sugar Mountain.

 

[jonathan c]

No, skiing. I went to college in the mountains. I did attend classes every now and then when the snow base was too thin at Beech and Sugar Mountain.

A “ski+” grade average

 

[DeweyCH]

Good grief why have I been using a conical tip to solder all this time?

 

[Paladin79]

No, skiing. I went to college in the mountains. I did attend classes every now and then when the snow base was too thin at Beech and Sugar Mountain.

My daughter went to college in Glenwood Springs Colorado, not too far from Aspen and Vail so the same thing happened there. She could have gone to Purdue for similar money but when the choice is looking out your dorm window and seeing mountains instead of corn fields, she chose the mountains. Doc Holliday is buried in Glenwood springs.

As far as solder wick.... https://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals...1&keywords=solder+wick&qid=1614087923&sr=8-14

I tend to buy types that you can seal in its own container.

Desoldering braid, also known as desoldering wick or solder wick, is finely braided 18 to 42 AWG copper wire coated with rosin flux, usually supplied on a roll. ... The connections are heated with a soldering iron until the solder melts and is wicked into the braid by capillary action.

 

[Paladin79]

Good grief why have I been using a conical tip to solder all this time?

I use Weller and Hakko soldering stations with a wide range of tip types.

https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Ta...ocphy=9016564&hvtargid=pla-568666029531&psc=1

More often I use Weller, I can change tips within a few seconds depending on what I am soldering, on the models I have this also changes the temperature. I stick with 700 and 800 degree tips for the most part and the Hakko has variable temp adjustments.

I have miniature irons if I am soldering SMD components.

 

[DeweyCH]

I use Weller and Hakko soldering stations with a wide range of tip types.

https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Ta...ocphy=9016564&hvtargid=pla-568666029531&psc=1

More often I use Weller, I can change tips within a few seconds depending on what I am soldering, on the models I have this also changes the temperature. I stick with 700 and 800 degree tips for the most part and the Hakko has variable temp adjustments.

I have miniature irons if I am soldering SMD components.

I've been using this one from Amazon - it works pretty well, has adjustable temp and is reasonably well-made. But last night when I went to resolder everything, I switched from a standard B-series tip to a C-series and good lord the difference in the surface area made everything so much easier.

Still not done - have a ground hum that I need to find - but if nothing else my joints look a thousand times better:

 

[DeweyCH]

They should be fine as a supplier, I like to use older ohmmeters to track both sides of a dual gang pot but it certainly sounds like a bad pot. They are pretty easy to open if you want to look on the inside for cracks, damage, or loose debris. Most I have seen are sealed so I doubt the pot is just dirty.

I love to use this meter with pots and electrolytics and they still sell them.

https://www.grainger.com/product/1A...aid:GGL:CSM-2295:4P7A1P:20501231&gclsrc=aw.ds

Another favorite is Simpson 467, these came with a 10 amp shunt and a 10KV probe. Both models were used by the military and mine are at least 25 years old or older.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Simpson-46...548978?hash=item1a9a5718f2:g:H-oAAOSwy~Je5Su3

You can read up on what a true RMS meter is.

I went ahead and ordered one of those Simpson multimeters from eBay. Should be handy. Better than the little battery-powered handheld one I have.

 

[Paladin79]

I've been using this one from Amazon - it works pretty well, has adjustable temp and is reasonably well-made. But last night when I went to resolder everything, I switched from a standard B-series tip to a C-series and good lord the difference in the surface area made everything so much easier.

Still not done - have a ground hum that I need to find - but if nothing else my joints look a thousand times better:

That is looking quite a bit better.

Oh and so I do not sound like I am constantly trashing the DV, they are using either silver or nickel/silver plated copper wire in a decent gauge. This does keep down corrosion and is often used in high temperature applications. Some folks do have the misconception that it improves sound. At high frequencies the signal is more on the outside of the wire, this is called skin effect. Only a small amount of this occurs below 100,000 cycles. Some RF cables have hollow centers because the signal travels predominantly on the outside anyway.

 

[DeweyCH]

Is there any reason I would have to ground the inputs to the pot or can I just attach that ground to the ground bus literally right next to it?

 

[Paladin79]

I went ahead and ordered one of those Simpson multimeters from eBay. Should be handy. Better than the little battery-powered handheld one I have.

They are something that can last years and years. Depending on the model you chose, I probably have extra HV probes and shunt resistors around somewhere. Mine came in quality cases with all attachments. Oh and unlike some products made overseas, you can buy more test leads if ever needed.

 

[DeweyCH]

They are something that can last years and years. Depending on the model you chose, I probably have extra HV probes and shunt resistors around somewhere. Mine came in quality cases with all attachments. Oh and unlike some products made overseas, you can buy more test leads if ever needed.

Got the 467 you referenced. Price was beyond reasonable.

 

[Paladin79]

Great meters and they have a built in continuity tester. That is a quick and easy way to test for proper ground connections. I used it to troubleshoot something for @bcowen, the underside of some chassis are painted and manufacturers sometimes rely on washers like this to cut through the paint and make proper contact.

It is much better to scrape the paint away to insure better contact. It is also a great way to test for issues with headphone cables and the like. The tester gives off an audible beep when you have continuity. It can also tell you quickly if you have a short circuit or open circuit.

 

[Paladin79]

Is there any reason I would have to ground the inputs to the pot or can I just attach that ground to the ground bus literally right next to it?

Are you asking about attaching both grounds on the pot together and then on to chassis ground? If what you are describing is the same point electrically then you are fine.

This is another great use of a continuity tester lol, or you can measure with an ohmmeter to be sure. It is common practice to attach both grounds together on the pot and then wire to chassis ground. They may have done this through the pc board but I have yet to dismantle my DV. You do want to attach only the grounds together, not the wiper or inputs lol, unless you want a mono amp.

 

[DeweyCH]

Are you asking about attaching both grounds on the pot together and then on to chassis ground? If what you are describing is the same point electrically then you are fine.

This is another great use of a continuity tester lol, or you can measure with an ohmmeter to be sure. It is common practice to attach both grounds together on the pot and then wire to chassis ground. They may have done this through the pc board but I have yet to dismantle my DV. You do want to attach only the grounds together, not the wiper or inputs lol, unless you want a mono amp.

I'm actually talking about the ground that comes in with the inputs. I've always seen it soldered onto the pot's ground pins, but I've got my ground pins connected to each other and then via the green wires in my pic to the ground bus. Could I just bypass the pot entirely and ground the inputs at the ground bus where it attaches to the headphone jack ground?