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Link to a decent Pot in the United States?

Discussion in 'DIY Motion Simulator Building Q&A / FAQ' started by scalhoun, Jun 30, 2014.

  1. scalhoun

    scalhoun Active Member

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    I've been told to checkout 10k 360 degree continuous pots but haven't found any yet. Not really sure what I'm looking for exactly. Maybe someone has a link to something on Digikey or a similar site in U.S.?

    I did some quick forum searches but didn't turn up anything.

    Thanks in advance!
  2. scalhoun

    scalhoun Active Member

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    Last edited: Jun 30, 2014
  3. bsft

    bsft

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    • Useful Useful x 2
  4. scalhoun

    scalhoun Active Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
    2DOF, DC motor, JRK
  5. bsft

    bsft

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    @mazhar, have to to not completely agree there.
    Ive used hall effects like the ones above and as good as they are, I found with enough abuse, the bush on the shaft wears and tends to bind up. Not a great problem, but a squirt of CRC every now and then helps keep them smooth.
    I use RS components wire wound pots these days, granted they cost about $37 each, however, I have them on a sim with over 200 hours use and not a problem. They use a better quality bush and have been found to be very reliable.
    And yes, continuous turn single turn is the way to go.
    • Informative Informative x 1
  6. BlazinH

    BlazinH Well-Known Member

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    The specs for BI Technologies 6120 hall effect pots state, "Rotational Life - 10 million shaft resolutions with up to 8oz sideload". So either the specs are wrong, which is unlikely, or your pots are experiencing a lot more sideload due to your mounting method. I have well over 100 hours on three of them now and have no indications of any problems with them to date. But as I've said before, you must mount them in way that allows the pots to move freely inline and perpendicular to the shaft. The mount only needs to be strong in the rotational axis of the shaft. And since these are non-contacting, that doesn't even need to be very strong. If you aren't operating within the stated specs, you shouldn't expect them to last!
    • Informative Informative x 1
    Last edited: Jul 2, 2014
  7. BlazinH

    BlazinH Well-Known Member

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    Had a thought. If the pots shaft gets hot due to heat conductance from the motors, this could possibly allow the shaft to expand slightly which could cause excessive wearing of the bushing. Mine always stay cool.
    • Informative Informative x 1
  8. bsft

    bsft

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    do you have a photo of how you are doing yours? Then we can advise
  9. BlazinH

    BlazinH Well-Known Member

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    Just got done taking a picture. What I do may or may not work for you depending on your setup but I mount mine using just a piece of bailing wire wrapped around the body of the pot with the ends of the wire connected at a couple of different points. It allows the pot to move as stated in my previous post but still has enough strength to keep it from twisting.
    WP_20140702_027.jpg
    note: I utilize a 3dof platform and this motor is attached to the bottom of it. It's only function is to pitch the seat to give additional overall pitch to the platform. I don't want to pitch the platform itself much because, not only does it not feel natural to me, but my monitors don't move with the platform either. I have the push rod attached to the bottom of my seat. While some don't advise doing it this way, I am using a 825 watt motor so I have plenty of power to move the seat this way.
    • Informative Informative x 2
    • Like Like x 1
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2014
  10. bsft

    bsft

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    Heres mine. I drilled a hole in the back of the motor shaft bolt, to match the shaft size of the pot , 6mm I think, then I mounted the pot on a thin piece of steel bracket, bent it and glued it to the top of the housing.
    For the pot in motor bolt, I drilled a 2.5mm hole through all of it and put a piece of tie wire and twisted it up. Spot on.
    2014-03-28 10.35.20.jpg
    • Like Like x 1
    • Informative Informative x 1
  11. Tech2123

    Tech2123 Tech2123

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    Hi, I have just about the exact same setup for my pots as you do, I am getting a lot of jitter @ center? Using 10k Cermet liner taper pots (thought was good quality) the wiring im not so sure now, I can control motors just about perfect when pots not connected to motors, soon as I connect, lock into place jitter, some times if I force the levers to center it will stop.
    I just realized there NOT 360 pots either they do stop? like 170 left 170 right, could the adurino coding be looking for 360 pots? (ill ask the coder next this part of the question)
  12. Historiker

    Historiker Dramamine Adict Gold Contributor

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    What?! Nobody has said to move to Colorado yet?! :D
    • Like Like x 1
  13. Tech2123

    Tech2123 Tech2123

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    Washing State is a go also!
    • Agree Agree x 1