how to terminate a pot???

[allsavy]

I'm using the guts out of a PC usb gamepad to build a midi controller for guitar rig software. I want to use a couple of 50k potentiometers, each mounted in seperate expression pedals (converted vol. pedals). The gamepad's "center return" pots will have to go. So far I've removed one of the pots from the gamepad's circuit board and while the remaining pot still functions for midi cc# control the response is a little jumpy and the 2nd axis (a two axis pot) does not respond properly.

The circuit traces where I removed the one pot are left floating. Do I need to terminate them to have the remaining pots work properly?
If so how?

Thanks, Savy.

[Don Moose]

You can't leave the wiper connection floating - that injects noise into an analog input.
A 1M (or so) resistor form CW to Wiper and Wiper to CCW should help.

For the jumpy pot, I'd think about a cap from wiper to GND at the gamepad's board - say 0.1uF to 1.0uF - and maybe a 1k series resistor between the gamepad board and the cable. Did you run 3 wires to the X pedal or just 2?

Hope this helps!

[Rob Mercure]

While some may go to the extreme of explosives of firearms I've always found that a hammer works well <grin> - couldn't help myself.

Rob

[allsavy]

Violence and technology... not good bedfellows!