Why did my pot catch on fire?

[mlabbee]

I just breadboarded Tim Escobedo's MS-20 filter and when I plugged it in, the frequency pot lit up - there's no value on the schem, so I used a 100k pot. The voltage was only 9 V, so there had to be a ton of current going through there - bigger pot?  Also, any thoughts on how to get this filter to sweep using an LDR?  I was just going to put the LDR below the frequency pot to see what happens , but I need to figure out the cause of the flame first . . .

[niftydog]

pot wired incorrectly? Maybe as a rheostat instead of a voltage divider?

[bwanasonic]

A simple 9v will fry a pot if applied directly across the lugs.

Kerry M

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

I've burnt a pot, as bwanasonic says, you must have the centre and one end across the power rails (either a miswire or a short somewhere).
It's awkward, because it only catches on fire when the pot is turned right to one end & makes a short.
It's kinda funny to see the glow from insdie a pot... but not THAT funny :x

[bwanasonic]

It's kinda funny to see the glow from insdie a pot... but not THAT funny :x

Yeah, especially not the second time 30 seconds later...

(what's the emoticon for commiting ritual suicide again?)

Kerry M

[niftydog]

It's kinda funny to see the glow from insdie a pot... but not THAT funny

well, it's just that it's only funny once...

what's even funnier is when it happens only whilst you're twiddling the pot. I can't tell you how hillarious it was to have a glowing, smoking potentiometer in my hand!

[zachary vex]

you're supposed to keep your burning pot in your bong, not in your hand.  8^)

[onboard]

had to go there, didn't ya z?



my thoughts exactly



edit: oh yeah, there was a topic here. did'ja get it up and running?

[ESPguitar]

:lol:

:wink: