Pots: 16mm vs 24mm

[Noplasticrobots]

Been looking around Small Bear and I have a quick and probably pretty dumb question: are there any mechanical differences between 16mm and 24mm pots? Does the smaller radius of the pot make for quicker adjustments? I've been using 24mm pots but I really want to switch to the smaller guys to save space. Not to mention Small Bear's price of only $1.25 for these guys.

[Fp-www.Tonepad.com]

Everybody is going to have 'opinions' on this. Here's mine:

I use 16mm pots in stompboxes just because the 24mm ones are too big. The knob size makes a bigger difference in feel than the pot itself.

[RDV]

Ditto.

RDV

[tommy.genes]

No way, Man! You gotta use the 24mm for the mojo!

Just kidding of course. I use the 16mm because they are smaller too - unless I can get 24mm cheep.

-- T. G. --

[Processaurus]

Another benefit of the 16mm pots is that they are thinner, in addition to the smaller diameter.  That extra thinness can leave room to put an extra jack directly underneath them in the 1590bb size boxes, or put a circuit board with electrolytics standing straight up underneath them in a 1590b size box. 

I've never had a problem with the ones Small Bear sells, but I have had a few problems (intermittence, scratchiness, overall crappiness) with the alpha pots that have a black plastic bottom and are sealed.  I'd avoid those ones.

[Paul Marossy]

One other thing that no one mentioned is that the 16mm pots are 1/4 watt and the 24mm pots are 1/2 watt. Doesn't make too much of a difference in stompboxes, but it could in a tube amp build. 

[burnt fingers]

I love the 16mm. I almose always use them but I do use the 24mm when I can't find a 16mm in the value I need or I find a deal on the 24's.

Scott

[phaeton]

I have a mismash of both types lying around.  I've only used the 24s thus far, but the thing I think is neat about the 16s is that they (or mine at least) have solder tabs on them, as if they want to be soldered right to a PCB.

(You will hear varying opinions about that too)

I haven't tried it yet, but I'm going to.

As far as breadboarding though, the ring terminals of the 24s are easier to clip onto.

Otherwise, it's all the same.

[Paul Marossy]

I use the 16mm type whenever I can. Lately I have just been using the Alpha pots from RadioShack because I don't want to drive downtown to buy parts from the only real electronics store here in Vegas. I know, I should place a big Mouser order...

[mojotron]

I've moved to 9mm board mounted pots in some of my builds - and there's no issues there either.

[DDD]

As a matter of fact 24 mm pots are more reliableand less noisy. If you use a pot oftenly, 24 mm one is preferable.

[Fp-www.Tonepad.com]

As a matter of fact 24 mm pots are more reliableand less noisy. If you use a pot oftenly, 24 mm one is preferable.

Fact?

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

Nothing wrong with small snap-in PCB mount pots...... if they are made by Alps. Yeah, I had to throw out some copies. I think Zvex likes them, too!

[mojotron]

Nothing wrong with small snap-in PCB mount pots...... if they are made by Alps. Yeah, I had to throw out some copies. I think Zvex likes them, too!

Yep, Alps http://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?&handler=data.listcategory&D=*3172080*&terms=317-2080&Ntt=*3172080*&Dk=1&Ns=SField&N=0&crc=true are fantastic if you want to stay within a 1590b formfactor and you have a zillion pots - it's a smart way to go with a design as long as you don't intend for users to twittle things with their feet.

[DDD]

" Fact?" - yes, I've experinced some problems with 16 and 17 mm pots, but never with 24 mm pots (all of them are Taiwanese-made).