Hot Pot

Post test messages here

Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit

Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
Locked
jackfm
 
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2011 6:10 pm

Hot Pot

Post by jackfm »

Hi there,

I just received this Soft Potentiometer for a project I'm woking on. Hooked it up to an Arduino leonardo as shown below (pin 1 to 3.3v, pin 2 to analog in, pin 3 to GND) and it got hot. Like really hot. I've unplugged and stopped there. Is/was it a faulty potentiometer? It now looks a little worse for wear.

Image

Image

Image

User avatar
adafruit_support_bill
 
Posts: 88088
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am

Re: Hot Pot

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

When you press on the gap between the high and low side, you create a short circuit which will heat up if it is connected directly between power and ground. The usage instructions specify wiring with series resistors to limit the current.
https://www.adafruit.com/product/1069
To use Connect one side pin to ground via a 10K resistor in series. Connect the other side pin to your Vcc power line (3V, 5V etc) via a different 10K resistor in series. Then read the analog voltage on the center pin. It will range from 1/3 Vcc to 2/3 Vcc . Do not connect to Ground and Power directly!

Locked
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.

Return to “Test Message Forum (closed)”