ThunderBell Module Kit Instructions
Page 6 of 8
Connecting Off-Board Parts via Wires
The placement of pots, jacks, and switches in the panel or enclosure determines how and when they are connected
to the PCB as well as the length of wire needed. Cut a piece of wire to the appropriate length. Measure carefully, and
give yourself a little extra wire to work with. Strip about ¼ inch (6mm) of insulation off of each end of the wire. Twist
the exposed strands of wire together. Insert the wire into the appropriate hole on the top side of the PCB, and solder
it on the bottom, just like you did with the board-mounted parts. Wrap the other end of the wire around the appropriate
pin on the potentiometer, jack, or button, and solder it in place.
Potentiometers
The potentiometers (pots) can either be soldered directly to the PCB, or they can be connected to the PCB via wires.
You can even do a combination where one pot is board-mounted and the others are connected with wires. Board-
mounting the pots is most convenient because it means that the PCB will be supported by the pots behind the panel.
When viewed with the shaft pointing toward you, as in the picture to the right, the
pot’s
value is printed at the top. The pins are, from left to right, counterclockwise (anticlockwise),
wiper, and clockwise. The holes on the PCB are labeled CW and CCW to indicate which pin
on the pot gets connected to which hole on the PCB. If you are soldering one or more pots
directly to the PCB, the shafts will point away from the PCB.
There is a tab on the pots that must be removed or it will get in the way when you try to
mount them in the enclosure or panel. Hold the pot in one hand and grab the tab with a
small pair of pliers. Rotate the pliers away from the pot, and the tab will snap right off.
The pot values are as follows:
VR1 (Pitch)
10K linear taper potentiometer
VR2 (Decay)
1M linear taper potentiometer
VR3 (Volume) 20K linear taper potentiometer
Trigger Button
Buttons are not polarized, so it does not matter which terminal on the button goes to which hole in the PCB. Make a
note of where the retaining nut is on your button. The supplied button is inserted into the panel from the back and the
nut goes on the front of the panel. So, you can solder the button via wires to the PCB before inserting it into the
panel.
If you are using a different button with the nut on the inside of the panel, then the button must be inserted into the
panel before it can be connected to the PCB. It is easiest if you do it in this order: solder the button wires onto the
PCB first, then put the button through its hole in the enclosure, then tighten the button retaining nut, then solder the
wires to the button.
