ShockSlayer
Probably SS
Re: Gamecube Controller Analog Stick Potentiometer and Adapt
Yes.
Yes.
Gamecube Controller Analog Stick Potentiometer and Adapter
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Re: Gamecube Controller Analog Stick Potentiometer and Adapt
I got some pots (with help from Zenloc) and have some questions before I try them out. SS mentioned it's possible to bend the guard pins on the pot if they don't fit. Do you have to solder the 4 guard pins onto the board or just the 6 smaller pins on the pot?
I also got a few sticks to go on the pots but they don't really fit the ones with the plastic stick part. Anyone have an easy way to secure sticks to the pots? It looks like they're the same ones used on Xbox controller and an old original Xbox S stick fits them well so I'll get some of those too. But in the meantime, any way to use these sticks on a pot like that?
I got some pots (with help from Zenloc) and have some questions before I try them out. SS mentioned it's possible to bend the guard pins on the pot if they don't fit. Do you have to solder the 4 guard pins onto the board or just the 6 smaller pins on the pot?
I also got a few sticks to go on the pots but they don't really fit the ones with the plastic stick part. Anyone have an easy way to secure sticks to the pots? It looks like they're the same ones used on Xbox controller and an old original Xbox S stick fits them well so I'll get some of those too. But in the meantime, any way to use these sticks on a pot like that?
ShockSlayer
Probably SS
Re: Gamecube Controller Analog Stick Potentiometer and Adapt
Just the 6 smaller pins. The other 4 are just for support, and if you can use them somehow then I recommend it.
SS
Just the 6 smaller pins. The other 4 are just for support, and if you can use them somehow then I recommend it.
SS
Re: Gamecube Controller Analog Stick Potentiometer and Adapt
Well, I soldered the new pot into the controller, minus the 4 guard pins, and it's working really well. The only problem is that the pot is slightly bigger than the original gamecube/wii one so the stick gets kind of stuck and has too much pressure on it when the controller is screwed back together.
I'm thinking of sanding the stick's round guard area by the difference in heights between old and new pot. Could it be done by hand with sandpaper or should I use an electric sander? I think I have one but it's kind of small.
Well, I soldered the new pot into the controller, minus the 4 guard pins, and it's working really well. The only problem is that the pot is slightly bigger than the original gamecube/wii one so the stick gets kind of stuck and has too much pressure on it when the controller is screwed back together.
I'm thinking of sanding the stick's round guard area by the difference in heights between old and new pot. Could it be done by hand with sandpaper or should I use an electric sander? I think I have one but it's kind of small.
ShockSlayer
Probably SS
Re: Gamecube Controller Analog Stick Potentiometer and Adapt
I'd do it by hand.
SS
I'd do it by hand.
SS
Re: Gamecube Controller Analog Stick Potentiometer and Adapt
I just couldn't get the sticks to fit properly inside the controller, especially when it was all closed up with the screws tightened. Even with the guard sanded down, it made hardly any difference and was messy. I got annoyed and just cut off the entire round stick guard and put the stick and thumb part itself on the pot's stick and it works very nicely and the controller can be closed and screwed together properly. Only problem is now you can see into the controller and it could allow more dust and debris inside the gap.
Any tips for how I might seal that gap? I don't think it's possible to fit any thumbstick in there with the guard. The pots seem to be very similar to original Xbox and xbox360 ones and all xbox sticks (probably ps3 too) fit them without a problem. I tried an xbox thumbstick but it was also too tight and the stick would get stuck.
Almost forgot, any tips for securing the stick to the pot's stick more securely and reversibly? It fits pretty well but I wouldn't mind tightening it more. I had to drill it open a bit to get the pot on. Glue doesn't seem reversible, maybe some kind of putty, or is there a way to remove glue?
Anyone ever use any kind of lubricant gel/grease or something on the pots? It looks like the wii ones are greased, I'm considering trying a tiny bit if it helps prolong controller life.
Besides that, it's almost mission accomplished. I'm really happy with how well the pots work, hopefully this might help someone who might want to use non-gamecube or wii pots in their work.
I just couldn't get the sticks to fit properly inside the controller, especially when it was all closed up with the screws tightened. Even with the guard sanded down, it made hardly any difference and was messy. I got annoyed and just cut off the entire round stick guard and put the stick and thumb part itself on the pot's stick and it works very nicely and the controller can be closed and screwed together properly. Only problem is now you can see into the controller and it could allow more dust and debris inside the gap.
Any tips for how I might seal that gap? I don't think it's possible to fit any thumbstick in there with the guard. The pots seem to be very similar to original Xbox and xbox360 ones and all xbox sticks (probably ps3 too) fit them without a problem. I tried an xbox thumbstick but it was also too tight and the stick would get stuck.
Almost forgot, any tips for securing the stick to the pot's stick more securely and reversibly? It fits pretty well but I wouldn't mind tightening it more. I had to drill it open a bit to get the pot on. Glue doesn't seem reversible, maybe some kind of putty, or is there a way to remove glue?
Anyone ever use any kind of lubricant gel/grease or something on the pots? It looks like the wii ones are greased, I'm considering trying a tiny bit if it helps prolong controller life.
Besides that, it's almost mission accomplished. I'm really happy with how well the pots work, hopefully this might help someone who might want to use non-gamecube or wii pots in their work.
Re: Gamecube Controller Analog Stick Potentiometer and Adapt
Hey, I've got a quick GCN controller question. One of the new pots I put in a controller a while back started acting up so I desoldered it and was about to solder a different stick in. Then I noticed that it looked like 2 (out of 6) of the spots on the controller board where the pot pins are soldered in looked weird and wouldn't take up the solder. It seemed like a very tiny copper square that was attached to the controller board came off and now I can't solder the pot pins onto the board.
Is this fixable somehow or is the controller now dead? I'd be really disappointed if it's been ruined as all the buttons are working.
Hey, I've got a quick GCN controller question. One of the new pots I put in a controller a while back started acting up so I desoldered it and was about to solder a different stick in. Then I noticed that it looked like 2 (out of 6) of the spots on the controller board where the pot pins are soldered in looked weird and wouldn't take up the solder. It seemed like a very tiny copper square that was attached to the controller board came off and now I can't solder the pot pins onto the board.
Is this fixable somehow or is the controller now dead? I'd be really disappointed if it's been ruined as all the buttons are working.
Crazy Inventor
Well-Known Member
Re: Gamecube Controller Analog Stick Potentiometer and Adapt
Judging from the description (and I may be wrong here), but it sounds like the pad that makes the connnection has been broken off. This happened to me way too much on my GC controllers. I think it's usually caused by overheating the board and trying to solder to it without it letting it cool down. As far as I know, there's no way to fix it. You could probably find the pin on the chip and solder to that if you're up to it.
Judging from the description (and I may be wrong here), but it sounds like the pad that makes the connnection has been broken off. This happened to me way too much on my GC controllers. I think it's usually caused by overheating the board and trying to solder to it without it letting it cool down. As far as I know, there's no way to fix it. You could probably find the pin on the chip and solder to that if you're up to it.
Re: Gamecube Controller Analog Stick Potentiometer and Adapt
I've been doing some research on lifted and destroyed soldering pads. Seen it mentioned that one can cut a little piece of copper foil and glue it down or stick it to the board or use a small piece of copper wire like a bridge in the gap. I looked at the chip pins too but don't understand how I'd be wiring the 2 broken pads on the pot area to the chip. Some also mentioned scraping off some of the green part of the board to expose the copper on the trace and trying to solder the pin to that.
Does any of that make any sense? Anyone have any experience with lifted pads? I really want to fix that controller.
I've been doing some research on lifted and destroyed soldering pads. Seen it mentioned that one can cut a little piece of copper foil and glue it down or stick it to the board or use a small piece of copper wire like a bridge in the gap. I looked at the chip pins too but don't understand how I'd be wiring the 2 broken pads on the pot area to the chip. Some also mentioned scraping off some of the green part of the board to expose the copper on the trace and trying to solder the pin to that.
Does any of that make any sense? Anyone have any experience with lifted pads? I really want to fix that controller.
Crazy Inventor
Well-Known Member
Re: Gamecube Controller Analog Stick Potentiometer and Adapt
The best way I could think of is scraping away the trace and soldering to that. Since there's already a hole there, you could scrape away until the trace is exposed then insert the stick, solder all the other pins normally, and then bend down the pin and solder it like that.
And scratch my idea for soldering to the chip.
The best way I could think of is scraping away the trace and soldering to that. Since there's already a hole there, you could scrape away until the trace is exposed then insert the stick, solder all the other pins normally, and then bend down the pin and solder it like that.
And scratch my idea for soldering to the chip.
Re: Gamecube Controller Analog Stick Potentiometer and Adapt
I saw someone mention using conductive copper foil tape to make a new pad, would that work? The pads for the pots on the controller are really tiny, as are the traces. That's making me wary of scraping the traces and potentially ruining the controller for good. I recovered one of the pads that came off the board and it is a very small copper square.
It would be hard but if I understand correctly, could I cut a tiny tiny matching square out of the foil, stick or glue it down as the new pad, poke a tiny hole in it for the pot's pin, and then solder the pin to the board?
I know I sound like an uber nub, but I really like this controller and I want to save my precious.
I saw someone mention using conductive copper foil tape to make a new pad, would that work? The pads for the pots on the controller are really tiny, as are the traces. That's making me wary of scraping the traces and potentially ruining the controller for good. I recovered one of the pads that came off the board and it is a very small copper square.
It would be hard but if I understand correctly, could I cut a tiny tiny matching square out of the foil, stick or glue it down as the new pad, poke a tiny hole in it for the pot's pin, and then solder the pin to the board?
I know I sound like an uber nub, but I really like this controller and I want to save my precious.
Re: Gamecube Controller Analog Stick Potentiometer and Adapt
Follow the trace(the lighter green line) back a bit, then scrape it lightly with an exacto knife, or a razor, until it is orangeish instead of green.
Use a SHARP and PRECISE blade so that you can avoid hurting the traces. Don't try this with a pocket knife, you'll kill everything. Use a new exacto blade with VERY light pressure.
Alternatively, fold a bit of 1000 grit paper over a sharpened pencil or a needle of some sort and use that to precisely sand the trace. This will take a long ass time, though, giving you more time to mess up or get frustrated.
After doing this, apply some flux to it, then heat it up and melt solder to it (tinning).
Now get a short piece of thin wire, like ide wire, and solder one end to the scraped trace, and the other to the pin on the potentiometer.
If you do this right, it should fix your problem.
RECAP: Solder a jumper from a point on the trace to the pin on the potentiometer
Follow the trace(the lighter green line) back a bit, then scrape it lightly with an exacto knife, or a razor, until it is orangeish instead of green.
Use a SHARP and PRECISE blade so that you can avoid hurting the traces. Don't try this with a pocket knife, you'll kill everything. Use a new exacto blade with VERY light pressure.
Alternatively, fold a bit of 1000 grit paper over a sharpened pencil or a needle of some sort and use that to precisely sand the trace. This will take a long ass time, though, giving you more time to mess up or get frustrated.
After doing this, apply some flux to it, then heat it up and melt solder to it (tinning).
Now get a short piece of thin wire, like ide wire, and solder one end to the scraped trace, and the other to the pin on the potentiometer.
If you do this right, it should fix your problem.
RECAP: Solder a jumper from a point on the trace to the pin on the potentiometer
Re: Gamecube Controller Analog Stick Potentiometer and Adapt
What is ide wire? I looked it up but all I found was those hard drive ribbon cables. Do you have a link to the proper kind of wire?
Also, the traces are so tiny and close together in that part of the board that I don't even know which one is the correct trace, maybe I can post a photo.
It's weird, this controller's board is completely green like a real circuit board, the only type I've seen like that. I think the 1st gen earliest gcn controllers have this all green board.
What is ide wire? I looked it up but all I found was those hard drive ribbon cables. Do you have a link to the proper kind of wire?
Also, the traces are so tiny and close together in that part of the board that I don't even know which one is the correct trace, maybe I can post a photo.
It's weird, this controller's board is completely green like a real circuit board, the only type I've seen like that. I think the 1st gen earliest gcn controllers have this all green board.
Re: Gamecube Controller Analog Stick Potentiometer and Adapt
So I can use any kind of really thin insulated wire?
How about something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/NTE-Stranded-Hook-Up-Wire-Black/dp/B003N3BOVA/ref=pd_bxgy_e_text_b
Anyone have a link to a good kind of wire for this type of work?
I'll try this, thanks very much for your help, this forum is the best.
So I can use any kind of really thin insulated wire?
How about something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/NTE-Stranded-Hook-Up-Wire-Black/dp/B003N3BOVA/ref=pd_bxgy_e_text_b
Anyone have a link to a good kind of wire for this type of work?
I'll try this, thanks very much for your help, this forum is the best.
Oogway
Newb
Sorry to revive a 5 year old thread but wanted to chime in. I ended up ordering a sample order of 26 of these
https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...60311497386.html?spm=a2700.9114905.0.0.4ZJicz
They work perfect. I haven't tried any of the other blue or orange ones but these feel and look just like the original gamecube controller potentiometers. The only difference is they have an extra "support" similar to the new Smash Bro's GC controllers. No dead spots as far as i can tell however, playing smash 4 and noticed no issues. Doesn't quite feel like they need to be broken in either. I just installed one tonight but will chime back in when it's gotten some use to report on durability.
https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...60311497386.html?spm=a2700.9114905.0.0.4ZJicz
They work perfect. I haven't tried any of the other blue or orange ones but these feel and look just like the original gamecube controller potentiometers. The only difference is they have an extra "support" similar to the new Smash Bro's GC controllers. No dead spots as far as i can tell however, playing smash 4 and noticed no issues. Doesn't quite feel like they need to be broken in either. I just installed one tonight but will chime back in when it's gotten some use to report on durability.
