Need to replace the 2 little PCB pots in a controller

[jasonbar]

So, I was on the hunt for a donor Vectrex with a good back shell to
replace the back shell in my good Vectrex. I'd absent-mindedly
drilled a hole in the back shell for the pause switch instead of
drilling the hole in the front shell. That will teach me to drill &
talk on the phone at the same time...

So, I got a beater off of eBay & have it *almost* all fixed up:

Feeling bold after fixing my clothes dryer yesterday (faulty door
switch), I adjusted the monitor, reflowed the solder on the accessible
IC30X chips to clean up slanty text, & cleaned off the exterior gunk.

The catch is the controller. WOW. This guy took a big screwdriver &
started prying apart the 2 halves until the sides were gone, the front
was gone, the PCB was in 2 pieces, the PCB location pins were snapped
off...I've fixed all of those issues...but...

...most importantly, the 2 little pots (trim pots to zero the big
joystick pots, methinks?) on the PCB are all but obliterated. I get
almost normal vertical joystick response, but the joystick is stuck on
far right, horizontally. I swapped the wires on the stick pots & it
appears that both stick pots are good (and return to center & the
stick has its handle--hooray!).

Has anybody got a part number or supplier or description for the 2
tiny pots on the PCB? At least I assume they're pots based on what
remains. Anybody got spares?

Pics (I'll take more later, showing the extent of the disaster):
http://s242.photobucket.com/albums/ff97/infernolab/vectrex/

If I can't find these parts, I suppose I could consider parting the
stick out, since it has many other good parts. That's probably more
profitable, but I like the challenge of fixing the stick (maybe I can
glue on some plastic panels to reconstruct the walls?) & I do plan on
selling the system, so it would be nice to have a working (albeit
hideous) controller to make the package complete.

I suppose that, if I do part out the controller, it has the following
good items that I'd sell for $5 each + shipping: cord w/ connectors on
both ends, stick shaft, buttons & rubber button underlay (trimmed
slightly on one end to accommodate my PCB rescue surgery), & joystick
assembly (pots & springs & threaded shaft, not the "bat").

Thanks!
-Jason

[VectrexMad!]

The Vectrex service manual states that these are resistors are Vectrex
parts R602 and R604

The details for these resistors are that they are semi fixed resistor
(horizontal type)
10K ohm +/-10% 0.125W

They are just used to fine adjust for X and Y outputs with respect to
when the joystick is abosolute centre (0v).

You don't necessariy need to find new pots of exactly the same
mechanical dimensions as the old ones, and you should be able to find
electrically equivalent ones.

I did a quick search on US ebay and found

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-x-10K-OHM-CERMET-POTENTIOMETER-1-TURN-3362-3362P-/250835783781?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a66fa5065

which should be electrically compatible.

VectrexMad!

[jasonbar]

Thanks, VectrexMad!

Well, I've resurrected another Vectrex & controller. Zombie Vectrex!

I failed to get many "before" pictures--I have just the 2 from the
auction. But, looking at the "after" pictures, you can get an idea of
the extent of the damage...

http://s242.photobucket.com/albums/ff97/infernolab/forsale/Zombie%20Vectrex/?start=all

I repaired the circuit board by jumpering all broken connections &
installing replacement 10k joystick-zeroing pots. I then fashioned
replacement PCB-locating pins from a pair of 4-40 button head cap
screws so that the PCB would align with the buttons.

I had to rebuild much of the controller housing. It was shot, so I
trimmed away some more material to remove the jagged edges. Then, I
turned to my electronics/industrial/robotics hoarder friend (hoarder
in a healthy way!) & he hooked me up with some VHS tape housings. Oh
boy, the hinged flap on a VHS tape is aaaalmost wide enough to act as
the front of the controller. What a tease! I ended up using 2 VHS
hinged flaps & cutting each to a little over 50% of its length, & then
bonding them with some backing material to support them. I also
fashioned controller sides from VHS tape flap parts. Then, it was a
bit of dremeling, filing, & fussing to get the controller to mate into
the system & flip up & latch (though it's a little fussy with the
latching--I think the cord has a funny kink in it & gets bunched up &
gets in the way). After it was all good, I put hefty fillets of JB
Weld on all of the inside seams to reinforce the joints. The
controller actually looks stock at a glance & is comfortable to use!

The console was in better shape--it has an address engraved into the
side by the cartridge port, it has a hole in the top right side of the
back shell (currently filled with a button head cap screw), and now
the monitor is all tuned in & sweet with pretty straight letters &
almost no ripple.

So, I've now got a 100% working Vectrex with some character & a custom
controller & a Star Trek cart for sale. What's a fair price? $100 +
shipping?

Any offers? I'm in USA 91107.

Thanks!
-Jason

[jasonbar]

Thanks, VectrexMad!

Well, I've resurrected another Vectrex & controller. Zombie Vectrex!

I failed to get many "before" pictures--I have just the 2 from the
auction. But, looking at the "after" pictures, you can get an idea of
the extent of the damage...

http://s242.photobucket.com/albums/ff97/infernolab/forsale/Zombie%20Vectrex/?start=all

I repaired the circuit board by jumpering all broken connections &
installing replacement 10k joystick-zeroing pots. I then fashioned
replacement PCB-locating pins from a pair of 4-40 button head cap
screws so that the PCB would align with the buttons.

I had to rebuild much of the controller housing. It was shot, so I
trimmed away some more material to remove the jagged edges. Then, I
turned to my electronics/industrial/robotics hoarder friend (hoarder
in a healthy way!) & he hooked me up with some VHS tape housings. Oh
boy, the hinged flap on a VHS tape is aaaalmost wide enough to act as
the front of the controller. What a tease! I ended up using 2 VHS
hinged flaps & cutting each to a little over 50% of its length, & then
bonding them with some backing material to support them. I also
fashioned controller sides from VHS tape flap parts. Then, it was a
bit of dremeling, filing, & fussing to get the controller to mate into
the system & flip up & latch (though it's a little fussy with the
latching--I think the cord has a funny kink in it & gets bunched up &
gets in the way). After it was all good, I put hefty fillets of JB

Weld on all of the inside seams to reinforce it. The controller

[Brett Walach]

On Jul 13, 1:02 am, jasonbar <jasonbar...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> ...
>
> ...most importantly, the 2 little pots (trim pots to zero the big
> joystick pots, methinks?) on the PCB are all but obliterated.  I get
> almost normal vertical joystick response, but the joystick is stuck on
> far right, horizontally.  I swapped the wires on the stick pots & it
> appears that both stick pots are good (and return to center & the
> stick has its handle--hooray!).
>
> Has anybody got a part number or supplier or description for the 2
> tiny pots on the PCB?  At least I assume they're pots based on what
> remains.  Anybody got spares?
>

> ...
>
> Thanks!
> -Jason

Hey Jason,

FWIW: I've had to do repairs on the vectrex joystick before as well,
and I found that the Tandy TRS-80 Deluxe Joystick has the same exact
plastic gimble inside as the vectrex. That's the piece that the
joystick touches to move the potentiometer wipers. So if that ever
breaks on you go for one of those, like this auction:
http://cgi.ebay.com/PAIR-TANDY-TRS-80-DELUXE-GAME-JOYSTICK-CONTROLLERS-/350482858338?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item519a680162

I would guess the potentiometers are the same as well.

Best Regards,
Brett W. (http://www.PlayVectrex.com)

[[HCI]Mara'akate]

On Aug 10, 6:11 pm, Brett Walach <playvect...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jul 13, 1:02 am, jasonbar <jasonbar...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > ...
>
> > ...most importantly, the 2 little pots (trim pots to zero the big
> > joystick pots, methinks?) on the PCB are all but obliterated.  I get
> > almost normal vertical joystick response, but the joystick is stuck on
> > far right, horizontally.  I swapped the wires on the stick pots & it
> > appears that both stick pots are good (and return to center & the
> > stick has its handle--hooray!).
>
> > Has anybody got a part number or supplier or description for the 2
> > tiny pots on the PCB?  At least I assume they're pots based on what
> > remains.  Anybody got spares?
>
> > ...
>
> > Thanks!
> > -Jason
>
> Hey Jason,
>
> FWIW: I've had to do repairs on the vectrex joystick before as well,
> and I found that the Tandy TRS-80 Deluxe Joystick has the same exact
> plastic gimble inside as the vectrex.  That's the piece that the
> joystick touches to move the potentiometer wipers.  So if that ever

> breaks on you go for one of those, like this auction:http://cgi.ebay.com/PAIR-TANDY-TRS-80-DELUXE-GAME-JOYSTICK-CONTROLLER...

>
> I would guess the potentiometers are the same as well.
>
> Best Regards,
> Brett W. (http://www.PlayVectrex.com)

Wow! Thanks for this info!

[jasonbar]

Thanks for the info, Brett--valuable!

Vectrex & Zombie Controller & Star Trek are sold!

Thanks,
-Jason