Saitek throttle quadrant potentiometers replacements

[vpcaptain 0]

On 7/18/2020 at 6:06 AM, SergeyPe said:

OK, it's done. As expected, it was almost one-to-one replacement, so I didn't even need to re-calibrate the throttle. Don't forget to remove the lower leading pin on the pot (marked by the red circle on the photo below); the other two pins fit the existing holes. The orange pot is the original one. I used a hot glue to fix the new pot in place; you'll need to press on the pot while the glue is setting so that it's seated properly.

I used the additional connectors that you can see on the last picture to experiment with different sensor types; of course you won't need them just to install ALPS pots. 

 

hi can you add the photos again as all im seeing is a random list of letters / numbers thanks

[SergeyPe 92]

I can see all the photos both in my post and in yours, on my main PC and on a tablet. Here is the link to the same pictures in a cloud storage.

[vpcaptain 0]

Thanks for the quick reply - can only see the ones on your link,

going to attempt your mod as the alps pots look far superior.

cheers 

[SergeyPe 92]

You are welcome; good luck with the mod!

[vpcaptain 0]

Hi SergeyPe, 

ive got the replacement alps pots same model 0-10kohm.   Just a quick question you said that you didn’t need to recalibrate but does the reverser switch function of the pot / throttle still work as per the original saitek pot or as someone else mentioned earlier that has a separate contact / track to signal the reverse switch portion of the pot ?
 

thanks Vpcaptain

[SergeyPe 92]

Hi Vcaptain,

The importance of using exactly the same ALPS model is not in the resistance (more or less anything between 1K- 47K will do) but in the working angle. The pots used by the guy who first offered this idea have 60 degrees (the marking is seen on his photo) while Saitek requires 85 degrees, as ALPS model provides. So in my case the reverse switch operates perfectly. To be absolutely precise, you'll see a small dead zone (5- 8 mm in my case) at the top of lever travel, I e. you'll reach the maximum value 5 mm before the  upper end of the lever travel, which IMHO is not a big deal. BTW, you can use calibration to compensate for the individual pots tolerances, but the reversers will work reliably in any case. 

Edited August 15, 2020 by SergeyPe

[Nthman 0]

Hi, Sergey. 
 

I installed Alps Rkjxv 1224005 and which works great except the reversers engage at idle instead of the detent as mentioned by the previous poster.  Is there a different RKJXV model I should be using? I understand this issue is because of the pot having a 60o spec instead of 85 but all the Rkjxv spec sheets I see say 60. 
 

Thanks for your help!

[SergeyPe 92]

Hi Nthman,

RKJJXV operating angle specs are 23 deg. max in any direction, but it's a limitation of the return mechanism, not the pot (as mentioned in the datasheet).

I have quite a number of RKJXV's bought within 2 years from 3 different sellers- one in UK, two in China. All of them have the pots with 85% working angle. At the same time there is a huge number of clones sold either as RKJXV replacement or simply claiming to be genuine RKJXV- which they aren't. And some of them look quite similar to the real RKJXV's.

Could you show the real photo of the joystick you've got? Does it look exactly the same as in my first photo?

As I mentioned, in my case the angle is just slightly less with the new pots but it shows only at the upper part of the lever travel. And it's the same with all the six new pots (2 quadrants).

Edited August 27, 2020 by SergeyPe

[Nthman 0]

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/alps-alpine/rkjxv1224005/?qs=RiQAlOPxzzAqLSX9lUzx8Q%3D%3D&countrycode=US&currencycode=USD
 

Hopefully this link works. This is what I ordered and installed.  I’m sure it’s genuine alps since I got it from Mouser, so I’m not sure what’s up with it. 

As a new user I don’t think so can include images yet, but the ones I got match the Mouser image.  Is it possible I could have installed them wrong? Seemed like it was straightforward. 

 

Thanks!

Edited August 27, 2020 by Nthman

[SergeyPe 92]

Mouser is selling the genuine ones for sure- no doubt about it. And it's practically impossible to install the pots the wrong way, especially if you were following my instructions. One possible reason for your issue may be the asymmetry of the pot conducting track in the different product batches, as the joystick working range is much less than the actual pot range and the manufacturing tolerances might not be that strict. 

Well, the first thing I'd suggest is to try the calibration. Start with the calibration reset- this is the link to Saitek/ Logitek official tool (it's not easy to find it on their website so I keep a copy for myself). Then do a Windows calibration and check if anything changed/ improved. If not, go to the next step.

Try to rotate the body of the pot in its seating place counterclockwise just a bit so that the lowest part of the pot's working angle moves further down past the detent position. Most probably you'll need a very minor adjustment without the need of trimming the plastic walls around the pot. Don't remove the wires from the pot so that you could test it right in the process. You'll end up with the reverse engaging after the detent and a small (5-7 mm) dead zone at the maximum lever position. It's worth repeating the calibration afterwards.

Please inform how it goes. Unfortunately as there is no official datasheet on the pots used in RKJXV it has to be a trial-and-error process, but I'm pretty sure it works for you.  

[Nthman 0]

Well, after a few hours of fussing with the pots I gave up and thoroughly cleaned the original Saitek ones with contact cleaner and reinstalled them. I just couldn’t get the Alps pots to engage the reverser switch correctly.  They worked great for the general throttle travel however. There is such a tiny amount of movement of the pot between the idle position and the reverser option that I think if the pots aren’t exactly right it won’t work.  
 

at least I know what to look for in a replacement pot, and cleaning the old ones wasn’t really that big of a deal. 
 

I’m sure there is a device out there that uses the same “8-5–B-103” type pot as the original which I’ll eventually find. It’s my understanding the codes are:

8 - 80 degrees

5- not sure, hah

B - linear travel

103- 10k total resistance. 
 

 

[SergeyPe 92]

Sorry to hear that. It looks like either I was extremely lucky with all six pots used (older production batches with bigger working angle, maybe?) or yours have a slightly smaller working angle.

Have you tried calibration? However in my case all six pots worked fine without it, including the reverse...  

Update. I've just expeimented with another batch of RKJXV's that I have for a different project. Out of 12 pots 10 worked fine, 2 behaved as you describe- with reverse switch engaging at idle. So it's about manufacturing tolerances that are quite unpredictable; after all RKJXV's official working angle is 46 degrees, and they don't need to be concerned about keeping the pot's angle not less than 80 degrees. 

Edited August 30, 2020 by SergeyPe

[ATOM 0]

On 8/30/2020 at 3:37 PM, SergeyPe said:

Sorry to hear that. It looks like either I was extremely lucky with all six pots used (older production batches with bigger working angle, maybe?) or yours have a slightly smaller working angle.

Have you tried calibration? However in my case all six pots worked fine without it, including the reverse...  

Update. I've just expeimented with another batch of RKJXV's that I have for a different project. Out of 12 pots 10 worked fine, 2 behaved as you describe- with reverse switch engaging at idle. So it's about manufacturing tolerances that are quite unpredictable; after all RKJXV's official working angle is 46 degrees, and they don't need to be concerned about keeping the pot's angle not less than 80 degrees. 

Totally agree. Bought 3 alps from eBay. It was quite an easy repair on two throttle quadrants. The thrust reversers seem to go of a little early, just before the position on the throttle. I did not yet calibrate with the Saitek caliberation tool. But it works so smooth. Just make a picture of the wire connection, on the board, cause one is mirrored. 
 

excellent mod!

[davemech10 0]

On 4/6/2020 at 8:52 PM, micstatic said:

I don't care for the thrustmaster warthog throttle.  It feels more like a fighter jet throttle to me.  I like the simplicity of the saitek.  When I replaced my throttle and stick I went with the saitek throttle quadrant and the t16000m.  The warthog was almost purchased for the stick, but in the end the weight of it and to a lesser extent the price killed it for me.  Additionally I like that i can easily attach the throttle to my desk freeing up space.  So when it comes time to replace the throttle I'll either buy another one or research more.  What throttles use hall sensors anyway?  Anything simple like the saitek?

That’s what it is,a fighter jet throttle .

copy of the real warthog controls.

[micstatic 4,315]

8 hours ago, davemech10 said:

That’s what it is,a fighter jet throttle .

copy of the real warthog controls.

I get that. My point is it always felt funny to use for airliners