Hi there,

Novice here. Hoping you folks have some idea how to help me. Attempting to convert an old Zenith TV into a cat bed and wife wants dimmable (non-led) christmas lights to be operated through the knob which was used for turning the TV on/off and volume control. The fact that she snipped all the wires down to the nubs before handing the job to me is an annoyance, but not a problem if I just need to solder some wire to it. I checked the rear connections and verified that they are the on/off. Soldered wire and tested with a bread-board (resister and led= last picture) So I can splice new wiring and make it turn on/off. But I have no idea how to test or verify how to utilize the potentiometer. My assumption is that the 3 connections coming out of the main body (pic 1 and 3) has something to do with it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. If I'm wasting my time, please feel free to let me know!
Thanks!
-Pants

 

Welcome.
If the illumination intended uses LEDs; there is a chance it can used with that potentiometer.
LEDs use ~10mA. Several LEDs in series also use ~10mA. If your voltage source is around ~20VDC, the resistor in series has to be calculated within the range of your potentiometer, and will not have a smooth operation range. Do you have a multimeter ?

Or better dump the potentiometer approach and use a dimmer+dimmable LED bulb from 120VAC; or a christmas tree dimmable string or gadgets in the market.

 

Thanks for this reply. I wasn't kidding when I said I'm a novice. I understood most (I believe) of what you wrote. I'll try to respond as best I can.
-Not planning to use LEDs. Just incandescent white string lights.
-With a regular set of string lights, I don't know what the voltage is/would be.
-I do have a multimeter, it is how I was first able to verify the on/off wiring.
-That dimmer board looks cool, but I have no idea how or where I should connect it.

I'm sorry if this reply isn't helpful, but I am so out of my depth here. I'm just trying to make the thing my wife wants, you know? She wants the original knob to do a new thing she has decided she wants. . . . sheesh that's the first time I've written it out completely.

 

Do not shy, there is helpful people aroud and you will end with what you want, no matter how.

If you mail order; here is a candidate :

----> https://www.temu.com/1pc-5v-12v-10a-voltage-regulator-pwm--motor-speed-controller---speed-regulator-led-dimmer-power-controller-g-601100864420661.html?_oak_mp_inf=ELX2/Zur1ogBGiAwMzY1MmUyNmY5Yzc0YjlmODk0NzY4YzdjYjViYmI3MyDbkvzl+zI=&top_gallery_url=https://img.kwcdn.com/product/Fancyalgo/VirtualModelMatting/01efb5cdc71ef2547feb4e7fb9df22ea.jpg&spec_gallery_id=200296959743&refer_page_sn=10009&refer_source=0&freesia_scene=2&_oak_freesia_scene=2&_oak_rec_ext_1=Mjkz&_oak_gallery_order=928047634,1481953080,1400445438,455000482,654936143&search_key=dimmer circuit board&refer_page_el_sn=200049&_x_sessn_id=5xuyq1fvwl&refer_page_name=search_result&refer_page_id=10009_1751218326790_u9w42avf5y

For incandescent lamp; find a dimmer instead of that potentiuometer.

----> https://www.temu.com/-12v-dimmer-switch-pwm-led-dimmer-switch-for-campervan-boat-rv-motorhome-cars-g-601099725703112.html?_oak_name_id=4801510031528652859&_oak_mp_inf=EMiPgP2m1ogBGiAwMzY1MmUyNmY5Yzc0YjlmODk0NzY4YzdjYjViYmI3MyDbkvzl+zI=&top_gallery_url=https://img.kwcdn.com/product/fancy/market/b8c5badc441e0911a8890806e8336fb7_6RtpMAt9fPQvu.jpg&spec_gallery_id=2&refer_page_sn=10009&refer_source=0&freesia_scene=2&_oak_freesia_scene=2&_oak_rec_ext_1=NzI1&_oak_gallery_order=991074206,444382720,166609477,55393818,1416909557&search_key=dimmer circuit board&refer_page_el_sn=200049&_x_sessn_id=5xuyq1fvwl&refer_page_name=search_result&refer_page_id=10009_1751218326790_u9w42avf5y

And install the old knob. Look for christmas lights with dimmer at the store. Harder in June.

 

That pot is almost certainly what they call an audio taper. That means that the plot of resistance versus the angle of rotation is not linear. It might be frustrating to use for dimming lighting.

Another likely problem is that its usable resistance range is too high to put in series with a light string. A related third problem is that it might not be able to handle the power drawn by your lights.

On the upside, you can probably use that pot - if you really want to - in a control circuit to provide acceptable dimming.

If you just want dimming and don't mind dropping that particular pot, there are plenty of ready-built dimming solutions.

 

Are you in U.S. or a 230V country ?

https://quasarelectronics.co.uk/Item/cebek-i-13-230vac-light-dimmer-module-250w

 

Are you in U.S. or a 230V country ?

https://quasarelectronics.co.uk/Item/cebek-i-13-230vac-light-dimmer-module-250w

I'm in the US

 

That pot is almost certainly what they call an audio taper. That means that the plot of resistance versus the angle of rotation is not linear. It might be frustrating to use for dimming lighting.

Another likely problem is that its usable resistance range is too high to put in series with a light string. A related third problem is that it might not be able to handle the power drawn by your lights.

On the upside, you can probably use that pot - if you really want to - in a control circuit to provide acceptable dimming.

If you just want dimming and don't mind dropping that particular pot, there are plenty of ready-built dimming solutions.

So if I understand correctly, it's probably best to ditch this switch entirely and just purchase a dimmable?

 

Doable, but we need more information.
Show us the Christmas lights that you want to use as well as any technical details about the lights.

It is unfortunate that the solder lugs on the potentiometer were cut off.
You will have to file or sand the grey metal area and see if solder will stick to it.

 

Potentiometer is nearly unuseable, yes. Keep the knob, perhaps fits the dimmer to control something like :



Both atachments are from Amazon. How many bulbs or watts is the plan ?
Would this dimmer fit the TV potentiometer hole, and fit in the rear of the TV front panel ?


Connection of the above black wires is :

Wall outlet 1----------------black------------dimmer---------------black-----------lights string---------------wall outlet 2

 

Doable, but we need more information.
Show us the Christmas lights that you want to use as well as any technical details about the lights.

It is unfortunate that the solder lugs on the potentiometer were cut off.
You will have to file or sand the grey metal area and see if solder will stick to it.

Don't have the lights yet, but will as soon as she picks what she wants lol.

 

Potentiometer is nearly unuseable, yes. Keep the knob, perhaps fits the dimmer to control something like :

View attachment 351886

Both atachments are from Amazon. How many bulbs or watts is the plan ?
Would this dimmer fit the TV potentiometer hole, and fit in the rear of the TV front panel ?
View attachment 351887

Connection of the above black wires is :

Wall outlet 1----------------black------------dimmer---------------black-----------lights string---------------wall outlet 2

She'll probably choose something like the far left or far right. I guess I'm just going to scrap the switch and put something new in there.

 

OK. You could meanwhile get that attached boxy black dimmer, or one that fits behind the TV front panel switch hole. Standing by...