If you buy a complete set of EMG active pickups at a guitar store they should come with the neccessary pots, wires, battery box etc. And yes, you need to change pots... Active pickups use 25k pots rather than the 250k for single coils and 500k for humbuckers... The best place to put your battery box is somewhere sturdy where it won't rattle against any wiring. Somewhere out of the way preferable... depending on your guitar this could be a problem so just do the best you can without having to do any excess routing or fabrication. Good luck.