SOLVED I’m the worst. Lot lizard

[xxvga]

Ok I had the thread about the Tyrian which I still can’t get working so o tried an easy circuit. Feel like I did everything great.
Looks clean. Followed all your recos from the Tyrian. And I go test it……nothing. Bypass works. Effect. Nothing. Not even a light.

Ahhhhhhhhh. Am I just not made for this?

Lol

 

[DailyDovetails]

Hmm. That has to be frustrating good on you for keeping at it tho.

Can you take a picture of the info for the power supply you are using? The picture below is an example.


Also do you own a multi meter? Even a cheap $10 no name one would be ok.

 

[chris.knudson]

Ok I had the thread about the Tyrian which I still can’t get working so o tried an easy circuit. Feel like I did everything great.
Looks clean. Followed all your recos from the Tyrian. And I go test it……nothing. Bypass works. Effect. Nothing. Not even a light.

Ahhhhhhhhh. Am I just not made for this?

Lol

Well, the first thing I noticed is that you built the pedal on the wrong side of the enclosure -- typically the pedal goes on the inside.

Just messing with you.

Everything looks good as far as I can tell. Let's start with the basics. If you're getting a bypass signal, then your footswitch is probably not the problem. No light could be either a bad LED or it's wired backwards (remember the big one goes in the A-hole - or so I've been told).

How confident are you that your transistors are legit. I have had a lot of trouble with transistors I've bought from Amazon and Ebay, and most of my failed builds have been because of bogus parts that I've bought from questionable vendors on Amazon or Ebay -- doesn't explain the lack of the LED lighting up though.

And as @DailyDovetails said, what are you using for power? Not all power supplies are 9V center negative, which is what these pedals require.

And lastly, don't give up. Sometimes this hobby is frustrating, but when it works, it's really awesome.

 

[Feral Feline]

Reading other similar forum-posts regarding a build that's bypass works but the effect does not engage — most of the time it's down to the IN/OUT wiring of the jacks. TTBOMR.

I'd start by checking and reflowing the solder on all jack/board wiring/connections.

I'd then check the power connection, that's a big ol blob of solder on there which could indicate a cold solder joint.
What voltage readings are you getting around the circuit?

I'd also reflow all the pots' solder-joints, make sure to heat the PCB's pads and the legs of the pots, but don't overdo the pot-legs, allow extra cool-down time between doing each leg of the pots.

TUTORIAL - Troubleshooting 101

There comes a time for every builder to spend multiple hours soldering, wiring, and breadboarding a certain circuit just to have it work incorrectly, if at all. This could happen on your first build or any build after that. This write up is to help you in your quest to figure out why it isn't...

forum.pedalpcb.com

You're not the worst, nor the first, and you won't be the last to have problems of this type with a build.

 

[jwin615]

Make sure you didn't go in through the out door(plug into out jack)
We've all done it, some of multiple times.
Starting out, it's also not uncommon for new builders to bork the footswitch with heat. 3 seconds max, give the switch a few seconds to cool between solders, work different poles, and don't worry about filling the whole pad with solder. There is zero mechanical stress on those solder joints. Really need a DMM to check. Can also check 2 of the poles with an audio probe. But, assuming you are using the correct power supply and your led is good/not inverted, will need to follow the power and see where you are loosing it. Check the footswitch solders for any bridges and reflow the + joint at the top of the board as FF mentioned.
If you have a DMM, check functionality of the 3pdt with either continuity or resistance setting.

 

[xxvga]

thanks again all. I've gone through everything, reflowed etc. I'm starting to think it's the switch. Ive got voltage coming in from the plug, follow it to the led but the SW at the bottom of the board shows nothing. i'll chage the switch.

 

[giovanni]

thanks again all. I've gone through everything, reflowed etc. I'm starting to think it's the switch. Ive got voltage coming in from the plug, follow it to the led but the SW at the bottom of the board shows nothing. i'll chage the switch.

Where are you measuring that? At the LED pin? Do you not get voltage with either switch position?

 

[xxvga]

i'm getting power at the led. the led does not light up when the switch is on. I've changed it out to see if there was a problem with the led itself but there wasn't.
I tried to follow the power through the board when switched on. i had voltage through the few components but when trying to measure power going to or coming from the switch there was nothign....although maybe there isn't supposed to be any to or from the switch. I'm not that knowledgeable.

I also used an audio probe and can follow the sound through all the board components but there's no sound going to the switch into the bottom of the board...I guess I should say coming from the switch to the board?. sorry if i'm not explaining myself very well. .

 

[giovanni]

the only pins where you should see Vcc (9V) on the switch are the ones that connect to the LED. I’m not sure which ones those are exactly but it’s 3 out of 9. You won’t measure 9V on the other 6. You should however have signal at the input or output pins on the switch. Since you have used an audio probe, it would be useful to identify where exactly you lose the signal. If you get signal at the output pin on the main board, then it is possible that the switch is the problem. I just want you to avoid desoldering parts before identifying what the issue is (more desoldering can cause secondary problems).

 

[xxvga]

I don't get sound at the output at the bottom of the board. i get sound from the input and through the board.

 

[chris.knudson]

Do you have the schematic. Can you trace along the schematic to see where the signal drops out?

 

[giovanni]

Do you have the schematic. Can you trace along the schematic to see where the signal drops out?

I would start with base and collector of Q1 and Q2 and all 3 pins on Q3 and Q4.

 

[chris.knudson]

getting power at the led. the led does not light up when the switch is on. I've changed it out to see if there was a problem with the led itself but there wasn't.

If you have power to the LED and the LED is good, and you don't have it in backwards, then the problem has to be in the foot switch.

 

[chris.knudson]

Although that doesn't explain why you aren't getting sound at the output pad of the circuit board.

 

[chris.knudson]

I would start with base and collector of Q1 and Q2 and all 3 pins on Q3 and Q4.

It might be easier to work backwards - if you're not getting sound at the output, see if you getting sound on pin 2 of C7, then pin1 of C7, then pin 2 of R9 and work your way back through Q4, Q3, Q2, etc.

 

[xxvga]

I’m going to change the switch. I have continuity from volume pot to output. Still strange I wasn’t getting sound though. Maybe I screwed up my test.
I found there is no continuity from the output on the switch pcb to the hole next to it that goes to the jack. That just may be the issue. Although the led thing is still strange. lol one thing at a time.

 

[chris.knudson]

I found there is no continuity from the output on the switch pcb to the hole next to it that goes to the jack.

In bypass mode, you wouldn't have continuity, but if you don't have continuity regardless of which way you have the switch thrown, then the switch is your problem. A bad switch could also cause you LED to not light up.

As for continuity between the Volume pot and the output, you would expect to have continuity on on pin 2, since they are directly connected. Checking for continuity across your circuit is only going to tell you if you have a connection between two components. The audio probe is going to be much more useful than continuity in finding the problem (unless of course it's just the foot switch). As @jwin615 said, it's pretty easy to melt the inner workings of a foot switch, and when you do, you can get some unpredictable results. I desoldered one, and I thought I was good, everything tested fine except I had continuity between pins 4 & 6. If I had reused that switch, I'm probably still be scratching my head.

When you solder the new switch, don't sit on the pins for too long, and don't consecutively heat pins in the same row (vertically as pictured above). I jump around. For example, I'll heat the top left, then the bottom right, then the center, and just keep moving around until I get them all. Also, I'm not sure how hot you keep your iron. I keep mine at 680F, but if you're up over 700F, you have even less time to sit on those pins before you end up with a problem.

 

[comradehoser]

The indicator LED is not functional for the effect circuit. I wouldn't worry about it. Could be a bum LED or you fried it if you applied 9v directly without a resistor.

 

[xxvga]

Changed the switch. Success. Noisy though but it’s not in a box yet.
Anyway it works. Thanks for giving me ideas and things to work though.

Now I have two other dead ones to fix lol.

 

[Giorfida]

i'm getting power at the led. the led does not light up when the switch is on. I've changed it out to see if there was a problem with the led itself but there wasn't.
I tried to follow the power through the board when switched on. i had voltage through the few components but when trying to measure power going to or coming from the switch there was nothign....although maybe there isn't supposed to be any to or from the switch. I'm not that knowledgeable.

I also used an audio probe and can follow the sound through all the board components but there's no sound going to the switch into the bottom of the board...I guess I should say coming from the switch to the board?. sorry if i'm not explaining myself very well. .

LED polarity correct?