I've got this wired up and it doesn't turn on, no lights. Running a multimeter I've noticed that my switch's pin 5 and 1 have a connection, meaning that my "in" is grounding out somehow. I redid the wires to the board and it's still happening. When I remove the ground from pin 5 to the board I don't get any connection from pin 1 to the board's ground so it has to be somewhere in the switch right? I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.
Cepheid Grounding Out
- Thread starter moxbagel
- Start date
Ok so I figured out the power was wired backwards. Not sure why I was SURE that the longer pin would be the positive but lol it's fixed now.
Power light turns on, LFO does not. No sound when switched, when switched off sound works fine. Where to look next? Did I burn it out?
Power light turns on, LFO does not. No sound when switched, when switched off sound works fine. Where to look next? Did I burn it out?
blackhatboojum
Well-known member
You had it wired right the first time. The short leg is negative, the long leg is positive. Diode D100 is in backwards. I would install a fresh 5817. You want the silver band towards the square solder pad.
Genius! I somehow missed that one. Ok so rewired, same behavior. Power light turns on, LFO light never turns on, no signal passed when switched on but works but switched off. Switch continuity testing is perfect so it's gotta be something on the board. What should I check next?
(btw long lead was indeed negative on this weird jack, I tested it with the multimeter, weird right?)
Here's a pic of current progress. I don't see anything though I have a funny feeling I wired the leds backwards though I don't think this would prevent operation (and also the power one works). Any ideas?
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I'd had so many power issues with this funny power plug that I put a proper 3 pin in, wired it up. LEDs now don't light at all but it passes very quiet signal when switched on. Switched off works as expected. Connections all look solid except the LEDs might be backwards, any ideas?
Feral Feline
Well-known member
What do you mean, a "proper 3 pin"?
I would ...
A) take everything out of the enclosure
B) CLEAN & Inspect every solder joint for cold-joints/cracks/etc and reflow the solder making sure to heat the component leg AND the pad of the PCB. Post a pic of the backside of the board.
Connections can "look solid" and yet be anything but. It's easy to overheat transistors, ICs and even 3PDTs...
C) remove the 3PDT and try a different one, being extra cautious to not overheat any of the new 3PDT's lugs, lots of time for cooling between soldering next lug. This would also be good time to practice getting a tidier wire-attachment without all the frayed bits. I'd check some other build reports such as those by MichaelW or Guardians of the Analog, try to emulate their wiring/solder-joints.
D) Inspect under the ICs for loose fragments of wire/solder/conductive material that could short out. Possibly even take them out (careful with the heat, I have a good high-volume solder-sucker, one leg at a time, wait for the IC to cool before tackling the next leg — solder in chip-sockets.
E) Signal trace the circuit, find out exactly where the signal becomes lost
F) Make sure the circuit works before putting it back in the enclosure
G) If still not working, I'd set it aside and build some simple single-transistor boosts and fuzzes to up my soldering game, get some more experience with building and trouble-shooting these simpler circuits — then come back to this build at a later date for a Phoenix attempt.
I would ...
A) take everything out of the enclosure
B) CLEAN & Inspect every solder joint for cold-joints/cracks/etc and reflow the solder making sure to heat the component leg AND the pad of the PCB. Post a pic of the backside of the board.
Connections can "look solid" and yet be anything but. It's easy to overheat transistors, ICs and even 3PDTs...
C) remove the 3PDT and try a different one, being extra cautious to not overheat any of the new 3PDT's lugs, lots of time for cooling between soldering next lug. This would also be good time to practice getting a tidier wire-attachment without all the frayed bits. I'd check some other build reports such as those by MichaelW or Guardians of the Analog, try to emulate their wiring/solder-joints.
D) Inspect under the ICs for loose fragments of wire/solder/conductive material that could short out. Possibly even take them out (careful with the heat, I have a good high-volume solder-sucker, one leg at a time, wait for the IC to cool before tackling the next leg — solder in chip-sockets.
E) Signal trace the circuit, find out exactly where the signal becomes lost
F) Make sure the circuit works before putting it back in the enclosure
G) If still not working, I'd set it aside and build some simple single-transistor boosts and fuzzes to up my soldering game, get some more experience with building and trouble-shooting these simpler circuits — then come back to this build at a later date for a Phoenix attempt.
I had a sort of cheap looking dc jack that I bought from tayda because I wasn't sure which one to get, I have since bought some that look like the ones I see in these forums.
I re-did the 3PDT with some quick clean joints, not lingering too long. Same thing.
Here's a pic of my back pcb, should I take a toothbrush and IPA to it?
Attachments
Feral Feline
Well-known member
It'll make your life easier searching for shorts (micro solder-splatter) and inspecting for cold joints.
EDIT: I'd touch up any balls of solder, try to make tidy cones as per recommended solder joints you'll find examples of online. The circled stuff below could contain shorts. Always easier to tell in person than from a photo, but FWIW...
EDIT: I'd touch up any balls of solder, try to make tidy cones as per recommended solder joints you'll find examples of online. The circled stuff below could contain shorts. Always easier to tell in person than from a photo, but FWIW...
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