Footswitch Instead of Toggle…

Coda

Coda

Well-known member
I have a project that includes two different sets of components that I switch between with an on/on toggle. As I transfer the project from breadboard to enclosure, I want to convert that toggle to a footswitch. It’s as simple as center row: in, top/bottom rows: out, correct. I know that is true, but I am troubleshooting the project and trying to eliminate all possible issues.

Also, if I wanted to hook up a bi-color LED to said footswitch, would I just connect the two cathodes to the top and bottom rows?
 
Coda said:
I have a project that includes two different sets of components that I switch between with an on/on toggle. As I transfer the project from breadboard to enclosure, I want to convert that toggle to a footswitch. It’s as simple as center row: in, top/bottom rows: out, correct. I know that is true, but I am troubleshooting the project and trying to eliminate all possible issues.

Also, if I wanted to hook up a bi-color LED to said footswitch, would I just connect the two cathodes to the top and bottom rows?
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What type of footswitch are you envisioning? You'll want common cathode LED if using ON/ON as the anode leads would go to two of the ON poles.
 
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Here's why I redacted my comment. You'll need enough current through that switch to power an LED, so I'm thinking it depends on the switch and pre/post switch circuits.
 
I was going to run power from the 9v jack to a 4k7, and the to the LED. It’s not working though, I think I keep frying the LED.
 
Big Monk said:
Set up a 5k pot as a variable resistor on the breadboard with input from power, wiper to power rail and output to ground.

Insert the 4.7k fixes resistor in series with the wiper and then tweak until you get the brightness you like.

You could even make the pot larger if you anticipate that it will be high brightness with a lower value resistor.
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I’ll run some tests. For now, I seem to have an issue regardless, as I am measuring 9v after the 4k7. This idea is a complete mess.
 
Your fwd voltages on both colours are pretty close so a 4K7 to the anode should be fine and would illuminate both sides about the same, with both cathodes wired to their 3PDT lugs as you say

It should definitely work as long as you've got ground going to the middle common lug on the LED pole of the switch

Most LEDs are around 20 to 30mA fwd current so you'd need 300 to 450 ohms resistance to stop it burning up

So 4K7 is plenty it might even be too much if it's not a standard type LED

I had that before with blue ones where I whacked a 4K7 CLR on and it barely lit up turned out it was some fancy type that needed more current to illuminate

Just check your fwd current to make sure it's not a weird one and you can work it all out with ohms law if it is an oddity
 
Mcknib said:
Your fwd voltages on both colours are pretty close so a 4K7 to the anode should be fine and would illuminate both sides about the same, with both cathodes wired to their 3PDT lugs as you say

It should definitely work as long as you've got ground going to the middle common lug on the LED pole of the switch

Most LEDs are around 20 to 30mA fwd current so you'd need 300 to 450 ohms resistance to stop it burning up

So 4K7 is plenty it might even be too much if it's not a standard type LED

I had that before with blue ones where I whacked a 4K7 CLR on and it barely lit up turned out it was some fancy type that needed more current to illuminate

Just check your fwd current to make sure it's not a weird one and you can work it all out with ohms law if it is an oddity
Click to expand...
Thanks for the input. Right now I am having trouble getting the voltage down. I can’t understand why I’m reading the same voltage before and after the 4k7.
 
43929DF5-FFE8-49BB-8184-27386DD09C3C.jpeg Here’s the schematic. It worked on the breadboard (didn’t use LED’s, or footswitches) so I am sure it’s a construction error.
 
Sounds like it may be a poor connection check your LED ground connections

The voltage drop across the resistor would be supply voltage less LED fwd voltage

So for yours one side would be 9v less 1.99v or 7.01v dropped and obviously 9v less 1.91v or 7.09v dropped because with a bi colour only one side lights at a time, on the LED side of the resistor you would get a voltage reading of whatever the voltage drop of the side being used is

If the circuits incomplete ie not grounded you'd get full voltage because it's got no where to go so maybe a bad connection somewhere breaking the circuit
 
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