Harmonic Percolator- Tagboard.. switch wiring?

megatrav

Well-known member
Hey all,

I decided to try doing a hand wired pedal. I am doing the Harmonic Percolator that I found online. It seems to be a modified version with a switch that takes out the diodes.
I am just not sure how I am suppose to wire the switch and jacks since it doesn't state effect in/out
Any help is appreciated.
99AF7D48-2613-462E-A85B-9B916883E6A9.png
 
How do you usually wire up your 3PDTs?


For me, comme ça:
IN-JACK> LUG2 3PDT / LUG1 > BOARD IN (Harmonics Lug 3 in IVIark's HP diagram.
Middle row for LED
PCB OUT (Vol 2 above) > LUG7 3PDT / LUG8 > OUT JACK

For the HP Switch above, I'd take a wire off lug 3 of the vol pot to the middle lug of the SPDT, then one of the outer lugs to the a Diode that's on the diode-end not connected to ground.

It's mostly already there in the diagram, just not the 3PDT, and there are many ways to wire a 3PDT — use your preferred method for Hope that helps.
 
With vero, tag etc the in and out is always the effect / pcb in and out

As @Feral Feline says you'd just wire it as you always do, the easiest way to remember it is with what you already know ie how a 3PDT works

The jacks carrying your audio signal always go to the middle common row enabling you to route / switch or throw it to either of the outer rows to send your signal through the effect circuit or straight from the in to out jack bypassing the circuit ( connecting as shown with the purple and red lines)

I used this image till I got it in my head it can be confusing your first time, in reality as you know you don't need the in and out pcb pads you could just solder your jack tips to the 1st and last components and that's what you're doing with tag, vero etc in the absence of IN and OUT pads (don't forget to ground your IN and OUT jacks etc)

This is the same as ppcb 3PDT wiring easy to remember INs to the left OUTs to the right LED to the middle poles

I love tag cheers for posting this I might just give it a go, I've gone all tagboard recently after finding some from my NOS 'must be vintage' stage that most go through! Didn't have this layout

3pdt wiring.jpg

A wee edit here's one I'm about to wire up showing IN and OUT tags to 3PDT

rm2rs.jpg
 
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Sorry, I should clarify. I was going to use this for the switch

E7912805-F8CE-4DC9-AE34-787273A888C7.jpeg
I am not sure where to connect the effect send and return on the board but I think I understand now. I was overthinking it.
I may try some of the suggestions above.
Thanks!
 
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For the HP Switch above, I'd take a wire off lug 3 of the vol pot to the middle lug of the SPDT, then one of the outer lugs to the a Diode that's on the diode-end not connected to ground
Do you mean do this in addition to how it is shows it wired or instead of how it shows it wired?
 
Yeah that 3PDT wiring would confuse me and I'd never remember it off by heart

I see what you mean took me a while to figure out how it switches

Effect send looks like pcb in, effect return pcb out the diagonal wire would obviously connect input straight to output ground input, turn off the LED and bypass the circuit god knows why that jacks ain't on the same common row it's a lot easier to visualise how it switches and remember it

Well for me anyway!
 
Do you mean do this in addition to how it is shows it wired or instead of how it shows it wired?
RE SPDT: NOT in addition to (sort of instead of).
Depending on where your switch is placed in the enclosure relative to the pots and board, it might make more sense to wire the centre-lug of the SPDT directly to the VolPot's lug 3 — it's what I'd do if it meant a shorter wire (equalling less spaghetti and less antennae to attract radio interference).


Maybe you're still thinking too physically. What I mean is ...
I still have trouble getting past the physical elements and placements — electricity doesn't really care how three components are all physically connected to the same point, an electrical node; so in this case whether you connect the SPDT middle lug to the board or the pot doesn't matter so long as it's the correct shared node.

Look at the lavender wire running from lug 3 to the board. Doesn't matter where along that you connect, you could interrupt that wire and stick the middle lug of the SPDT in there, then continue the run of the rest of the lavender wire from the middle lug to the board as show in the layout diagram. Physically, lug 3 is no longer connected directly to the board, but electrically nothing has changed (hence the "sort of instead of" comment at the top of this post). Splicing into the lavender wire could be the best way for you to physically arrange things in your build (or not).

For ex: If Mcknib were to add a SPT switch to his build, it would make sense to put the SPDT between pots. Mirroring his build for yours: Switch and pots together, SPDT middle lug direct to Vol 3, then run a wire from SPDT middle lug hidden under the board to its proper contact point and you've got a cleaner looking build.

🕛📍🕛
___|___
|_____._|


Is there any reason you're using that specific 3PDT connection method? To ground the input of the effect during bypass?
It is a bit confusing, until you break it down. Easiest way I've found to get my head around 3PDT layouts is to omit the pole with the LED — just look at the in/out connections, then add the LED aspect back in. There are other 3PDT layouts that still ground the effect in bypass, but have the jacks wired to common-lugs.
 
Quick update. I ended up finishing the pedal. I followed the diagram just so that I wouldn't screw anything up...
I haven't done an audio test, but I did plug it in to see if the light comes on. It does! But it stays on even if I click the switch. I'm going to test audio to see if it does bypass and come on.

here are some pics. I know it's spaghetti right now but I plan to do some tidying once I confirm it's working.
AED34A8E-AA40-4962-B99F-940F29C3F398.jpeg 291592DD-DB8A-4BF2-816D-DDA6861FB4DD.jpeg 263928A8-EECB-4B7C-BF72-5C7EA3100DA2.jpeg
 
So, I have the LED working now. But the audio is weak. I am going to go over my solder connections later and make sure everything is wired right
 
So, I got everything wired up and I get a bypass sound, but when engaged it just squeals.
I thought that I might have wired the germanium transistor wrong, but when I flipped it (still crossing the middle lug), it still does the same thing.
I took some pics and maybe someone can point out something I'm doing wrong.
AA0FFCC5-AA9E-4A52-991A-094590FB8EB3.jpeg 26BE2790-5013-408C-BFB3-56ECDD2A7572.jpeg 7A88E317-F2A1-4E48-A05E-944FF79F1BBD.jpeg 11B5C7C6-EB68-4E45-BB3F-637B4AB87802.jpeg 5C523DD5-D34A-4A0A-9616-B156C153E00E.jpeg D85F0E76-D84E-44C9-BBF7-B823C1144C98.jpeg 3EF33400-41F1-4CE8-9E45-A4C1AED97097.jpeg 788F1EC2-4FC3-41D2-BAC7-4DB4E7354CDA.jpeg
 
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Anybody? I know this isn't the typical thing for here, but I am really stumped and I am not sure what to check for
 
This isn't a very technical approach but with squealing, oscillation etc If voltages don't reveal anything I usually go by the wiggle test where I'll touch solder points on and off with my finger or something non conductive like a pencil, pot lugs etc to see if it alters anything

There's a few things that can cause it as you know

It is difficult to see everything even with all the pics you've provided what have you got insulating the underside of the board

There is a thread here with feedback/ oscillation problems

 
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This isn't a very technical approach but with squealing, oscillation etc If voltages don't reveal anything I usually go by the wiggle test where I'll touch solder points on and off with my finger or something non conductive like a pencil, pot lugs etc to see if it alters anything

There's a few things that can cause it as you know

It is difficult to see everything even with all the pics you've provided what have you got insulating the underside of the board

There is a thread here with feedback/ oscillation problems

Thanks! I will read that thread when I get a chance. Under the board is a piece of card stock and some double sided tape. Is it possible that I need more than that?
 
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As long as it's insulated and youve no short possibilities should be fine

Easy enough to continuity check nothing's touching

It is a bit of a weirdo circuit from what I've read I keep meaning to build one

Here's the transistor voltages from the madbean pepper spray build doc for reference

20210706_180143.jpg
 
Guess what I'm building ?

Stop inspiring me @megatrav I've got enough on my 'oohh somebody's posted a tagboard layout' plate

And to make matters worse I've got to go out now, I wonder if she'll understand when I say sorry I'm late but I had to put a coupla 100ns in

20210706_193647_copy_364x344.jpg

I'll be joining you in feedback city soon!
 
Right finished building it and tested on my test box

It worked perfectly those transistor voltages are accurate

I used a 2N404 hFE 100 very little leakage and a 2N3904 and built it stock

From my readings on this circuit

Most folks say it should be a low hFE germanium but this works fine with a highish hFE for a germ

I tried it using humbuckers and single coils didn't notice any difference albeit my humbucker isn't particularly hot

Hopefully you'll find your problem soon because it is a good sounding pedal with lots of sustain the switch is a good addition it does sound a tad dark till you flick it

Anyway here it is for reference you may see something comparing it to yours

I do use the holes to secure the wires so you'll see them going down here and there green is in, yellow out, red 9v, black ground with the brown ground bottom left jumpered up to the main grounds on the underside
20210707_144148_copy_493x559.jpg
 
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