Monk Hack: Discrete Enclosure Ground for ISO Jacks

[Big Monk]

So I’ve been playing around with ideas for getting a discrete enclosure ground on isolated jacks without having to:

a.) Use mixed jack types;

b.) Shoulder washers;

c.) Run a separate wire

Why, you say?

I’m trying to adhere to the “enclosure ground” at one point philosophy and I like that isolated switching jacks let me jump terminals to get symmetry in where the wires exit the jacks and land at the board.

So I came up with this little hack I think I may use:



First shot shows copper tape solder led to non-switching tab then wrapped around threads.

Second shot shows how discrete it is looking into what would be the enclosure and enclosure itself is simulated by the metal nut between body and plastic nut.

This setup basically mimics having a separate wire from the sleeve to ground on the board.

My plan is to use isolated jacks with threaded metal ferrules so i will have to test those out when my Tayda order arrives but I imagine this will work fine there as well.

Thoughts? Criticism?

 

[benny_profane]

I’d have some concern about failure over time since copper tape may not be the most robust material.

But, I have no problem using a serrated washer and wire or a grounding spring on the board itself.

 

[Big Monk]

I’d have some concern about failure over time since copper tape may not be the most robust material.

But, I have no problem using a serrated washer and wire or a grounding spring on the board itself.

Worthy concerns also brought forward by Chris when I showed him privately.

This was mostly a proof of concept but I do think that with careful placement, especially allowing for slack when pushing down the tape so it’s not stretched, it could hold up.

Valid concerns though and much appreciated.

 

[Harry Klippton]

Please tell me you're not using that in your production run

 

[benny_profane]

Please tell me you're not using that in your production run

I’d be very disappointed to see that in pedal I paid $200+ for.

 

[Harry Klippton]

I’d be very disappointed to see that in pedal I paid $200+ for.

Same

 

[benny_profane]

Same

I typically overdo things unnecessarily, but if I’m shipping something out, I want to do everything possible to have it not be on my bench again.

 

[Bricksnbeatles]

It’s a no from me dawg.

Can’t think of the name of the place at the moment, but I’ve seen these as regular washers (non-lock) with a 3/8” I/D and it seems like it would be a much less sketchy option https://www.tubedepot.com/products/solder-tab-with-lock-washer

 

[Big Monk]

Please tell me you're not using that in your production run

I’d be very disappointed to see that in pedal I paid $200+ for.

Same

No. This was just a proof of concept.

I'm trying right now to figure out what I want to do. Quick, fast and in a hurry of course.

What I'd love to do is have a ground sleeve that could mate with the isolated jacks but I have yet to find anything like that. Ground spring is probably going to be the best move, although I have always used these with solid results. They are also discrete because you can have them under the jack:

The most fullproof, but also very ugly, is mixed jacks. I've done those before on personal builds but it looks ugly outside and in.

 

[Harry Klippton]

Also just wanna say this is a classic big monk thread and we haven't had one in ages

 

[Big Monk]

Also just wanna say this is a classic big monk thread and we haven't had one in ages

Solutions baby!

 

[Big Monk]

To be clear, I was trying this out for the bench units of the Monk Face pedals so I could use the 8 or so used Cliff jacks I have in stores.

I have a Keystone spring en route for productions models.

This is a valid solution so long as you are not trying to sell people stuff...

 

[finebyfine]

Is the goal to be able to config those jacks to be isolated or not or just to chasis ground those jacks?

 

[Big Monk]

Is the goal to be able to config those jacks to be isolated or not or just to chasis ground those jacks?

My goal is to always ground the enclosure at one location only. In the past I've done this a few ways, including mixed jacks and tabbed washers, both with mixed results aesthetically.

I like the isolate plastic jacks because you can jump the tabs and get wires exiting symmetrically. Using either open frame or box type jacks doesn't allow me to satisfy my intense OCD...

I'll likely use a Keystone PCB ground spring/leaf but just wanted to post this as it's a simple solution for anyone who needs to get a simple enclsoure ground connection.

 

[Bricksnbeatles]

Those keystone springs are pricy

Looked into them in the past, and even with a volume discount for 100 units, it was like $1.10 a piece or something

 

[finebyfine]

You could probably just gank out the chassis contact off jacks like Neutrik's NRJ6HF-1 that have this lil guy

 

[Big Monk]

Those keystone springs are pricy

Looked into them in the past, and even with a volume discount for 100 units, it was like $1.10 a piece or something

Really?

The leaf types are cheaper:



Although the spring types aren't bad either:

 

[finebyfine]

12¢ each here https://www.aliexpress.com/item/325...nessType=ProductDetail&spreadType=socialShare

Could also do a right angle pogo pin

 

[Harry Klippton]

12¢ each here https://www.aliexpress.com/item/325...nessType=ProductDetail&spreadType=socialShare

Could also do a right angle pogo pin

Ali Express king right here

 

[Bricksnbeatles]

Really?

The leaf types are cheaper:

View attachment 50872

Although the spring types aren't bad either:

View attachment 50873

I admittedly haven’t looked in a year, but the spring type 629 was over $2 a unit when I last looked. Cool to see they’re down significantly now. Must’ve been holdouts of pandemic pricing or something like that.