Replacing a momentary footswitch with a toggle...

[Caldo71]

Hey Crew,

So I have this fancy programmable analog EQ stomp box (Free the Tone PA-10G) that has a soft-touch 3PDT foot switch that allows one to toggle between four different user presets. And likewise on the other side of the pedal for on/bypass duties.

I'm about to re-house this sucker vertically in a rack-mountable enclosure, as I am wont to do with all my stuff, and I'd like to replace both foot switches with either a finger-friendly button, or maybe even a toggle if that is technically possible. The "on/bypass" foot switch I will DEFINITELY want to replace with a toggle, but the "program change" one is up for debate.

SO, TWO QUESTIONS/SCENARIOS:

1. If the "program change" foot switch is to be replaced by me with a 3PDT toggle (and if that is even possible) would that be considered an "off/on", or an "on/on", or what? Looking at the unit, it appears to use the same exact part for both foot switches—see attached photo. So I guess that means that it's the same kind of switch used for program change duties on the let AS WELL as the on/bypass on the right? I didn't expect that to be the case. Can you guys tell me if I can use a toggle for the program change replacement, and if it needs to be "on/off", on/on" or whatever?
   
   
2. Scenario two is if I just replace the program change footswitch with a finger-friendly pushbutton, and if the same "states" apply (on/on, on/off, etc) when purchasing those kinda pushbuttons. Or if I just look for a pushbutton that says "momentary" or something like that?

Sorry if any of the above sounds really f$%&ing stupid...I'm still learning.

 

[Feral Feline]

So ... I'm guessing that they're both 3PDT momentary footswitches; One controlling a relay-bypass and the other controlling relay switching of the four modes.

There ARE DPDT toggles that are spring-loaded MOMENTARY, so I suppose there are some 3PDT spring-loaded momentary toggle-switches, too, for your programme-mode swapperooniki.

The switches would be considered on/on, but what you need to focus on is whether these momentary switches are ...

NORMALLY OPEN (NO),

NORMALLY CLOSED (NC).


I guess the other option is to go electro-mechanical with regular 3PDT toggle for the bypass, but then you'd have to figure out how to junk all the relay-related parts — more hassle than it'd be worth. The Modes might (I repeat "MIGHT") be accessed via a mechanical rotary switch, but again, you'd have to bypass/remove the relays and related components... all beyond my pay-grade.


Even de-soldering the existing 3PDT switches will be tricky, you don't want to damage the pads/traces on the PCB.



Can be done, just proceed with due care and attention, like making sure your toggles have the same pin-to-pin spacing as the stompers — try to find the datasheets for those AF4 switches and of course for the toggles, too.

 

[Caldo71]

@Feral Feline I understand everything you're saying, there, and I think I can figure in our from here...just maybe need to buy a pair of "NO" buttons and a pair of "NC" buttons, temporarily wire them in on some ribbon cable so I can quickly extract whichever kind is not working, and go from there.

Even de-soldering the existing 3PDT switches will be tricky, you don't want to damage the pads/traces on the PCB.

Yeah I've actually gotten waaaay better at the whole de-soldering thing over the past year, though there's a "trail of bodies" marking the way...old off-the-shelf consumer stomp boxes of mine that went under my knife and did not survive. Oh well, that's how you learn I guess. I actually have an old defunct SECOND one of these pedals that I can practice on, luckily, keeping my iron temp as low s possible, getting in and out as quick as I can.

 

[Feral Feline]

Robert (Mr PedalPCB) uses a shovel-tip to get 3PDTs (and the like) out.