Switch and Breakout Board/ Six String Stinger No Sound

[meidinad]

Is it possible to install the 3PDT switch backward on the Breakout Board? I don't mean upside down... the board is clearly marked which side goes against the switch and how to connect to the PCB board, but what about the switch backward? I can't find specifics anywhere about which side would be for for 1 or 3 from the 3PDT switch on the board.

I tried building a Six String Stinger and I have NO SOUND at all. Not with the switch engaged or without it engaged. I have NO idea what I did. I followed the specs to a T. Everything is soldered well (I'm a good solderer). The LED does light up, so at least I know I did that correctly... I'm just at a loss here. All I can think of is the switch.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Nostradoomus]

Pictures are much more helpful than an explanation!

If you have the breakout board with little slots for the switch as opposed to holes, you can’t mess it up unless you have the board upside down.

 

[GenoBluzGtr]

As Nostradoomus says, you can't get the breakout board on "backward" the switch will work either way, as long as the wiring is correct. "Pin 1" isn't a specific spot, it's a pin relative to the other pins, so forward or backward works.

RE: the switch, there are few things I've done in the past that have flummoxed me until I found the problems:

1. Check the wire connections on Breakout board - especially if you use stranded wire. A slightly frayed or non-tinned stranded wire will EASILY have one stray strand that touches an adjacent hole or wire.
2. MAKE SURE THE BREAKOUT BOARD IS ACTUALLY SOLDERED TO EVERY PIN. Yes, I did this. thinking the breakout board fits really tight, I thought I could test my board out before I soldered it. Not so. Did not work, I soldered the pins and it worked.
3. Re-check how you're reading the wiring on the build-doc off-board wiring. The way the picture is oriented, the circuit board should be component side up, while the 3PDT is PIN side up. Flipping either puts your wiring in reverse.
4. OF COURSE, check for solder bridges with a bright light and magnifying glass. This would most commonly happen where the wires connect to the circuit board and/or to the breakout board. The holes are pretty close and if you don't trim the wires properly after soldering, it can cause a bridge.
5. Not switch related, but related to #3 above. Make sure you're wiring the "IN" and "OUT" properly to the actual "IN" and "OUT" audio jacks. These are depicted in the off-board wiring pictured with the pedal UPSIDE DOWN. So not considering this, it's easy to wire the jacks backward to the switch. (yes, I did this once, as well... I'm felt like an idiot, but it happens).
6. and Finally (but it sounds like this is NOT your problem, since the LED lights up), make sure the LED is oriented properly. The picture of the off-board wiring on most of the build docs depicts the LED in a way that makes you think it's oriented a certain way. DO NOT GO BY THE PIC. Long lead (Anode) goes in the "A" hole. Short one (Cathode), goes in the "K" Hole. Don't go by the picture and don't go by the "Square Pad" methodology.

Beyond these, we would need to see pics of your board (both sides), close ups of the wiring, as well.

 

[meidinad]

Thank you! That was very helpful! Yes, I should have posted pics but I was very frustrated at the time and just needed to step away. I think I have it figured out. I used stranded wire and that may have been the issue/solder quality. Probably some bad connections now that I looked at it again.

Anyway, I did order 3 boards assuming I would mess up the first time. So, I'm at it again. Last part that I'm not 100% sure of with the diagram. With the 1/4 jacks... is the sleeve the ground? / Tip is "positive". That being said, the Tip will wire all the way to the switch and the sleeve will wire to the board?