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Projects => Tech Help - Projects Page => Topic started by: UncleDave on March 28, 2011, 03:08:38 AM

Title: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: UncleDave on March 28, 2011, 03:08:38 AM
I'm working on my first pedal right now. It's a slambox. I don't have the led wired in yet. i soldered leads to the ground, input, output, and 9v positive.

I built a tester but i'm wondering if i even did it right. it might just be bad wiring there or solder or something.

when I connect the tester to the circuit, it makes a a funky sound. i wouldn't say it clicks but if i were to attempt to spell out the sound i would say it goes pupupupupupupupu.

if i connect the out put to the other side of c1 it doesnt make this sound and if the same effect in the middle of q1.



sorry about the lack in knowledge on my end. i've been reading up and studing for like two weeks and just got my tester done and don't know what to think.  ???

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Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: bigmufffuzzwizz on March 28, 2011, 03:23:10 AM
It looks correct to me but its hard to see exactly which lug on the switch are what.
Do you have a verified working build that you can test to see if it's your tester?
Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: UncleDave on March 28, 2011, 03:44:59 AM
I don't. this is my first build. i know if i plug into the tester with no power and connect the in and output clips, it plays through perfectly fine. the only thing i can think of is it being the power/ground side of it. otherwise it's circuit connection issue or component issue.

I'll post a pic of the circuit board in a few minutes
Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: UncleDave on March 28, 2011, 04:06:17 AM
i haven't fully mapped out my enclosure yet so put leads that i connected via aligators to the pot.it seemed to make a bit of difference when i turned it. only more or less pupupupu

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Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: gtr2 on March 28, 2011, 11:38:17 AM
Is there a socket for the transistor that I don't see?  If not you could have fried the transistor...

I'm basing that on the fact that those black rings around the soldering pads mean that the board got hot from holding the soldering iron on to long.  If there was that much heat involved you certainly would cook that transistor making it inoperable.

Josh
Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: gtr2 on March 28, 2011, 11:40:47 AM
If you could take a little bigger/closer pic of your testing rig that would help as well.   ;)

Josh
Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: UncleDave on March 28, 2011, 12:38:54 PM
i'll take a look at the transistor and as for the pic, i'll that done a bit later today. i can use all the help i can get
Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: gtr2 on March 28, 2011, 12:57:32 PM
Uncle Dave,

I personally don't usually socket transistors unless they are germanium or if I know I'd like to try different different transistors with the circuit.  I do however always socket IC's, but there are none in this circuit.

I'd recommend socketing a transistor if you're just getting started soldering.  They are pretty sensitive to heat.  That way you can solder in the sockets and then plug the transistor before you test the board.

Josh
Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: UncleDave on March 28, 2011, 01:15:31 PM
Thanks dude.

Forgive my lack of knowledge(noobness),but what is socketing?
Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: bigmufffuzzwizz on March 28, 2011, 07:17:19 PM
You would solder the socket instead of the component since the socket can take a lot of heat and won't be damaged. Then just insert the component how it would go into the socket holes and secure it in there tightly.

http://www.capsnsuch.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=50&product_id=150
Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: UncleDave on March 28, 2011, 09:11:00 PM
Thanks guys. I'll have to make fry's pit stop on the way home. Always a good time. :)
Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: CRBMoA on March 28, 2011, 10:26:23 PM
I am gonna suggest trimming some of the excess leads on the bottom side of the board. They are not a problem now, but those little buggers can wreak havoc when it comes time to box it up!
Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: UncleDave on March 28, 2011, 10:29:37 PM
I'll do that. The longest ones though are the wire leads which I was just tapping in to test it. Planned on trimming those but I'll look at the rest too
Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: UncleDave on March 29, 2011, 05:38:27 PM
Well guys, I put a socket in there and put the transistor in it.
If y'all have any further advice, let me know. In the meantime I have a secondary slambox pcb to use. I'm going to solder it with all new parts and see how the comes out
Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: gtr2 on March 29, 2011, 05:59:43 PM
I just looked at your testing rig a little closer.  There us a lot wrong in there...  It's hard to see in the picture but I think you have your v+ power jack wired to your output jack and then daisy chained to your input jack!  That's jacked up...  ::)

Where you have your white wire on the dc power jack is 9v+, the red wire is on the ground.  Your 9v+ should go to the board 9v+ pad and no where else.  The ground should go to the sleeve spot on the input jack and also the ground pad on the board.

To fix this just leave the red wire as is and clip it to your ground pad wire to the board.
Desolder/cut the white wire off everything, this should not be wire to the 1/4" jacks, then take a new piece and solder it to the same lug as the white wire was on the power jack.  Then clip it to the 9v in wire...  Here is a helpful picture to keep in mind when wiring power jacks.

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=93

Sorry I didn't catch that sooner but it is hard with a small picture...

Josh

Edit:  It is also helpful until you get a firm grasp on things to use black wire for ground and red wire for positive.  Once you're comfortable do whatever floats your boat ;)
Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: UncleDave on March 29, 2011, 07:30:10 PM
how's this look?

i hooked it up and got nothing from my circuit. didn't make a sound. a little static maybe

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Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: UncleDave on March 29, 2011, 07:31:09 PM
another

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Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: UncleDave on March 29, 2011, 07:32:42 PM
white 9v+
red ground
black input
yellow output


do you think my circuit is screw due to me hooking v+ to ground ect.?
Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: gtr2 on March 29, 2011, 08:33:50 PM
First make sure that you have 9v at your clips.  I'm assuming those wires going out go to clips...  Put your red probe on your white wire clip and the black probe on your red wire clip.  Your dmm should be on the V setting and you should read around 9v.

On the circuit you could have blown D1 which is a polarity protection diode.  This is to protect the rest of the circuit from this type of thing.

I can't really tell if you have your jacks themselves wired right, but the ground wire should go to your inputs sleeve and the input wire should go to the tip.  The output wire should also go to the output jack tip.

Josh
Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: UncleDave on March 29, 2011, 11:02:28 PM
VICTORIOUS!!!!!

well, I pulled out a new circuit and changed wiring here and there and nothing worked, but all I needed to do was gound the 9v jack to the input jack and boom. like a charm.

thank you everyone for hanging in there with me. i'm feeling a lot more confident since that decided to work. blah.

Rock it before you box it. i will always follow this comand
Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: bigmufffuzzwizz on March 29, 2011, 11:18:07 PM
Good job! Now how about that slambox?
Title: Re: slambox circuit or tester or both? NOOB!
Post by: UncleDave on March 29, 2011, 11:48:46 PM
I've got to box it now. But I'm not sure there was anything wrong with it. Think it was just my tester