Current Lover 2015 - No Rock Once in Box

[brucer]

Hi All.

My Current Lover 2015 worked fine through my test rig, but - now that it's boxed - gives either silence/no bypass signal or ear-piercing tone when I operate the stomp switch.

Before I start trouble-shooting, recording voltages, taking pictures, etc, do you suggest I pull it from the box and/or disconnect the stomp switch leads?  FYI - I used Wiring Guide 1 (no send/return jacks).

Thanks for any suggestions/advice. 

Still needing tech help - please see updated status at end of thread.

[madbean]

Before removing it I would suggest audio probing the circuit output on the PCB. If it's good there then there's a good chance that the switch itself may be the problem.

If the board worked on the test rig but not in the enclosure it's almost always a wiring issues, a switch issue or possibly a pot grounding out against the PCB.

[brucer]

Before removing it I would suggest audio probing the circuit output on the PCB. If it's good there then there's a good chance that the switch itself may be the problem.

If the board worked on the test rig but not in the enclosure it's almost always a wiring issues, a switch issue or possibly a pot grounding out against the PCB.

Thanks Brian.  I tried probing the circuit, but no joy: faint testing rig tone when not touching probe to circuit and ear-piercing tone everywhere when I probe ... and it DID work fine before I boxed it, so:

- pulled it out of enclosure;
- checked parts and wiring;
- re-ran testing rig:
   - faint testing rig tone in bypass, silence when engaged;
   - probed and got input tone at input pad, but nowhere else.
- took pictures and recorded voltages:







I'd appreciate ANY helpful advice.  I'd REALLY like to get this on my board.  I'd even consider posting to someone willing to trouble-shoot (and reimbursing them for time spent), but I'd also really like to know where I've gone wrong ... because it did work (as I may have mentioned ... once or twice).
-

[somnif]

It is a bit hard to see in your pics, but its possible some of your wiring lost insulation near the solder joint (always happens, heat melts it a bit) and it getting twisted about when fitting in the box caused something to short.

Easiest and most brute force method of testing would be to swap in new chips to see if that restores function (AFTER checking to make sure none of your wires are touching). Those CMOS chips are painfully sensitive to circuit faults and can bugger up the rest of the circuit once fried.

I suspect a short appeared because you are seeing voltage on the ground pin of the second 4558, which should be a firm 0. Also, your Vin of the other 4558 is way low making me think its either leaking to ground somewhere (which would tend to drive it to 0 instead of ~2, but elect. engineering can be odd at times), or something funky about another chip is shoving the volts elsewhere.

Also, line the cover plate of the box with electrical tape just to help ensure you arent accidentally shorting out on the case.

[brucer]

Thanks somnif.  I appreciate your answering my post. 

I've triple-checked all the wiring for shorts and there are none.  The only places that I get continuity are where I'm supposed to:
- start and end points for jumpers; and,
- ground points.

It sounds like I need to order a new, full set of ICs to try the "brute force" method of trouble-shooting.

If any of you capable types with a parts stash are willing to have a look at it in the meantime, then 'd be happy to cover costs, etc.  I've not had a lot of success trouble shooting beyond basic OD, fuzz, booster circuits, etc.  Sometimes it feels a bit like banging my head on a wall. 

Shame.  It sounded good in the testing rig ... before whatever happened ... happened.   

[brucer]

Okay, so I've replaced all the ICs in my Current Lover with new ones from Small Bear and I still have no signal beyond the input pad when probing.  Rate light is still flashing though! 

Does anyone have next-step debugging suggestions beyond the ones described above? 

So far, I've:

- pulled the PCB from the enclosure
- checked parts and wiring
- reflowed solder joints
- re-ran testing rig:
   - testing rig tone in bypass, silence when engaged
   - probed and got input tone at input pad, but nowhere else
- continuity-tested and short-checked all jumpers and off-board wiring
- took pictures and recorded voltages (see posts above)
- replaced all ICs

I'd really appreciate a hand with this.  Thanks!

[brucer]

More proof that I'm a dopey beggar?

I have been using "I" for input and "O" for output when testing my Current Lover 2015, but that doesn't seem to be feeding signal to the circuit at R1. 

"S" (send?) does send signal to R1 and there is signal at the "R" (return?) pad as well.  Unfortunately, there is no flanging effect at "R" or "O" no matter how many times I go through the calibration procedure.

So ... to back up a few steps, could someone please confirm which pads I should be using as board input and output to test the Current Lover 2015? 

Also, if using "S" and "R" is correct, then could someone please suggest next steps if I have a signal at "R", but no flanging effect?

Thanks!

[brucer]

Bump for tech help

[brucer]

Bump for tech help.

Symptoms: using "S" and "R" to send and return signal to the PCB, I get a clean signal only at "R" no matter how many times I follow the biasing instructions.  Rate light is flashing.

Steps taken so far:
- populated PCB and confirmed that it worked on testing rig
- boxed PCB and found it no longer flanged, but screeched like a banshee
- pulled the PCB from the enclosure
- checked parts and wiring
- reflowed solder joints
- continuity-tested and short-checked all jumpers and off-board wiring
- took pictures and recorded voltages (see posts above)
- replaced all ICs and transistors with new ones from Small Bear

I'd really appreciate a hand with this.  Thanks!