Low Rider design plan

[Emmy]

Hi all,

  This is my first post so first I need to thank you all for creating a welcoming forum and a great resource.

  I'll be building a Low Rider after finishing a couple of pedals.  It looks like a pretty cramped build, so I'm doodling out the design.  In almost every build report I've read, the builder has chosen to omit the 9V battery.  I'm guessing this is due to the space issue; but is there another reason?  Too big a power suck?

  Next, the main thing I want to avoid are short circuits due to space.  Has anyone found it better to place the jacks on the top or down near the sides?  I generally use heat shrink and I've ordered dust jackets, but I'd still like to design it well to avoid potential contact.   

One option is to emulate is SGMEZEI's "spacey" pedal or his fabric ones, and slide the footswitch over to accommodate the battery:
http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=5050.0
http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=5905.0

  I like how he brings the pots down and places the LED at the top of Spacey.  The pots look further down on Spacey than the pair of fabric pedals.  Maybe not mounting the pots would create horizontal space, if there's enough vertical space.   

  To keep the footswitch symmetrical, another option is ALANP's "thumb" pedal where he found room for a battery by placing an "outie" DC jack below the input:
http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=4382.0

    Any other design tips you can offer based on your experiences would be great. 

Thanks,

[jimilee]

I personally prefer the jacks on the top,it's easier to lay them out on your pedal board, and speaking of pedal boards, I use a power supply and have no need for a 9 volt battery. That goes back to many years ago when the batteries starting dying the volume started dropping and that's just irritating. I think you'll fond most folks here use a pedal power supply. And yep some of the pedals use too much power to use a battery, the ones that run at 12,15 or 18 volts from a charge pump as an example. The pedal game, you'll find outside of the design itself, is all personal preference. Let me be the first to say welcome to your new addiction and ask lots of questions!

[das234]

Alright then, I'll be second to welcome you since Jimi is so quick on the trigger. 

On my pedals, I figure out the design but then I actually fit the parts in the enclosure as I'm drilling the holes to make sure everything fits like it's supposed to.  If I need to relocate something I go ahead and move it where it needs to fit and then adjust the artwork to match the adjusted layout.  Make sense?

[icecycle66]

Omitting the battery is usually about one of two things, space and practicality.

A lot of people leave the batteries out just because they'll never use a battery.
In other cases, it is space based.
If you are careful about your planning, you can fit a battery in the Low Rider pedal. Put jacks on top and stomp switch to one side or the other and you can fit a 9v battery next to the switch.  Or get a bigger box.

I like jacks on the sides, placed to either side of the stomp switch.
Wherever you put them, if you are afraid of shorting you can insulate the jacks with foam tape or electrical tape or whatever.  But with heat shrinks and what have you, I can't imagine to many shorts from off board contacts. Don't worry about it

Anyway.
I used wires to mount my pots and a deep enclosure.  That way I could tilt the circuit board so that it touched the pots at the back of the box and went between the in/out jack and the back plate.  That way everything but the stomp switch was "underneath" the circuit board.  (I'm not sure that made any sense.)

[das234]

ditto.  I put a battery snap in my first pedal "THE PFANNKUCHEN" just because there was plenty of space and it was on the standard wiring diagram.  I'm sure I won't ever use a battery in it though, and I haven't put a battery snap in a pedal since.

[RobA]

I don't put battery snaps in anymore either. The rechargeable 9 volts mostly don't really have enough voltage and I can't bring myself to use that many disposable batteries anymore. Also, the Li-Po battery packs are coming down far enough in price that a DIY rechargeable 9V brick is pretty close to being doable at around $50. So, I don't see any reason to bother with the internal battery.

I like the jacks on the top too. The Low Rider fits with the jacks on the top in a 1590BB, but it is tight. You pretty much have to get the footswitch in just the right spot. Also the fit for the jacks under the 16mm Alpha pots is really close on the 1590BB. It works really well, but you have to get the drill positions for the jacks just right.

I just got a Hammond 1590BBS from Mouser delivered today. I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but it's the footprint of a 1590BB with the depth of a 125B. It might be a good option for these really tight fits.

[DutchMF]

Omitting the battery is usually about one of two things, space and practicality.

Don't forget the Environment!!

[Emmy]

  RobA, the 1590BBS sounds like pretty good advice (almost $10 on mouser!).  A 1590BBT looked like a brick - just too tall.  I could use the 1590BB I already have for a Kingslayer later on.   I'll try to gauge the fit for the jacks under the pots when the parts come.

 I still want the option of using a battery.  I don't bring a power supply or a board everywhere.  It's nice to throw a couple pedals in a bag and head to a friend's place.  I was wondering more about whether high current draw was an issue with the Low Rider, not pedals in general.  Maybe I can take a reading before drilling any holes.

Thanks guys

[jimilee]

Here's something cool that I do, I solder a 2.1x5mm adapter to a battery snap. Helps for on the fly testing and impromptu sessions at my bros place.

[das234]

Here's something cool that I do, I solder a 2.1x5mm adapter to a battery snap. Helps for on the fly testing and impromptu sessions at my bros place.

I've been meaning to do that too.  Just haven't gotten around to it yet.