Wiring issues

[abelovesfun]

project: pork barrel chorus
Problem : only bypass works no sound when engaged
Steps: Worked before I boxed it and wired the switch

Well this is embarrassing. Normally I build modular analog synth modules, and if have a high success rate. I first built this project into a modular panel, but decided to move it to a stomp box, since I need to run synth signals through a remap box anyway.

The circuit worked great in the rack, but after buying some small bear pcb switches and wiring it up, I now only get signal when bypassed, no sound when the effect is engaged. Led doesn't light either. I'm new to stomp ox switches, and I assume the issue is there.

Pics attached. Any advice? Do these switches have orientation?

[jimilee]

Does the LED work? And is there a ground wire going from the dc input to the input jack?

[abelovesfun]

Update: unsoldered the switch and turned it 90 degrees, so the horizontal lugs of the switch are in line with the length of the pcb. Still the same issue though, bypass works, but no sound when engaged.

Dc jack and inputs are star grounded.

Led isn't working now, it worked when it was a module in a rack.

[lincolnic]

Update: unsoldered the switch and turned it 90 degrees, so the horizontal lugs of the switch are in line with the length of the pcb. Still the same issue though, bypass works, but no sound when engaged.

Dc jack and inputs are star grounded.

Led isn't working now, it worked when it was a module in a rack.

Not sure how your switch is oriented now, but - you should wire it with the lugs facing horizontally. By which I mean you want it like this:

- - -
- - -
- - -

Instead of this:

| | |
| | |
| | |

[abelovesfun]

Yup - I changed to that. Do you think I fried the pedal by having it in the other orientation? 9V seems like a small amount of voltage.

Anyway - switch is now correct, but I only get signal when bypassed, the LED doesn't work (since I boxed it) and there is no sound when the effect is engaged (since I boxed it). When engaged - on my input device (a UAD apollo) I can see the input meters on the Apollo go high and clip, but there is no audio, so I must have voltage hitting the output, right? They hang there at full/clip.

[lincolnic]

Yup - I changed to that. Do you think I fried the pedal by having it in the other orientation? 9V seems like a small amount of voltage.

Anyway - switch is now correct, but I only get signal when bypassed, the LED doesn't work (since I boxed it) and there is no sound when the effect is engaged (since I boxed it). When engaged - on my input device (a UAD apollo) I can see the input meters on the Apollo go high and clip, but there is no audio, so I must have voltage hitting the output, right? They hang there at full/clip.

Power never touches your footswitch, so I doubt you fried anything that way. It sounds more like something is shorting to ground somewhere (possibly power?). Break out your DMM and see if there's continuity between them. Are you sure you've wired that 3PDT daughterboard correctly? Check the pedal with an audio probe to start figuring out where you're losing the signal.

There's also a chance that the switch itself got fried between soldering, desoldering, and soldering again. I'd check its continuity with your meter to make sure it's still good.

[abelovesfun]

Thanks so much lincolnic. I broke out the multimedia, and there is no short to ground from power that I can find.
I checked the continuity on the 3PDT daughter board and it's good.
I built an audio probe and started checking and I had audio until I hit Q1, a 2nN5088. I replaced it with a 2N3904, which I read could be a replacement, and I didn't have a spare 2N5088. Still the same issue.

[Willybomb]

Check the pinout of the the transistor and make sure you've got it in the right way accordingly.

[abelovesfun]

I triple checked it and it is in the right way, following the PCB (flat edge facing in, round side facing out). Any other ideas?

[wgc]

Did you accidentally swap in and out wires?

Also check the led wiring to the switch pcb. A short there will cause things not to work.