Rangemaster/Road Rage troubleshooting

[smallpoxchampion]

I'm working on trying to test my Rangemaster build with the road rage. I'm fairly certain I have everything connected properly but let me know if I missed anything. I have the +/- pads connected to a separate DC jack (since my test box is already wired with a DC jack), -9v/G is connected to the Rangemaster -9v/G. My test box is your standard IN/OUT/PWR/GND (same as the sticky thread test box). Do I connect ground from my test box to ground on the Road Rage, and if so is it the pad next to +9v? As of right now I'm not getting any voltages on the Rangemaster board.

[davent]

What board are you using for the Rangemaster?

[smallpoxchampion]

What board are you using for the Rangemaster?

the previous version.

[dont-tase-me-bro]

I could be wrong, and definitely may be, but if you have the older RM board, couldn't you hook up in and out normally on the test box, and then just flip power and ground?  This wouldn't test the road rage, but could check the board.

[mgwhit]

I have the +/- pads connected to a separate DC jack (since my test box is already wired with a DC jack), -9v/G is connected to the Rangemaster -9v/G.

All of this sounds right.

My test box is your standard IN/OUT/PWR/GND (same as the sticky thread test box). Do I connect ground from my test box to ground on the Road Rage, and if so is it the pad next to +9v?

Ok, so are you trying to power your Road Rage board and your test box independently?  I think the best thing to do would be to disconnect the power jack from your Road Rage board for the time being and power the whole thing through the test box.  You're liable to get serious ground loop hum if you power both using separate power supplies.  Also, I wouldn't recommend connecting the Road Rage ground to the the test box ground if you're using two separate power supplies.  Just sounds like a bad idea.

As of right now I'm not getting any voltages on the Rangemaster board.

But here's the real issue.  Take your test box out of the picture.  If you're powering the Road Rage board and it's connected to your Rangemaster board the way you've described and you're not getting any power on the Rangemaster board you have a problem on one or both of those boards or on the connections between them.  Are you getting -9V on the -9V pad on the Road Rage board?  Continuity to ground from the G pad?

[smallpoxchampion]

I have the +/- pads connected to a separate DC jack (since my test box is already wired with a DC jack), -9v/G is connected to the Rangemaster -9v/G.

All of this sounds right.

My test box is your standard IN/OUT/PWR/GND (same as the sticky thread test box). Do I connect ground from my test box to ground on the Road Rage, and if so is it the pad next to +9v?

Ok, so are you trying to power your Road Rage board and your test box independently?  I think the best thing to do would be to disconnect the power jack from your Road Rage board for the time being and power the whole thing through the test box.  You're liable to get serious ground loop hum if you power both using separate power supplies.  Also, I wouldn't recommend connecting the Road Rage ground to the the test box ground if you're using two separate power supplies.  Just sounds like a bad idea.

As of right now I'm not getting any voltages on the Rangemaster board.

But here's the real issue.  Take your test box out of the picture.  If you're powering the Road Rage board and it's connected to your Rangemaster board the way you've described and you're not getting any power on the Rangemaster board you have a problem on one or both of those boards or on the connections between them.  Are you getting -9V on the -9V pad on the Road Rage board?  Continuity to ground from the G pad?

Kind of a noob question, but when I go to measure -9v, I just connect the positive meter probe to ground and measure with the negative? Either way I'm not getting anything on the -9v pad. I've also disconnected the separate dc jack I was using and am working off just the test box. I used the test probe on my test box on C2 and got a full effected signal. Feel like I'm getting close here just wondering why the road rage is delivering power to the board.

[Bret608]

You're correct on where to put which test lead. 

Here's something you could try that helped me out on a recent Tonebender MkII build, which was baffling me with odd behavior but essentially just didn't work well with the power supply I use with my test box (which, like yours, comes from the sticky here on the forum). If you have a nine volt battery, a couple of alligator clips, and are willing to disconnect your board from your Road Rage (sounds like you already did), read on!

Make sure your test box isn't plugged in to any power supply. Connect the in and out from your Rangemaster board to your test box in and out like normal. Connect the board ground to your normal ground clip on your test box. Don't connect the test box 9v clip to anything. Instead, connect an alligator clip to your board's -9v in and the negative battery terminal. With the other alligator clip, connect the battery's positive terminal to your test box's ground clip, the one where the board ground is already connected. So in other words, a clip grabbing a clip.

What this will do is give you straight, clean positive ground wiring. That will rule out both the Road Rage as well as any funny stuff going on with the normal way you power your test box, be it wall wart or whatever. Check power to the board and of course the sound. This way you'll know for sure if there's anything going on with your Rangemaster board. Then we can work backward and check out what's going on with your Road Rage. Like Matt I suspect that's where your problem is.

[smallpoxchampion]

That'll be my next plan of attack for sure. The more I look at this thing the less I'm suspecting anything is awry on the RM board, especially since I was getting an effected signal with the test probe.