Aha Moments

[jimilee]

  So a while back, I built a noisy cricket out of vero, and after a week, it just stopped working. I did some basic troubleshooting, and then tossed it in to the box of fail and been scavenging parts from it, it was my first Vero, and I just figured I'd screwed something up somehow. Fast forward to today, I boxed up a wah, and scavenged an mpf102 from said cricket, the wah wasn't working right, and after some troubleshooting and f'ing up an inductor, I figured it out. It was that mpf102 that I got from the noisy cricket. 2 mysteries solved. Do those things go bad for no reason?

[rullywowr]

Fets can easily be damaged by static. Glad u figured it out!

[mattlee0037]

Not as bad as mine. Modded a TS for a friend, but after my easy 2 resistor mod it didn't work. It had already been modded to hell by a previous person with a ton of nasty residue on the solder joints so I cleaned some of them up. After I put it back together I figured I killed something when I was cleaning up the joints because it wouldn't work bypassed or not! After months of sitting in a box and a couple quick looks I had switched the input and output jacks to the opposite side when I was putting it back together! Durrrr

[Govmnt_Lacky]

A little comentary on static and ESD....

I have had EXTENSIVE training on ESD protection, handling electronics, and static sensitivity. I have also been building these type circuits (not exclusive to pedals) for around 18+ years.

I can honestly say that I have NEVER had a component go bad due to static or ESD. Of course, there are a few simple rules to follow:

1) NEVER work in an environment that has low humidity! This is paramount! I always make sure the humidity level in the area is at least 30-40%
2) It is OK to handle components with your hands! As long as you ensure that you have properly grounded yourself first! You can do this by touching a grounded surface close to your work area.
3) It is OK to store components in bags, sleeves, drawers, etc. that ARE NOT ESD sensitive. I have done this with many of my components and NEVER had one fail. The ONLY EXCEPTION to this is CMOS BBDs. I ALWAYS store them in approved sleeves within carbon bags.

Just my 2 pennies. I am sure a lot of you are like "He's NUTS!" but, I have yet to have a failed part due to mis-handling.

P.S. This does not include part failure due to stupidly wiring/soldering backwards, feeding overvoltage, or build error 

[jimilee]

Not as bad as mine. Modded a TS for a friend, but after my easy 2 resistor mod it didn't work. It had already been modded to hell by a previous person with a ton of nasty residue on the solder joints so I cleaned some of them up. After I put it back together I figured I killed something when I was cleaning up the joints because it wouldn't work bypassed or not! After months of sitting in a box and a couple quick looks I had switched the input and output jacks to the opposite side when I was putting it back together! Durrrr

Ahahahahahahaha that's awesome. I did that recently on a Fuzz Ion, I'm not sure if I put the board upside down on the stomp.

[TGP39]

My first three builds didn't work. Only the bypass worked. I was feeling beaten and dismayed. I recently purchased a brand new pedal and hooked it up to my recently acquired Hiwatt.  That pedal didn't work either?? Only bypass worked. I'm like, what the hell? It turns out my hiwatt doesn't take pedals from the front end. You have to hook them up via the effects loop. Went back to my builds and hooked them up into the effects loop.....They all worked (one had a weak solder joint at the potentiometer). I was so happy and so pissed at the same time.

[kothoma]

[...] my hiwatt doesn't take pedals from the front end [...]

Huh? How's that?

[Leevibe]

That pedal didn't work either?? Only bypass worked. I'm like, what the hell? It turns out my hiwatt doesn't take pedals from the front end. You have to hook them up via the effects loop. Went back to my builds and hooked them up into the effects loop.....They all worked (one had a weak solder joint at the potentiometer). I was so happy and so pissed at the same time.

That sounds not quite right. If your amp's input passes a signal it passes a signal. You should try it again at the input and verify your effects' input and outputs are plugged in and/or wired properly. I've had it happen more than once that a pedal only worked in bypass only to discover that I had reversed the input and output cable. This is easy to do when the pedal is upside down.

[TGP39]

Ok. Will try it out. Thanks.

[peAk]

1) NEVER work in an environment that has low humidity! This is paramount! I always make sure the humidity level in the area is at least 30-40%

Here in Houston TX, we don't have the problem. Most days are 100% humidity 

[Jabulani Jonny]

1) NEVER work in an environment that has low humidity! This is paramount! I always make sure the humidity level in the area is at least 30-40%

Here in Houston TX, we don't have the problem. Most days are 100% humidity 

Yep, welcome to Jawja, where you never have to worry about the downside of low humidity.


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