troubleshooting help... clicking sound?

[youngstownguitar]

hi

I just built a zombii and slambox in one enclosure.  Bypassed signal is fine but when I engage either side of the pedal all I get is a clicking sound (a small click about every half second).  My LEDs dont light up and neither effect works at all.  The sound mutes except for the continuous clicking.

Anyone ever heard of this? 

Here is the exact layout I used.  The only difference is that I didnt use a hookup for the 9v.  I simply left both of thoe wires out- could this be causing this?

[madbean]

Your wiring diagram looks fine. Can you explain what you mean by "I didnt use a hookup for the 9v"...are you talking about the battery?

Any chance you could have wired the actual DC jack incorrectly?

[youngstownguitar]

Yes there is a chance I wired everything incorrectly lol.

When I say 9v I do mean the battery- sorry. 

I did also want to add that I tried it with my one spot and it made all the other pedals that were hooked up to it turn off.

As far as the DC jack goes, I wired it just like the diagram (minus the wire for the battery).  I could be confused about the ring, sleeve, and tip for the DC jack tho.  I used the largest chrome piece as the sleeve and then the furthest hookup from that as the tip.  And nothing hooked to the center hookup.  I realize that may not be clear- I used this picture as a guide basically:

[youngstownguitar]

Thought I would post more info:



 The situation:  The pedal bypasses the signal fine.  When I engage either side of the pedal the signal is muted and there is a clicking sound every half second or so.  Neither LED lights up.  When I use a one spot as soon as I hook the pedal up all the other pedals on the one spot turn off.

 The pedal is 2 different circuits on one enclosure.  Both PCBs are from madbean- a zombii V.4 and a slambox V.3.  It is my third pedal build, the first two worked fine.

 I used all suggested parts.  The only thing I did different to the the layout is that I left the 2 wires for the battery off as I dont like batteries.



I hooked up the one spot to the DC jack and tried measuring some voltages but nothing moved the meter at all.

Pics:  
(I need to add here that my soldering work leaves a lot to be desired)

[jkokura]

Sounds to me like your power is going to ground. Do your LED's light up when you engage the pedals? How have you connected the grounds and power supply to the boards and LED's?

Also, I'm not sure by your description, but you may have hooked your power jack up backwards. So you're clear, from the image you posted above.

The sideways tab is the 'tip' of the jack, and should be connected to GROUND

The upper tab is the 'sleeve' of the jack, and should be connected to +9V. In this case, you should have both circuit boards connected here in Parallel, not in series. The LED's should be connected here too, but you may have connected them from board connections, which is totally fine and probably preferred.

The rightmost tab, below the upper tab is the 'ring' of the jack, and should be connected to nothing. This is where you would normally connect your Battery clip's red lead. Since you have no battery, this should remain unconnected.

If that's already correct, I recommend you take a look at this: http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=902.0

Follow the steps for trouble shooting I outline there, and use a DMM to get yourself some power readings.

jacob

[youngstownguitar]

Sounds to me like your power is going to ground. Do your LED's light up when you engage the pedals? How have you connected the grounds and power supply to the boards and LED's?

The LEDs do not light up, no.  I have connected the the grounds and power supply exactly as the layout I posted shows.  

Also, I'm not sure by your description, but you may have hooked your power jack up backwards. So you're clear, from the image you posted above.

The sideways tab is the 'tip' of the jack, and should be connected to GROUND

The upper tab is the 'sleeve' of the jack, and should be connected to +9V. In this case, you should have both circuit boards connected here in Parallel, not in series. The LED's should be connected here too, but you may have connected them from board connections, which is totally fine and probably preferred.

The rightmost tab, below the upper tab is the 'ring' of the jack, and should be connected to nothing. This is where you would normally connect your Battery clip's red lead. Since you have no battery, this should remain unconnected.

Yes, thanks, I believe it to be connected as you say.

If that's already correct, I recommend you take a look at this: http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=902.0

Follow the steps for trouble shooting I outline there, and use a DMM to get yourself some power readings.

jacob

Thanks for the link.  I tried getting some power readings.  I hooked the DC jack to my one spot, inserted a guitar cable into the output jack, and then grounded my DMM to the input jack.  I got no readings at all tho.  Stranger still, I noticed that as soon as I hook up the one spot to this pedal it stops all power going to the other pedals on the one spot.  I doubt the trouble is the one spot- I have never had it do this before.

Thanks again for trying to help.

[rowland1]

I'm not smart enough to know for sure, but could the Zombii have positive ground with PNP transistor? If so, that could cause some trouble. That might also explain the trouble with the One-spot. I have this problem with my PNP Rangemaster clone.

Since Madbean and jkokura didn't mention this I assume the Zombii is neg ground. But could an error in assembly lead to reverse polarity? Like I said I'm not an expert, so will defer to others for confirmation on this.

[youngstownguitar]

I'm sure that would cause issues but I'm pretty certain the zombii and slambox are both NPN. 

[jkokura]

Actually, the zombii does use pnp transistors but it still runs on +9v. Be careful not to confuse positive ground and +9v or -9v. Most pedals, including the zombii, run on +9v. A few like some fuzzes run on -9v. Pnp transistors are not what determines this. Check the build docs for info, madbean always makes it clear if it is -9v pedal (so called "positive ground).

One thing that might help is to disconnect power from the circuit, and then do a continuity test between the 9v in and the ground on both circuits. If your power is leaking to ground, it would cause your problems. I'm quite certain this is your problem, or at least your first one.

Jacob

[youngstownguitar]

Ok I will try that- thanks.

Im sure you're right- I think I may have several problems here.  I think my grasp has exceeded my knowledge.  Plus I found out I'm not very skilled with soldering/lead dress.