HELP!! DIY PROJECT, needs help

cathal · #1 08-16-2007, 12:49 PM

I am building a DOD 250 pedal

this is my first build

i have soldered everything and hooked it all up

but the LED is on all the time and there is only sound when it is bypassed

here are some photos to help (sorry for the quality

)

please give me any help or suggestions you have

thanks

cb

bongomania · #2 08-16-2007, 01:05 PM

Well, first thing I would do is re-check the connections to the footswitch, and make sure you're adjusting correctly if there is any difference between the switch you're using and the one shown in the plans/schematic you're using.

Also, make sure none of those component legs is touching each other.

cathal · #3 08-16-2007, 01:15 PM

thanks

ive just checked and there are no touching components

ive checked the footswitch and still it is the same

ive even disconnected the footswitch and there is no sound but an LED on

343 Salty Beans · #4 08-16-2007, 01:29 PM

Check your footswitch connections with a multimeter beep test to ensure the footswitch isn't faulty. If it's not that, then it could only be attributed to faulty wiring, methinks.

cathal · #5 08-16-2007, 01:38 PM

ive taken the footswitch out and tried it and it still dont work

so it is the wiring...

could it be something to do with grounding as i have not grounded anything properly

bongomania · #6 08-16-2007, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cathal

could it be something to do with grounding as i have not grounded anything properly

Yes, that might have something to do with it. All voltage is relative to ground; no ground at some at some part of the circuit = no voltage there.

sonicvi · #7 08-16-2007, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cathal

ive taken the footswitch out and tried it and it still dont work

so it is the wiring...

could it be something to do with grounding as i have not grounded anything properly

well, yeah, if you don't ground everything that needs to be grounded then there's a good chance it's not gonna work.

cathal · #8 08-16-2007, 01:48 PM

if i dont have a case where can i ground it too?

(sorry for the noob questions :s)

bongomania · #9 08-16-2007, 02:03 PM

Try connecting all of your ground points to a single wire; then connect that wire to the ground pin of your output jack. That way everything is grounded to your amp, and presumably thence to the earth of your house via the power line.

sonicvi · #10 08-16-2007, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

Try connecting all of your ground points to a single wire; then connect that wire to the ground pin of your output jack. That way everything is grounded to your amp, and presumably thence to the earth of your house via the power line.

Don't forget to ground your input jack as well.

aborgman · #11 08-16-2007, 02:07 PM

...and your ground side of your power supply.

--
aborgman

cathal · #12 08-16-2007, 02:08 PM

where do i ground the input jack to??

metalmariachi · #13 08-16-2007, 02:10 PM

I was going to suggest connecting all grounds to one wire to output jack. Except th battery ground put it to the input jacks (stereo jack?) ring or ground if a mono jack.

Connect both jacks grounds together.

MM

cathal · #14 08-16-2007, 02:59 PM

i have tried all that and still no sound

all i can hear is the crackle sound of the pots when i twist them

cathal · #15 08-16-2007, 03:10 PM

i have tried all this but still there is no sound

when i switch the effect on and off the led stays on but there is no sound at all

Vin_MM_Sabre_79 · #16 08-16-2007, 03:23 PM

Hearing scratchy pots means that you are getting a signal between the pot and the output. HOORAY for that. Your problem is somewhere in the first part of the circuit.

I'm betting its in the switch wiring. You using a 9 pin 3pdt? Get that working first. If your LED is on all the time than it sounds like you've got a short somewhere. Are you measuring around the circuit with multimeter?

The best thing to do in this situation is to log on to diystompboxes.com and start a thread there. Make sure you read this first. Its really difficult trying to help out when we dont know much about what you've done.

Sir Edward V · #17 08-16-2007, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cathal

AHHHH is it a monster??

Step 1: double check your schematic with what you did
Step 2: Repeat step 1
Step 3: repeat steps 1-2
Step 4: get back to us

might sound arrogant, but that really is the best way to find what is wrong. You need to check that you put the right resistors in the right places, the right caps in the right places, make sure you didn't reverse the direction of any polarized caps or diodes, etc., etc.

take your time when checking too, don't rush through it

Vin_MM_Sabre_79 · #18 08-16-2007, 03:34 PM

Come to think of it..... I'm going to have a blind stab in the dark and say that you've got your 9 pin 3PDT wired sideways.

PINS:
- - -
- - -
- - -

the switches throw from top to bottom not side to side. Use a multimeter on the diode setting to check.

Sir Edward V · #19 08-16-2007, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vin_MM_Sabre_79

Come to think of it..... I'm going to have a blind stab in the dark and say that you've got your 9 pin 3PDT wired sideways.

PINS:
- - -
- - -
- - -

the switches throw from top to bottom not side to side. Use a multimeter on the diode setting to check.

::sigh:: he took the switch out. and wired it up without the switch. it didn't work. its not the switch.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cathal

ive taken the footswitch out and tried it and it still dont work

Quote:

Originally Posted by cathal

ive checked the footswitch and still it is the same

ive even disconnected the footswitch and there is no sound but an LED on

sonicvi · #20 08-16-2007, 04:21 PM

Those pictures quite frankly are useless. With wiring on perfboard that's that sloppy it could be just about anything. You need to trace back through your connections. I would clip those component leads too. And why you make everything spaced so far apart? You could make it probably 1/5 the size you have it now if you wanted.