help with malfunctioning jack

fitz420 · #1 06-13-2010, 01:56 PM

alright, i just bought a pedal built from a guy on ebay. sometimes ill-advised, i know, i just couldn't resist. probably a dumb question but i literally know NOTHING about electronics. if the cord connected to the output jack gets bumped, the signal cuts out. the guy i bought it from will fix it, but i don't wanna have to ship and wait. is there a possible simple solution. it appears, from the outside, that everything is screwed tightly. thanks.

Taylor Livingston · #2 06-13-2010, 02:18 PM

It's impossible to say without being able to look inside. The tip of the jack might be very close to some part on the board, or a grounded piece of hardware, and normally it's just far enough away to not touch, but then when you bump it, it does. Or it could be lots of other similar things. At the very least, you'll need to open it up and take a look.

rratajski · #3 06-13-2010, 02:31 PM

+1 to TL's comment. Look for a loose wire (either unsoldered or has rattled loose of the solder) or a somewhere the ouput jack is able to touch metal as well.

cheapbasslovin · #4 06-13-2010, 02:42 PM

Some closed frame jacks can short out when tightened too tight around the case. If you have jacks that look like they are threaded on the inside and not outside, you could try loosening the nut on the outside a little and see if you get more consistent contact.

rratajski · #5 06-13-2010, 03:41 PM

Gremlins.

Eric! · #6 06-13-2010, 03:44 PM

bump for picture!
with one, it should be diagnosed quickly, probably

fitz420 · #7 06-17-2010, 02:05 PM

alright thanks so much for the help everyone. upon opening it up i realized that the output jack was just barely touching the chassis. i moved the jack slightly and re-tightened and now all is well. i was gonna take a pic but my daughter decided to "give the camera a bath" so i won't have that opportunity till i get some cash. thanks again.

cheapbasslovin · #8 06-17-2010, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fitz420

alright thanks so much for the help everyone. upon opening it up i realized that the output jack was just barely touching the chassis. i moved the jack slightly and re-tightened and now all is well. i was gonna take a pic but my daughter decided to "give the camera a bath" so i won't have that opportunity till i get some cash. thanks again.

It's a good thing they're cute

.

Are the connectors the type that thread from the outside into a sleeve on the inside, with a plastic washer keeping it clean? If so, you may want to find a better way to secure metal to metal contact. A metal washer, a ground wire going from the ground terminal to a ring terminal on a switch, etc. Just sliding the connector over is begging for another failure. If it was a normal nut on an external thread that just needed readjusted, then you may be fine.