How to get rid of clicking noise

Bassman203 · #1 06-12-2009, 05:26 PM

New question at bottom!

I just made a pedal using a momentary push button to work as a kill switch. Not so much on pushing down, but definitely on pulling up, there is a clicking noise. Is there anyway I can get rid of this? Is it just due to poor connections and I should re-solder?

niftydog · #2 06-14-2009, 08:37 PM

How does the kill switch work? ie; how have you wired it?

You might try some resistors at the input and output jacks to keep the impedances constant even when the switch is pressed.

Bassman203 · #3 06-15-2009, 07:43 PM

okay, I'll try that, but will it require a 9 volt power source then? That would probably make it a lot more complicated if it does.

I just have the input jack sleeve running to the switch, running to the output sleeve, and the input ring running to the output ring

Bassman203 · #4 06-15-2009, 07:50 PM

also, instead of creating a new thread,

Is it necessary to have a diode when using an ac adapter to protect the pedal from polarity reversal? One site said it was necessary, and a guy at radioshack said the adapter probably already insures it (because dc doesn't alternate).

niftydog · #5 06-15-2009, 11:19 PM

No power required - just the resistors. Bare in mind this is just a bit of a guess - I have not tested the theory. You might also try a high value resistor across the switch contacts. Again, just a bit of an informed guess.

You didn't mention exactly what the switch does!? Does it ground the signal or does it open circuit the signal path? I suggest you look at the various methods on this page.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassman203

Is it necessary to have a diode when using an ac adapter to protect the pedal from polarity reversal? One site said it was necessary, and a guy at radioshack said the adapter probably already insures it (because dc doesn't alternate).

Rule 1: Never, ever, ever, ever, ever listen to what a Radioshack employee tells you.

Rule 2: See rule 1.

Now, by "ac adapter" I assume you mean an adapter that outputs AC. If that's the case, then the word "polarity" has no meaning - it's out of context. AC by it's nature is not polarised.

If you mean an adapter that outputs DC, then a reverse-polarity protection diode can be useful, but it is not strictly necessary.

Bassman203 · #6 06-19-2009, 11:03 AM

I'll try messing around with some resistors and see what works, though the site you posted says there will almost always be a popping noise. They also said that with distortion the popping isn't noticeable so I might mess around with that. The switch I have is a N.C. momentary push button. When pressed down it opens the circuit and stops the current.

I meant outputs DC. Radioshack had no diodes that wouldn't drop the voltage so for now I'll make the pedal without reverse-polarity protection (this is a different pedal, not the kill switch) and next time I have enough stuff I want that it's worth paying shipping for it I'll order some diodes that won't drop the voltage.

UncleFluffy · #7 06-19-2009, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassman203

I meant outputs DC. Radioshack had no diodes that wouldn't drop the voltage

If you find some, let me know. You'll probably be up for a Nobel Prize

(All diodes drop voltage - there has to be a potential difference across the terminals for the diode to "know" which way the electricity's flowing).

Bassman203 · #8 06-20-2009, 09:10 AM

I had a response to this when my power went out

Basics were I misunderstood something I found online in instructions for making some pedal when they said that you could use a certain germanium diode instead of the one that was recommended if you didn't want the voltage to drop .6 volts to mean that the germanium diode would not drop the voltage instead of it would drop the voltage less.

Glad I have talkbass to fix my mistakes and help me when I'm confused while I try to learn all about electronics/pedal making

UncleFluffy · #9 06-20-2009, 09:56 AM

Yes, silicon usually drops 0.6V and germanium 0.2V.

WayneS · #10 06-20-2009, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niftydog

Now, by "ac adapter" I assume you mean an adapter that outputs AC. If that's the case, then the word "polarity" has no meaning - it's out of context. AC by it's nature is not polarised.

Just to clarify a little... AC is constantly switching polarity. 60 times a second in the US.

cheapbasslovin · #11 06-20-2009, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niftydog

Rule 1: Never, ever, ever, ever, ever listen to what a Radioshack employee tells you.

Rule 2: See rule 1.

Sigged

RTL · #12 06-20-2009, 12:18 PM

Do you guys think that any of these solutions would help with the clicking sound my jaw makes when I eat?

WayneS · #13 06-20-2009, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RTL

Do you guys think that any of these solutions would help with the clicking sound my jaw makes when I eat?

Believe it or not, there is a solution for that. Just follow my instructions...

1. Cut the power cord from a lamp.

2. Cut the covering off to expose the two stranded, copper wires inside of the cord.

3. Affix the exposed copper to a 1 inch square piece of duct tape. There will be two pieces of tape, one for each wire.

4. Attach the duct tape to your skin, just under the ears where the joint of the mandible is.

5. Insert the plug end of the wire into an electrical outlet for 10 seconds. Do this five times or until the clicking stops.

DISCLAIMER:
As much as I hate to state the obvious, I know that there are incredibly stupid people in this world. Not to say any fellow TBers are one of them. Anyway... THIS IS A FACETIOUS RESPONSE. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ATTEMPT THE FARCITIES DESCRIBED ABOVE.

This can KILL you. It probably wouldnt but it would hurt like HELL.

Did I mention that this could KILL you?

RTL · #14 06-20-2009, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WayneS

Believe it or not, there is a solution for that. Just follow my instructions...

1. Cut the power cord from a lamp.

2. Cut the covering off to expose the two stranded, copper wires inside of the cord.

3. Affix the exposed copper to a 1 inch square piece of duct tape. There will be two pieces of tape, one for each wire.

4. Attach the duct tape to your skin, just under the ears where the joint of the mandible is.

5. Insert the plug end of the wire into an electrical outlet for 10 seconds. Do this five times or until the clicking stops.

Will it work if I use the power cord from something else? My mom says that if I cut the cord on the lamp, I'll spend an eternity in sinful darkness. I don't know what that means, but I'm not about to make baby Jesus cry some more.

obsession600 · #15 06-20-2009, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WayneS

Did I mention that this could KILL you?

But you did say it probably wouldn't, right?

niftydog · #16 06-21-2009, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassman203

...the site you posted says there will almost always be a popping noise.

...Radioshack had no diodes that wouldn't drop the voltage so for now I'll make the pedal without reverse-polarity protection

Yup, as I mentioned earlier there's several causes of TB pops and most are difficult if not impossible to avoid.

All diodes have a voltage drop. BUT, in the application of reverse-polarity protection this is not a problem. In normal operation, a reverse-polarity protection diode is REVERSE biased - so it doesn't conduct at all and no voltage is lost. It is only when you accidentally reverse the power supply polarity that the diode become forward biased and conducts.

Bassman203 · #17 06-21-2009, 06:25 PM

How would I go about wiring the diode this way? Or are there only certain diodes that do this?

WayneS · #18 06-21-2009, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niftydog

You might try some resistors at the input and output jacks to keep the impedance constant even when the switch is pressed.

The popping is caused by voltage differences at the input stage of the amp. The only way to prevent it is to keep a load on the input. The only way to do that with resistors is to connect them in parallel with the bass output (with the switch in series), but that will cut the impedance of the bass in half.

Bassman203 · #19 07-01-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niftydog

BUT, in the application of reverse-polarity protection this is not a problem. In normal operation, a reverse-polarity protection diode is REVERSE biased - so it doesn't conduct at all and no voltage is lost. It is only when you accidentally reverse the power supply polarity that the diode become forward biased and conducts.

Can anyone explain how you go about wiring the reverse-polarity protection diode so that it doesn't conduct unless the power supply reverses polarity? Do you just put it backwards? Does it need to be in some sort of loop? Are there specific diodes that do this?

WayneS · #20 07-01-2009, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassman203

Can anyone explain how you go about wiring the reverse-polarity protection diode so that it doesn't conduct unless the power supply reverses polarity? Do you just put it backwards? Does it need to be in some sort of loop? Are there specific diodes that do this?

With what you are trying to do you dont need a power supply. Which means you wont need reverse polarity protection.

The only way to keep it from popping is to keep a load at all times on the input of the amp. Unfortunately, I dont know how to do this.