DIY Footswitch help needed

maniac mikej · #1 10-25-2011, 12:01 PM

I'm not sure if this is the right forum, so my apologies in advance.

My lead guitarist uses a Peavey Delta Blues amp, and the footswitch that came with it is just awful. It has 2 buttons; one for channel and one for trem (built in). I came up with the bright idea that it might be possible to make an enclosure with 2 stompbox switches to replace the one he has now, power it, and install LED's so he can know whats on or not. Hes the strangest lead player ever, I've never had to yell at somebody for using to little gain (he played Smooth Criminal clean one show. I **** you not)

Is this doable? I'm not too good with figuring these things out, so I figured I would appeal to the electronics gurus on here.

**line6man** · #2 10-25-2011, 12:04 PM

Sure, just so long as your switches have enough poles to do the LED switching.

I would assume that each switch is wired for SPST switching, in which case, a DPDT switch will be fine.

maniac mikej · #3 10-25-2011, 12:06 PM

I think they are, each one only has 3 terminals. the ones i have now are the 3pdt blue switches. Any chance you have a diagram for how to do this?

**line6man** · #4 10-25-2011, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maniac mikej

I think they are, each one only has 3 terminals. the ones i have now are the 3pdt blue switches. Any chance you have a diagram for how to do this?

Sure. But you will have to provide a picture of the original wiring.

maniac mikej · #5 10-25-2011, 12:13 PM

I'll get back to you on that one. It's a trs cable coming in with a jumper between the 2 inner terminals on the haggard switches. Thats all I can remember right now. Ideally I'd like to make the switch in an MXR sized enclosure, laid out the long way, with a switch on either side, a stereo 1/4" jack input to run from the switch to the amp, and the power in from his brick to the LEDs.

maniac mikej · #6 10-30-2011, 12:51 PM

http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/a...-272215131.jpg

The effects switch is closest to the cable coming in, and the channel is the other one.

maniac mikej · #7 10-30-2011, 01:54 PM

so if i could do that with 3pst stomp switches, and add LEDs to each one, wit dc power coming in, that would be ideal

BillyB_from_LZ · #8 10-30-2011, 02:34 PM

Here's a link on a way to do it...courtesy of a google search

Install LEDs in your amp's footswitch

I was hoping that we could take advantage of Kirchoff's voltage law and power the LEDs without a separate supply. The channel switching circuit looks possible, but I'm doubtful about the Tremolo's switching circuit.

Here's the amp's schematic.

maniac mikej · #9 10-30-2011, 02:45 PM

thanks, but thats not really what i'm looking for. i have 2 3pst switches that i want to use to do this. basically im just swapping the old spst switches out for these, and adding LEDs with a separate 9v input. VoodooMan makes one, and i want to just do that basically.

VoodooMan Switches - Peavey Delta Blues Footswitch

BillyB_from_LZ · #10 10-30-2011, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maniac mikej

thanks, but thats not really what i'm looking for. i have 2 3pst switches that i want to use to do this. basically im just swapping the old spst switches out for these, and adding LEDs with a separate 9v input. VoodooMan makes one, and i want to just do that basically.

VoodooMan Switches - Peavey Delta Blues Footswitch

Actually it is...

On Step 10, you can see in the schematic that the double-throw part is needed only if you want two LEDs for the channel switching...one color for clean, one for mean. If you just want an LED to come on when the lead channel is active, you could eliminate the LED for the clean channel.

maniac mikej · #11 10-30-2011, 03:19 PM

I probably should mention that I have no idea how to read that diagram, and they're using dpst switches in the tutorial, i have 3pst

MNAirHead · #12 10-30-2011, 03:36 PM

I have an led pcboArd that does this free pm me if interestef

**line6man** · #13 10-30-2011, 04:29 PM

I'll draw your diagram later tonight.

You need only to apply Ohm's and possibly Joule's Laws to determine the resistor values, given a known supply voltage and LED operating voltage and current.

maniac mikej · #14 10-30-2011, 05:29 PM

thanks line6man. could you please make it readable by somebody in the 4th grade? I can read diagrams, but not schematics and all that stuff

**line6man** · #15 10-30-2011, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maniac mikej

thanks line6man. could you please make it readable by somebody in the 4th grade? I can read diagrams, but not schematics and all that stuff

I'll add labels. I do LEDs and resistors in schematic form in wiring diagrams.

maniac mikej · #16 10-30-2011, 08:45 PM

excellent! thank you very kindly good sir!

**line6man** · #17 10-30-2011, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maniac mikej

http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/a...-272215131.jpg

The effects switch is closest to the cable coming in, and the channel is the other one.

The black wire goes to the common terminal of both switches, is this correct? I can't tell if there is a fourth wire or not.

**line6man** · #18 10-30-2011, 09:56 PM

The "arrow" symbols at the top are grounds. The rest should be pretty clear.

maniac mikej · #19 10-31-2011, 07:09 AM

awesome!!! thank you so much! Since I'm going to be using 3pdt switches, would the extra row of terminals be across the bottom or the top, or doesnt it matter?

maniac mikej · #20 11-01-2011, 06:08 PM

so I wired it up like the diagram said, and nothing. *** did i do wrong?!?! are the 3pdt switches not compatible with this design?