MXR Blowtorch = ZVEX Woolly Mammoth...

can the unit get ruined by lower voltage?

 

I'm doubting that. It would be like saying you could ruin the unit with dying batteries, which doesnt make sense.

I dont think you'll fry anything by underpowering it. There's actually a mod for "battery sag" for pedals out there.

Here's a link:

http://www.deviever.com/fx/forum/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=637

 

Actually I've heard from numerous sources that under-powering the Blowtorch kills it. Most people I've heard this from were trying to use a 9v Adapter.. so maybe 12v is different, but I wouldn't chance it with mine..

 

I run my blowtorch on 9v, no complaints at all!

 

quick question, would runnning 2 battery adapters from a 1 spot work to power this at 18v? also i didnt understand the 2 9volts = 12v output, care to explain?

pompom, running it at 9v, does it change the pedal? i have also heard that running it at 9 v will burn it out. anyone else run it at 9v?

 

I'm sure it was a brain fart...

running circuits at lower voltages will never fry it or break it or anything long term anyways. with lower voltages you will get different sounds, and it might sound like it is dying, but if you hop the voltage back up, it will sound normal again.. you really have to worry when OVERpowering circuits, but underpowering is nooooo big deal! (unless you underpower so much that you have negative voltage, but that wont happen in this case!)

 

Variable powersupply anyone? I really need to draft a small pedal which takes a 9VDC in and outputs 12VDC, 18VDC and 24VDC. That coupled with an optional variable resistor would cover all need for weird power...

 

Heh, go a step further and have it digitally controlled -- preset power!

 

i dont know if there is a way to convert 9VDC upward to any of those voltages... it would be rather easy to convert 24VDC down to any of those though...

this is as long as I know as much as I think I know about this subject

 

Mine WAS ruined by powering it with a 9V adapter. Smelled of burning. Toasted insides, LED stuck on, horrible sound, the works...

The dying battery thing does work (though I would be weary of running it below 12VDC), but don't try running it with a 9V adapter... I fried one Blowtorch like that. And yes, others have done it as well.

WHY it does that is a mystery to me... I've never encountered a pedal like that. I wish I knew why, because it doesn't make any sense. For the record, the power supply I used still works fine and powers anything else with no issues, so I'm certain it was that pedal.

 

Three words: Godlyke Power Pump. It does this exactly (12V, 18V, 24V), and it does work with the Blowtorch (I've used it before).

 

Thats so strange, because the few months that I had mine and used it, I used a 9 volt power from my voodoo power. Im not doubting your case Boo, but that seems so strange. Maybe that power supply just had it out for your blowtorch or something

 

hmmm, I want to know how that pump works...

I also want to know how 9VDC fried your blowtorch... it just doesn't make sense...

looks like the pump decreases current as it increases voltage, its probably very simple how it works... too bad I don't know how! hmmm

 

It does decrease the current. It's a switchable step-up transformer.

They recommend using it only with their Godlyke Powerall, but it'll work with any adaptor.

The preference, of course, is that it's a high-current supply, so you still can have plenty of current available for your 9VDC effects on the daisy chain.

300mA. The Blowtorch doesn't even draw a quarter of that at 18VDC.

I'm tempted to say it was just a fluke, or something wrong with just that one pedal (perhaps most Blowtorch pedals are fine), but it's still the weirdest thing that ever happened to one of my pedals.

 

It's probably done using a step-up regulator, not that hard to accomplish, but it still take some engineering. The only problem is that solution like that cost a lot when they need to shift a lot of power, and they're a pain in the *** to engineer since they usually need an inductor, which all good electric engineering majors knows not to use if it isn't absolutely vital.

 

From the research I've been doing it looks like they are called charge pumps, which is where they got the name for it, lol. I've been trying to figure out how to make them using the internet.