DIYstompboxes.com

DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: nascarbean_97 on August 10, 2011, 05:17:48 PM

Title: Fuzz Factory Problem (Maybe ground.)
Post by: nascarbean_97 on August 10, 2011, 05:17:48 PM
So I got all of my fuzz factory wired up today and when I plugged it in i noticed that it hummed a ton, and another problem I noticed was it let signal pass without power, and it's wired without a switch. When I powered it up it had the fuzz off in the background and was picking up radio (which might be normal  ;) )
It oscillated and everything like a normal FF should. 
Now, my output jack is a stereo switch (it's all I had) so I wired the circuit's output to the prong which connected to the tip connection and left the second prong empty, with the ground connecting with the other jacks ground.
I think the problem could lie in there, with the jacks, but I am a little of a wiring noob. If it is the problem, is there a better way to wire it?
Thanks!
Title: Re: Fuzz Factory Problem (Maybe ground.)
Post by: LucifersTrip on August 10, 2011, 09:29:44 PM
Quote from: nascarbean_97 on August 10, 2011, 05:17:48 PM
So I got all of my fuzz factory wired up today and when I plugged it in i noticed that it hummed a ton, and another problem I noticed was it let signal pass without power, and it's wired without a switch. When I powered it up it had the fuzz off in the background and was picking up radio (which might be normal  ;) )
It oscillated and everything like a normal FF should. 
Now, my output jack is a stereo switch (it's all I had) so I wired the circuit's output to the prong which connected to the tip connection and left the second prong empty, with the ground connecting with the other jacks ground.
I think the problem could lie in there, with the jacks, but I am a little of a wiring noob. If it is the problem, is there a better way to wire it?
Thanks!

there's no problem with that wiring. it's the same as using a mono jack. only reason you wouldn't do that is that stereo jacks are usually a little more expensive

if you're having issues with sound, then:
(http://www.luciferstrip.com/fuzz/debug.jpg) (http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=29816.0)
Title: Re: Fuzz Factory Problem (Maybe ground.)
Post by: nascarbean_97 on August 12, 2011, 10:36:45 AM
Alright.

So when I'm testing transistor voltage, do I measure from the bottom of the board or the top?
Title: Re: Fuzz Factory Problem (Maybe ground.)
Post by: LucifersTrip on August 12, 2011, 02:45:37 PM
Quote from: nascarbean_97 on August 12, 2011, 10:36:45 AM
Alright.

So when I'm testing transistor voltage, do I measure from the bottom of the board or the top?

black lead of dmm to wherever you have ground and the red lead  to the leg of the transistor you are measuring. it is more common to have ground on the bottom, but it could be anywhere you decide to put it

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&cp=9&gs_id=18&xhr=t&q=ground+symbol&qe=Z3JvdW5kIHN5&qesig=FtekPi_LBn62kjJWy6bhyA&pkc=AFgZ2tm65rOzIqbBWsrclVszSRyg0iC_4kadzIixyX9oguArruNYrNUENv7cuh4Y2uQF1HPkLEXR51SaYDB5GRNKaPTPDeN9WQ&biw=1024&bih=618&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi#um=1&hl=en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=ground+symbol&pbx=1&oq=ground+symbol&aq=f&aqi=g3g-m5&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=9569l11580l0l13146l6l5l1l0l0l1l207l600l1.2.1l4l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=5d10e4532172e094&biw=1024&bih=618
Title: Re: Fuzz Factory Problem (Maybe ground.)
Post by: nascarbean_97 on August 12, 2011, 03:05:02 PM
Alright, I'll get to measuring those and other stuff...
Title: Re: Fuzz Factory Problem (Maybe ground.)
Post by: nascarbean_97 on August 15, 2011, 10:51:37 AM
After being built, i can still hear the totally unaffected, clean signal and I can hear the fuzz in the background, then I can hear white noise.
So here's the vero layout of the one I chose:
http://revolutiondeux.blogspot.com/2010/06/zvex-fuzz-factory.html (http://revolutiondeux.blogspot.com/2010/06/zvex-fuzz-factory.html)
I vero'd it and followed the layout exactly.
The germaniums are 58 and 48 hFE instead of ~100 and ~70
It's negative ground like it should be.
Battery: 9.56v
All other voltages: 0v.

I really don't understand that, everything is at zero.

Oh, and it still passes signal with no battery. But there's a loud hum.
Title: Re: Fuzz Factory Problem (Maybe ground.)
Post by: petemoore on August 15, 2011, 07:12:20 PM
  The battery must not be connected to the circuit if all V's are 0.0v.
   Test that there is no shorting between +/- at the battery clip [before power is applied].
  The _ and + can be tested as well to determine whether that each actually connected appropriately, only as the schematic shows.
   This should get power to the rails or detect where the problem lies.
Title: Re: Fuzz Factory Problem (Maybe ground.)
Post by: nascarbean_97 on August 19, 2011, 03:04:50 AM
Alright I'll test those.

I wish I had more time for this stuff, darn vacations!  ::)
Title: Re: Fuzz Factory Problem (Maybe ground.)
Post by: nascarbean_97 on September 01, 2011, 12:01:56 PM
I'm gonna re vero it on the factory de fuzz layout, something just doesn't seem right with this one.