Tag Board layout question.

[steveyraff]

Sorry - just thinking, could it be that socketed resistor on the top column by any chance? It seemed to sit in those sockets quite loosely.

Well, I took away the bridge between Gain 1 and Volume 1 and connected them separately to the Output Sleeve. Then I put a wire from the switches bottom right lug (labled on my diagram as Output) and when I put it to the input ring I got signal for some reason? Well, at least its not smoking now. I get signal but its not fuzz... more like an extremely weak mild fizzle. Maybe because I burnt out the Gain pot that time, no idea!?

[Luke51411]

I would check the cut on the third row 3 holes from the right edge, the one that is by the collector of the second 2n3391. You have 9V at the collector, my guess is that the cut isn't cleanly through or there is a little sliver making a short or possibly a solder bridge there.

[steveyraff]

I would check the cut on the third row 3 holes from the right edge, the one that is by the collector of the second 2n3391. You have 9V at the collector, my guess is that the cut isn't cleanly through or there is a little sliver making a short or possibly a solder bridge there.

I have no idea how you knew that, but to my amazement, that cut had been accidentally bridged with solder. Ugh.

I'm so frustrated with this built now. Breaking that cut didn't actually make much difference. I am just getting the same mild fizzle. Also, none of the pots seem to have any effect at all.

Things I am still unsure about. On my wiring diagram ground goes from bottom right switch lug, to ground on Output on the board. My layout doesnt have output - the only place I can get signal through is by going from this switch lug to the Input TIP lug for some reason!?

It also says Volume 2 to Output. I don't know where this "Output" is?

Is it possible that even when I wire this all up correctly, it will still not work now if I have damaged the Gain pot which was smoking and lighting up?

[Luke51411]

You will probably need to replace your gain pot. Volume 2 should go to the bottom right lug of the stomp switch on the diagram you provided. A good practice (Which I've gotten away from) with veros especially is to check continuity on cuts and between tracks with a multimeter before firing up a circuit.
I would recommend building some sort of test rig for future boards that will allow you to test the base circuit before doing the offboard wiring which eliminates a few possible mistakes. It doesn't have to be complicated, all mine consists of is an enclosure of some sort, can be anything really, cookie tin, hammond enclosure, electrical box etc. Mount 2 jacks in it, connect sleeves together with a wire coming off one of the sleeves for ground and one wire coming off each tip for input and output (I use solid core wire to plug into a breadboard but you could use any wire and use alligator clips) Then you just connect the board input to the the wire coming off the jack you are using as input do the same with the outputs and connect ground to board ground and battery negative then connect battery + to board 9V connection. This probably wouldn't spare you frying the pot in this instance but it can eliminate a multitude of possible errors in wiring and boxing the circuit. Then when you box if it doesn't work, you at least know you have a working circuit and the error is probably somewhere in the wiring. But enough unsolicited advice...

[Luke51411]

I have no idea how you knew that, but to my amazement, that cut had been accidentally bridged with solder. Ugh.

I'm not good with the math or science end of things but as far as I know for stompbox purposes the only thing that will burn a component up like that is shorting full 9v supply to ground (I could be wrong on this) but going from that assumption, my line of thought was to look for a place 9v could be shorted somewhere that would involve the pot. Now, looking at the layout I see that the row 9v is going to has a link up to the same row lug 2 of the pot is on separated only by the cut. That is how I got to that cut possibly being bad.

[steveyraff]

I have no idea how you knew that, but to my amazement, that cut had been accidentally bridged with solder. Ugh.

I'm not good with the math or science end of things but as far as I know for stompbox purposes the only thing that will burn a component up like that is shorting full 9v supply to ground (I could be wrong on this) but going from that assumption, my line of thought was to look for a place 9v could be shorted somewhere that would involve the pot. Now, looking at the layout I see that the row 9v is going to has a link up to the same row lug 2 of the pot is on separated only by the cut. That is how I got to that cut possibly being bad.

Still, great foresight to see that so quickly. I am still getting used to all of this. I am really determined to make this work, but its just really frustrating me. It's 10pm here so I've called it quits and poured a beer instead. I can't really continue until I wait for another Gain pot to arrive now anyway. It's ordered. *SIGH*.

Thanks so much though Luke - you've been tremendously patient and helpful with all my queries. Really appreciated it.

[WhiskeyMadeMeDoIt]

Stick with it.  These are the learning pains we all go through.  You will have failures and successes. You learn more from the failures. When you finally get this working you will have a better understanding of what is happening. 

[steveyraff]

I think this is working now.

... I think. I have a wire that seems not needed anymore, and its confusing me lol

I have put Volume 2 to the bottom right pole of the 3PDT as someone here told me to do. However, the wiring guide I followed said a wire should go from that bottom right pole to the output. If I put a wire from there and touch any of the output jack lugs, it cuts sound off completely. Without it, it seems to work fine. Maybe its because Volume 3 is going to output anyway?

No idea. I presume its working, it sounds a little weird to me, but I think it is supposed to. Very buzzcutter, razor fuzz and thin. Turning the attack up full seems to beef it out again but then the fuzz sounds less obvious. Probably just how it is.

[Luke51411]

The middle lug of the volume pot is the output of the board.

[steveyraff]

Ah gotcha - so when the bottom right lug is supposed to be attached to the output, it actually already is by being attached to the volume 2 lug. I see.

Steep learning curve but it was a good exercise in off board wiring. I really want to fully understand it so that future builds becoming easier. Many thanks to you and everyone else for the help along the way.

Cheers.

[Luke51411]

No problem! You'll get it down. There are many ways to wire a stomp switch the best thing to do is pick one and stick to it, after a while you will be able to wire it up without looking at the layout.

[steveyraff]

Hey guys,

Another question (trying to keep them all together on this thread).

I am doing a little vero board AMZ booster. It calls for a 100uF cap, a 3u3f, which I have. But it does not say which way around the positive and negative legs go. Can someone tell me how I work out the orientation of this?

Many thanks!

(See layout here: http://tagboardeffects.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/amz-mini-booster.html )

[peterg]

The shaded side of the 100uF is the negative side. The 3.3uF is non-polarized according to the schematic.

[steveyraff]

The shaded side of the 100uF is the negative side. The 3.3uF is non-polarized according to the schematic.

Sorry - I should have been more clear.

I know how to tell the polarity of polarised caps. I only have polarised caps and it seems this schem calls for non polarised. Can i still used polarised and if so, how will I know which way to orientate them? I have just sockets both and I'll built it and then I guess just try various ways  ? ?

[peterg]

The second last paragraph should help:
http://www.muzique.com/tech/mini-a.htm

[steveyraff]

The second last paragraph should help:
http://www.muzique.com/tech/mini-a.htm

Brilliant, thanks!

Still no idea what to do about this polarised 100uf cap though 

[deadastronaut]

Ahh the magic smoke.....fried pot.

Yep 3 2 1 looking at the back of the pots...

tips.

use different colour wiring..

test the effect outside of the box, without the footswitch

this makes sure it works and limits debugging to just the board.

make a cardboard template of how your pedal will be...then cut wires to length, solder...

Makes builds a lot easier to assemble, and neater wiring too..

[peterg]

The second last paragraph should help:
http://www.muzique.com/tech/mini-a.htm

Brilliant, thanks!

Still no idea what to do about this polarised 100uf cap though  

The vero layout you are working from shows the 100uF cap's negative side shaded. The The positive leg goes to +9v via the 100 ohm resistor and the and negative leg goes to ground. It is C6 on the schematic. Have a look at Power Supply Filtering section for an explanation of what this cap does:

http://www.beavisaudio.com/techpages/Caps/