Powering the PT-80 Delay

[Frostbite Slim]

I'm looking forward to building this pedal. This will be my first attempt at DIY projects. Is it possible to build a PT-80 that use a 9v battery for power? I don't want to rely on a wallwart.

Also, is there a layout that shows how to wire up a 3PDT switch rather than using the Millenium Bypass?

[smallbearelec]

A first pedal, whatever you choose, should be built exactly as spec'd. Neither the PT-80 nor any other delay would be a good choice--too many components, and too many opportunities for mistakes.

As to running the PT-80 from a 9-volt source, even if you could rig a voltage converter to do it, I suspect that the curent drain would be too much for a 9-volt battery.

You'll be happier, I think, if you pick something less complex and start to get your construction chops. The PT is maybe pedal number three...

Steve Daniels
smallbearelec.com

[Mark Hammer]

Unless you have some hidden competence (i.e., "first time at DIY projects" actually means "I've built home security systems and single-board computers, but it's my first time doing anything analog related to music"), Steve's advice should be heeded.  Hell, even the suggestion that the PT-80 could be a third project is giving you a whole lot of leash ("Okay, first learn to ride the bike today, and you can drive the Maserati on Thursday").  Of course, that is a measure of just how huge and tightly woven the safety net has gotten for folks just starting out these days.

As nice as it is to have so much advice and "talk-throughs" from the many colleagues and soldiers you have here, far better to start with projects where the outlay is less and the probability of success higher.  Even when they appear to magically just "work" from the get go, do not underestimate how much you will learn about packaging and construction preferences/skills from those first few ho-hum projects.  In that spirit, if it is an effect you can see yourself using a lot, and for a long time, far better to build it when you've figured out how to make a pedal that is reliable, professional in appearance, and built for functionality.  Cut your teeth on the stuff you're only mildly interested in.

If you have an uncle/aunt with free crates of 9v alkalines, then plan around battery power.  The current drain on this particular pedal with likely not give more than 10-15hrs life out of a heavy duty 9v alkaline.  If you can live with that, fine, but it is a nuisance to constantly change batteries even when you can afford to.  I realize there is a certain inconvenience to using a wallwart, and even a certain risk involved that might make you timid (after all, how many things have 9v batteries "blown up", right?).  Regrettably, some categories of effects just take more juice and a wallwart is the price we pay for loving them - kinda like a high maintenance girlfriend.

[wui223]

First project: Fuzz face, TubeScreamer, RAT or Big Muff
Second: Rebote Delay 2 on Tonepad
Third: Phase 90
Fourth and so on... : Anything like Flanger, Filter Sample and Hold..

For me, i am in second stage.  

[cockaroacha]

You can set up the PT80 with two 9V batts to produce the required 18v or so.  but you'll still eat up batts, given the power drain from this unit. whether you have enough room in your enclosure for two batteries or not is another thing entirely. I'd probably look at getting a 15v-18v wall wart to run this on a regular basis.

I'll have to second (or third, or fourth) the advice to build a couple of other effects first, this one's a bit complex for a first-timer.  the PT80 was my third build after a tubescreamer & orange squeezer. I was lucky enough to have the first two projects fire up with no problem. but the PT80.... Ugh. I've got some bad clock noise (ticking) that I haven't got around to troubleshooting, but when I ignore the ticking, it's a great-sounding delay. doing the build is easy enough for a first-timer, but the necessary troubleshooting is tough on a complex circuit. and you WILL have to troubleshoot, even a simple build.

another thing. the electronics are the EASY part of building stompboxes (assuming that you're just building from existing schems, like most of us, I suspect). shoehorning them into little hammond boxes and getting them to look good & professional, now that's a real PITA!

[boogietube]

DON'T DO IT!!  BUILD SOMETHING ELSE FIRST. !!! It was mt first DIY attempt as well. Damned thing still doesn't work! I wasted a lot of time and money on that one. Try a fuzz or booster or the EA Trem first. They all worked for me- first shot. I guess now that the cat's out of the bag , I'll have to get the PT-80 running. Damn!

[boogietube]

As far as the 9 Volt thing , I think that the modification is detailed in the notes on the project on the last page. Removing a regulator etc. I built the one posted at General Guitar Gadgets. There is also a wealth of bypass switching options in the tech pages section about different bypass methods.

[WildMountain]

As a newbie myself, I must join the rest of the guys.
It's very frustrating when you try to build something and it doesn't work. Especially if you're not sure the problem is somewhere on your pcb/perfboard or somewhere in the offboard-wiring that you don't understand how to do the right way yet. Of course I'm only speaking from personal experience now .
My first project was an MXR dist+ that cost me a lot of trouble to get working right. After that I tried a Sparkle Boost, which is much simpler, but this worked the first time I fired it up, and it sounded great! So much more fun and rewarding. I am working my way up to more complex builds graduately: Sparkle Boost -> Ruby Amp -> AMZ mini boost -> Orange Squeezer -> BSIAB. For the last 3 I used RTS PCB's which save me a lot of hassle. I built the BSIAB in just one night.
I still have a Green Ringer, EA Tremolo and a Blue Magic waiting for me, but I'm confident they won't be a problem for me. Now who would've thought that a couple of months ago.
This way you can build great-sounding effects without too much frustration. You'll be ready for more difficult projects soon enough (at least I hope I will be: my to build list is getting quite long already).
Sorry for the lenghty post, just hope to save you some frustration.

[stankyfish]

The PT-80 was my first build.  While I did actually get it working, after I moved on to a Fuzz Face I must have asked myself a dozen times why I didn't start with an easier project for my first build.  Some of the issues I ran into building the PT-80 almost scared me out of building my own pedals.

Definitely start with something easy that you have a good chance of building right -- the things you'll learn will definitely help you with more complicated pedals.  For example, the first time I used the "audio probe" to troubleshoot a pedal it was with the PT-80 -- not an easy pedal to troubleshoot compared to a boost or a fuzz face.

Also:

another thing. the electronics are the EASY part of building stompboxes (assuming that you're just building from existing schems, like most of us, I suspect). shoehorning them into little hammond boxes and getting them to look good & professional, now that's a real PITA!

Amen, amen, amen, amen, amen.  While my PT-80 works, it doesn't work when enclosed in the box because I've crammed things in so tight that components on my PCB are shorting when I screw it closed -- so I need to redo the whole case piece.  Another reason to start with something like a fuzz face or booster where you have a nice, small PCB and significantly more room to fit components in.

[jsleep]

Frostbite,

Now that everyone has scared you off ;-) the answer to your question is that it works on 9v, and actually sounds pretty good to me.  I believe it does pull a lot of current, so a power jack and external power supply is recommended.  I used the little charge pump board on my site to bring it up to 17 volts from a 9v supply and it sounds magnificent.  Also note that the power immediately hits 12v & 5v regulators, so 15 volts (or more) will work fine.

Hope that helps.  I _would_ recommend an easier project for a first timer, but I've actually seen (thru emails ) at least three guys sucessfully do complex projects as a first time DIY project.  Blows me away, but I think you gotta be some kinda freakin' genius to do that ;-)

JD