Led turns off when power-plug is inserted - microamp build

[Theo]

Hi,

Just made a microamp guitar from the generalguitargadgets site...
with both battery and power-plug options..

Works fine with the battery but whenever i plug the dc-jack to the effect. the led turns off.

I've used this plug


to board + and battery - : ive set to ground
To board + : ive set through a resistor and to the led
to battery + is set to the red + wire of the battery

What am i doing wrong?!

The effects works fine on battery..

thanks alot
Theo

[zpyder]

Do you have a multimeter?

If so, plug your 9v adapter into the wall and plug it into this jack.  Then use your multimeter to check the voltage on the lugs of the jack.  You may find that you've just got the wrong poles soldered together.

[QSQCaito]

I think you're missing the connection of the anode of the led when the dc jack is connected.If im not wrong you should have two wires throught the + of the led, one incoming from the battery, the other incoming from the dc jack.. or somehitng similar

[mikey]

I think it's because you're using a non-insulated jack.  The + is shorting out on the chassis of your pedal.  You need a different jack or insulate the one you have.

[petemoore]

  Ps's like that can be confusing.
  If your jack is connecting to the box and the box is Gnd, make certain the barrel isn't what you're using for +, otherwise { + = - } and shorting can occur.
  I'ts can be hard to tell [and even harder to see from pics to type about] which wire goes where when the jack connections are unknown, essentially, what is shown on the schematic must be found in the physical pedal and circuit, [except you 'can' add the box's ground for shielding...another 'depending' item, this time on what type of in/out jacks are used.]
  Here's a suggestion, using a DMM, verify exactly what all connections the DC jack makes with the DC plug inserted and removed, this includes battery and checking for shorts across the power supply rails.
  If you're using the barrel for V+ and that connects to the metal enclosure which is grounded...V+ would be shorted to ground.

[Theo]

I think it's because you're using a non-insulated jack.  The + is shorting out on the chassis of your pedal.  You need a different jack or insulate the one you have.

Argg your right!

"Stupid uninsolated jack, be more funny" - Homer Simpson

And i even took care this time to make the build as slick as possible

It looks pretty imposible to insulate that peice...guess ill have to order the plastiq variant which looks to be insulated

edit:

I suppose i should use this type instead:? this is insulated right?


Thanks for your help guys

Theo

[MartyMart]

I bought some of those "many moons ago" and just use them in my "plastic box" builds !
.... no need to waste them eh ! ?

MM.

[mikey]

I think it's because you're using a non-insulated jack.  The + is shorting out on the chassis of your pedal.  You need a different jack or insulate the one you have.

Argg your right!

"Stupid uninsolated jack, be more funny" - Homer Simpson

And i even took care this time to make the build as slick as possible

I made the same mistake my first build.  I thought "man those big black dc jacks are ugly.  I'm gonna use a nicer one."  Whoops!

[Theo]

I've now got the damn thing pretty insulated untill i have to order a new batch...

Another thing though..

Im getting a fair amount of pop's when switching the microamp.. would a pop-resistor on the input/output help? or?

Im using the generelguitargadgets circuit

Thanks for the help
theo

[petemoore]

  If you have a 'dangling' capacitor...ie an input or output capacitor may need a 'small drain' [pulldown resistor or resistor between it and ground, on the outside of the DC blocker caps, which are also the input output caps.]
  Look for a path to ground from input / output caps, usually a largeer-ish [say 1meg or 4m7] or small resistor will drain faster whatever charge these caps can accumulate.
  Instead of releasing the charge as a 'pop' when the BP Switch connects the cap to the next or previous 'thing' in the chain, the pulldown resistor allows the charge to be [slowly/depending how big the value used is and how much charge] drained off to ground.