LED Won't Work

[nic]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forums so I'm not sure yet how this one works and what people expect so I apologize if this is the type of forum that has "search nazis" that hate when people post questions that have been answered a lot. I did search a little but I guess I didn't find what I was looking for.

Anyway, here's my problem. I just built a Way Huge Red Llama clone from GGG (which sounds AWESOME by the way), but my LED won't light up unless I touch the negative lead on the led (or the lug on the footswitch where that lead connects to). I tried resoldering each end of it with no luck. It still only works when i touch it. However, the effect itself works fine all the time.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!



edit:: I got the LED to work now when I smack the pedal around a bit. But the LED turns on (after I smack it) whether the effect is on or off. I'm not real sure what that means.

[maarten]

Is the footswitch itself working properly? Is the connection from the switch to ground allright?
Maarten

[bluesdevil]

Welcome!!
Yeah, sounds like the LED negative is intermittently shorting to ground on the switch and maybe a cold solder joint there as well. Make sure none of footswitch lugs are shorting together where the LED negative wire meets ground lug there.

[bluesdevil]

.... and check to see if your LED  isn't shorting to the enclosure, which is grounded.

[nic]

ok, i may have figured it out. let me know if this sounds right. and thanks for all the replies by the way.

i took my multimeter and checked for continuity on the switch. on both of the outside sets, I have continuity among 2 poles when i switch the switch either way. (in other words like it should). However when i check for continuity in the center poles, i don't get it at all no matter which way it's switched. and obviously i cant shake it or smack it while i'm testing, (i only have two hands though a third or fourth i often ask for) to see if it is something in the switch.

so what do you think? bad switch or are the center poles supposed to not work...

[bluesdevil]

If you're able to bypass the effect with the footswitch, it's working like it's supposed to. Besides something shorting out on the LED leads you could check the continuity of the ground wire running from the footswitch. Place one probe at the footswitch ground lug and the other at the circuit ground point.

[nic]

maybe this will help. the green boxes have continuity and then i can switch it and the red boxes have continuity, however, the blue and purple boxes never have continuity. And the reason I still have a bypass sound is in the jumper, i believe. Does that make sense? Is it the switch thats the problem or am i completely missing something?

And sorry for the mess in the box, I never finished dressing it all.

You guys are great. Thanks for all the help so far.

[bluesdevil]

I take it it's the grounded input footswitch wiring?
Ummmm.... I think you miswired the input jack wire. That short yellow wire should be connected to the bottom center lug, not bottom left. The black wire that's there where it should, would be wrong too...... better go back to the General Guitar Gadgets site and look at the footswitch diagram.
   I'll try to find the link and post here for easier reference for all.

EDIT: Here it is:
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/diagrams/switch_lo_3pdt_ig_dcjack.gif

[nic]

that's interesting. I'll try it. This is what i was going off of:

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/pdf/ggg_whrl_instruct.pdf

[bluesdevil]

Yeah, rewire the whole switch like the link I sent...... works for me every time.
Hope that does it. Please post back with results.

[nic]

Now the LED works properly but the effect doesn't work unless I give it a good smack. Pretty much the same deal. Here is the other schematic I was working off of:

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/pdf/ggg_whrl_lo.pdf

[bluesdevil]

If you're having to move it around to get it to work intermittently, you definitely have a loose wire or component, if not a short.  I would reflow the solder at the wire ends that meet the board and at the controls/jacks.
   Also I would recommend not smacking it around, but manually move each wire while strumming the strings to help pinpoint the location of the loose connection.
                    Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!