footswitch wiring, no DC, no LED (beginner)

[m7b52000]

I have built a pos ground PNP germanium fuzz face that I would like to put in an enclosure with neither DC nor LED. I would normally prefer DC but in view of the long battery life (without LED) I can put up with the environmental concerns this time..

The wiring is confusing me enormously. I have successfully boxed up prev builds for DC pedals but I can't find a simple schematic for battery alone with footswitch and jack switching of power. Can anyone help?

[bluebunny]

Just remember that ground is ground is ground.  So your jacks are still wired up the same: the enclosure will be ground, as usual.  The only thing is you're switching the positive (red) lead from the battery on the ring lug of your input jack.

It might also help to visualise a bipolar power supply - which is what the rest of the planet uses for their electronics.  Because putting a bipolar power supply in a teeny guitar pedal would be quite ridiculous, we live instead in just the "top half" of that bipolar world - so our circuits live between ground and the positive supply rail.  The difference with "positive ground" circuits is that we occupy the lower half: between ground and the negative supply rail (the black battery connection).

[m7b52000]

Thanks, I have wired up a DC version and I understand the concept of common ground, pos in this case. My main concern is wiring up a stereo jack so that power is turned on only when an input jack is present.

[antonis]

My main concern is wiring up a stereo jack so that power is turned on only when an input jack is present.

Wire it as below:
(2PDT switch should be 180^o reversed for visual convenience but it's just a raughly modified scheme..)



Input Jack Sleeve & Ring form a ground (Battery -) open switch in the abscence of IN plug..
In your case (positive ground), just exchange red & black clip wires..

[m7b52000]

Thanks. So the only route to ground (pos in this case) is via sleeve to ring when input jack is inserted? So far so good. Isn't there an alternative route to ground in your diagram via the black ground to output sleeve wire? I feel that I should omit that. I usually do but there is even more reason to do so in this case?

cheers

[antonis]

Isn't there an alternative route to ground in your diagram via the black ground to output sleeve wire? I feel that I should omit that. I usually do but there is even more reason to do so in this case?

Of course you can omit it but ONLY in case of your Output jack is grounded via metal enclosure and Input jack sleeve/ring..!! 

P.S.
It's a good idea to always ground Output jack likewise to prevent GND loose thread/nut/enclosure splicing..