Identity of switch?

[davepedals]

Can anyone tell me what type switch this is?  The markings are: ALPHA and under that it says 1 2 3. It has 6 solder connections and is a CLICK on-off rather than momentary.  Hoping it's a true bypass type!

[petemoore]

  DPDT = Double pole
  *      *
  poles are 'in the middle'
  Here's an SPDT [single pole double throw]
  Throw .
  Pole    *
  Throw .
  It connects one throw to the pole, at a time.
  A DPDT is the same as two synchronized SPST's next to each other:
  .     .
  *    *
  .     .
  Excuse my art, switches look symmetrical.
  The poles connect either to the top throws and not the bottom throws, or the bottom throws and not the top throws.
  Bypass wiring assignments:
  Signal enters the left * [pole] at all times.
  Bypass jumper wire across the top two throws ._. puts the signal straight through the switch and out the right * pole.
  Circuit 'in'...signal still comes in the left pole, but goes out the bottom left throw to the circuit input, the circuit output goes out the right side of the switch through the right throw and right pole.
  GEO has bypass articles.
  Also with DMM and notepad, see which lugs connect, draw them, hit the switch 1 time, repeat.

[Galego]

If it has 6 connections it's a DPDT, if 3 is SPDT. On the other side of the switch it should have a big letter, either L for 'latching' or M for 'Momentary'. If it has 6 lugs and 'L' it's good for true bypass without LED or true bypass with millennium bypass. I only use those switches in my builds.

[deadastronaut]

yep dpdt, seem a much better quality switch imo....with less travel (shaft)...i prefer them now...!.

cheaper too...

[ayayay!]

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=23

[Mark Hammer]

True bypass is what you do with it.  It's not intrinsic to the switch itself.

This switch has 2 sets of 3 contacts.  Each set allows you to select between two alternate connections.  If you were to use one set to select the input connection and one to select the output connection, it could be true bypass.  It would not provide any switching of a status LED, though, unless one did some of the transistor gymnastics referred to by others.  If you used one set of contacts to select between outputs, and the other set to turn the status LED on and off, you would have non-true-bypass switching plus status LED switching.

[davepedals]

thanks for replies!  it came out of a dunlop MXR Bass DI M80, i actually have two of the switches. it is 'latching'.

what i would like to know is how to hook it up using an led. true bypass is nice but not required. i've been searching for a wiring diagram for the orange squeezer comp. o got a pcb from generalguitargadgets.com but so far i can't find a wiring diagram!

i need to put it in an enclosure with an led, switch, and adapter socket.

thanks.

[deadastronaut]

pretty much what mr mark H said ......above...^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


to use that switch for true bypass and with an led you would have to knock up a tiny circuit called 'millenium bypass'...

this allows you to then use an led etc.... check it out in the layouts gallery ok.