My pedal won't turn off!

[hamuelo]

Hi guys, new to the forum - wish I knew about this place when I started my build! What a great community.

I recently built two kits from the fantastic PedalParts.co.uk, the Fuzzrite (doc here: http://pedalparts.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/FuzzRite.pdf) and the Throb Trem (http://pedalparts.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Throb.pdf). I joined both kits and put them in the same box using the below guide (which the very helpful site owner sent me) - though I have the trem in place of the boost.



It went pretty well - no disasters, and it works! Sounds fantastic, both the fuzz and the trem. Can't recommend these kits enough.

BUT - the Fuzz won't turn off properly. When it's on, it's functional - but when I step on the footswitch to turn the Fuzz off, its LED shows a very faint glow, as though it's still getting power from somewhere. I should point out the Trem works fine, and turns off when stomped as it should. It's just the fuzz! Also, it's only when powered via DC jack. When using a 9v battery, it doesn't seem to have the same problem.

So, does anyone know why this might be happening? It's driving me nuts. I've checked the whole circuit top to bottom and can't find anything. I thought it might be some dodgy ground wiring, so I redid all the board ground connections and that did seem to help a little. So could it be a grounding issue?

Thanks so much for any and all suggestions/advice!

Cheerio,
H.

[Jdansti]

The diagram doesn't show how to connect a battery. Do you have the circuit wired so it will switch the battery in and out depending on whether a power supply plug is inserted, or are you just testing it with a battery?

[bukas]

this wiring just cant be right as i see it

i didn't see that input is from tip, my bad

try loosing this connection between pins 1 and 2 of 3pdt

[hamuelo]

The diagram doesn't show how to connect a battery. Do you have the circuit wired so it will switch the battery in and out depending on whether a power supply plug is inserted, or are you just testing it with a battery?

The battery is connected to the third pin on the DC jack (left free in the above picture but shown in the respective diagrams for each original circuit, linked further up in my original post) and the middle connector on the stereo guitar input jack, which switches it in and out depending on whether both a power supply or an instrument cable are inserted.

[hamuelo]

this wiring just cant be right as i see it

i didn't see that input is from tip, my bad

try loosing this connection between pins 1 and 2 of 3pdt

Wow really, what would this do? Thanks for the help.

[bukas]

did you ground boards as shown in schematic ? if you did try to ground them at one point ( input sleeve)

[hamuelo]

did you ground boards as shown in schematic ? if you did try to ground them at one point ( input sleeve)

I have a wire coming from every BOARD GND point, soldered together, then a wire from that going to the  BOARD GND pin on the DC jack. Is this what you meant?

Thanks again for the help. Also what would your earlier suggestion of snipping that connection between pin 1/2 do?

[bukas]

when off, effect in is connected to ground this way. i like to use as few parts as possible. fewer parts = fewer bugs

[hamuelo]

when off, effect in is connected to ground this way. i like to use as few parts as possible. fewer parts = fewer bugs

Can you explain a little more about what that would mean? If I snip that it'll not be grounded when it's off? Isn't that bad?

And it's got the trem effect coming after it, would cutting that connection have any effect on the trem's function?

Not questioning your great advice, I just don't wanna blow anything up!

[Jdansti]

this wiring just cant be right as i see it

i didn't see that input is from tip, my bad

try loosing this connection between pins 1 and 2 of 3pdt

Are you talking about the connection between lugs 1 and 4?

[induction]

Does the fuzz sound stay engaged in bypass, or is it just the led?

[hamuelo]

Does the fuzz sound stay engaged in bypass, or is it just the led?

It seems to be just the led but the fuzz might be engaged but just inaudible (as the led is very faint).

And weirdly enough it fades over time. I.e. when you first plug the power in, the led shows very faintly in bypass and then fades to nothing after about a minute or so (though still works fine when engaged). This worries me! Why the heck is it doing this?!?

Cheers for the help

[bukas]

yes i ment 1 and 4, and if led fades out after some time it sounds to like there is some capacitance between led and ground

[hamuelo]

yes i ment 1 and 4, and if led fades out after some time it sounds to like there is some capacitance between led and ground

Eep, that sounds bad. How do I locate and fix that? What's likely to cause it?

Thanks a million for all the advice.

[induction]

The fuzz and the led are separate circuits.  It's unlikely that there's anything wrong with the fuzz itself. It remains powered even in bypass.  Your problem most likely only involves the led circuit.  Can you take a few closeup photos of the led and switch so we can examine the wiring and look for problems? It's hard for us to help very much otherwise.

[hamuelo]

Can you take a few closeup photos of the led and switch so we can examine the wiring and look for problems? It's hard for us to help very much otherwise.

Okay WOW - I just fixed it. The legs of the LED were touching the LED bezel, causing the problem. Gave the led a little jiggle - no light. Let it go, the light came back.

I found this by moving a wire to the side to take a clear picture for you! So you inadvertently solved my problem! Thanks!

So instead of pictures of my build, here is a picture of my cat!

THANKS TIMES A BILLION!

[Jdansti]

Glad you got it solved, but judging by the look on your cat's face, it appears that there is still something wrong with the sound. 

BTW, I use heat shrink tubing on the LED legs to insulate them.  If you don't have any heat shrink tube, you can use a piece of insulation stripped from a wire as long as it can't slide off of the LED legs.

[hamuelo]

Glad you got it solved, but judging by the look on your cat's face, it appears that there is still something wrong with the sound. 

BTW, I use heat shrink tubing on the LED legs to insulate them.  If you don't have any heat shrink tube, you can use a piece of insulation stripped from a wire as long as it can't slide off of the LED legs.

Yeah I have been religiously heatshrinking everything from the very start of the build. But guess what was the one bit I missed? 

[R O Tiree]

What a handsome feline

[duck_arse]

I can see the cats' shoes, but where are its legs gone?