geofex Spyder component rating and build.

[Vipul Nigam]

Hey guys,
Im new to Diystompboxes.com, and this is my first post,forgive me if I sound like a noob.
For my first proper diy build,I was looking in at building a spyder isolated power supply with 8 outputs. I have understood the basic schematic, but am confused with the ratings part of the component. FYI I'm not looking for any online links to parts or part numbers as I am directly sourcing my parts from a local electronic component supplier.
1) I am buying 8 230vac to 12vac transformers.
2) couldn't find db01, will any full wave rectifier do the job? And if yes, is 100v 1A rating suffice?
3) the capacitors in the original design a 220uf and 10uf, what should be the voltage rating of these capacitors?
4) and in the design schematics, I saw that the positive lead is connecting to the centre of the output DC plug, will it work with my boss pedals?
Reply asap!!

[antonis]

1. Yes.. (or 4 X 24VAC center tapped.. or 2 X 48VAC w 3 center taps.. or 1 X 96 VAC w 7 center taps..) - just kidding..

2. Yes..(and Yes - but it's an overkill as long as transformer's secondary is rated at 60mA..)

3. 25V for 220μF and 16V for 10μF.. (bigger doesn't matter..)

4. No.. You have to reverse DC plug wiring..


P.S.
asap enough..??

[PRR]

> my first proper diy build
> Reply asap!!

Your first DIY electronics should NOT! be a line-powered supply.

And should not be "ASAP".

Connecting to wall-outlet power, wrong, can electrocute you or burn down the house.

Please start with a 9V power project. A FuzzFace is always good to have. You can make many mistakes without major disaster.

[digi2t]

> my first proper diy build
> Reply asap!!

Your first DIY electronics should NOT! be a line-powered supply.

And should not be "ASAP".

Connecting to wall-outlet power, wrong, can electrocute you or burn down the house.

Please start with a 9V power project. A FuzzFace is always good to have. You can make many mistakes without major disaster.

+1000

I'm a millwright by trade, with about 10 years of industrial electro-mechanical work under my belt. I didn't try a line powered project until I was about 5 years, and quite a few pedals, and many, many, many questions into the DIY thing.

[antonis]

@Vipul Nigam: In case of not following Paul's recomendations (I also strongly recomend NOT to do so..) please place at least some fuses on mains line...

(1A slow-blow on Hot and Neutral cables for 120VAC or 600mA for 230VAC shouldn't be an overkill - and maybe this will prevent from an accidental kill..)

[PRR]

> place at least some fuses

Someone with uncertain wiring skills can make a mistake on that, possibly disastrous.

Also fuses do little about shock to people.

[Vipul Nigam]

Thank you so much people!! And I'll be using fuses and will take care of proper wiring and heatshrinking the ac input wiring. I have a good and steady hand when it comes to soldering. Let's hope I complete this project successfully!
Cheers! And I'm really impressed by the response time! Thank you so much everyone!

[Vipul Nigam]

Hello people! The transformer I got is for 500ma will the same rating of the capacitors and other components do?

[antonis]

If you mean to use ONE transformer for the 8 individual outputs, 500mA should be limited enough BUT you haven't any ground isolation - which is the exact problem you avoid with seperate secondary windings...

If you mean to use 8 X 500mA transformers, it should be more than enough...

I can't understand your worry about the other components because there isn't any relation between them and transformer's current ability....
Meaning that, the current given by the transformer is the one required by the circuit - 500mA rate the maximum ability (too much simplified but you get the point..)


P.S.
Don't get it wrong but maybe it's time to completely agree with PRR about your adequacy to mess with mains supply..

[Vipul Nigam]

Created my first prototype circuit today. Initially the pedal didn't power. Then I interchanged the main ac input wires to my rectifier and now it's working. Still have to check the output voltage though. Feeling awesome!! Thank you for the help people.

[antonis]

I interchanged the main ac input wires to my rectifier and now it's working.

I don't want to think that you've wired up the rectifier straight to mains line...


On the other hand, if you mean that you interchanged mains wires to transformers primary, it doesn't make any sense...
(unless you've wired Neutral and GND - but it also scares me a bit because you can make two more combinations with one of them almost lethal..)

[Vipul Nigam]

I meant that I interchanged the wires from my secondary to the rectifier.

[Vipul Nigam]

This is new for me, so I'm getting confused with the terminologies. :p

[antonis]

I meant that I interchanged the wires from my secondary to the rectifier.

It still makes no sense..!!!

Propably you refer to cables AFTER the rectifier - to voltage regulator IN and GND..
(and you still have healthy filter capacitor - or not..??)

[Vipul Nigam]

There are 4 wires on the rectifier, two are + and - obviously which is connected to the capacitor + and -, the other two cables with the weird 's' written on then( lol) were hooked wrong. Does it matter BTW how the other two cables on the rectifier are hooked? So much confusion!

[Vipul Nigam]

And yes BTW nothing burned out. I connected it to my boss cs-3 and it was working.

[Vipul Nigam]

My transformer has 2 wires coming out ground and 12v. These two have to be connected to the pins  marked 's' on the bridge rectifier were hooked wrong to the 0-12v cables coming out of my transformer. The rectifier looks like this.

[R.G.]

Those wiggles are the symbol for AC sine waves. That's where the secondary AC from the transformer goes to be rectified.

Please, please be careful and read again the warnings you have received about the dangers of working with AC power line voltages. This isn't worth dying for.

[bluebunny]

This is new for me, so I'm getting confused with the terminologies. :p

Does it matter BTW how the other two cables on the rectifier are hooked? So much confusion!

And yes BTW nothing burned out.

I am scared sh!tless about your safety.  Seriously.  If *any* tiny part of this is "confusing", then you're just a step away from killing yourself.  Or someone else.  As Paul noted, fuses will do nothing to save you or anyone else from death.  No-one here is being condescending with their advice.  When we use words like "dying", "death" and "killing", we're being - ahem - deadly serious.  Please be very careful.  If you want to mess with something that's "confusing", then build a random distortion pedal with more than two knobs, but keep away from the mains.  Please.

[R.G.]

Actually, this is making me rethink even leaving the Spyder up at geofex. No warnings are ever enough for all people.

It kicked off the whole power brick line of products, so it's served its purpose, and may well be more of a threat to safety than a service to DIYers.