Can I use solder to connect a broken copper circuit?

[bifbangpow]

I've noticed that despite my batatery testing well, when I test the positive lead on the power jack it reads around 1v rather than 9.  How could something be going wrong between the battery and the power jack?

[PRR]

> How could something be going wrong between the battery and the power jack?

Lack of power ground connection.

[Jdansti]

If there were a power problem, you should still get clean sound on one of the stomp switch positions; however, if there's a ground problem, that could affect both the power and the clean signal. 

You should check for continuity of all ground points with your meter. With the meter set to continuity or resistance, touch the meter's probes together and watch the display. This will tell you what to look for when you have continuity. Then place one probe on the NEGATIVE battery lead and place the other probe on each point where you should have a ground connection. Your meter should indicate continuity at each ground point. If one or more ground points does not have continuity then correct it.

Sometimes I try this quick check: Connect a temporary jumper wire between the sleeve lugs of your in/out jacks and toggle the stomp switch back and forth and see if you get sound in either position. It's not as thorough as checking every ground point with a meter,  but I always have alligator leads on my bench and it's a very quick and easy check.

[Cozybuilder]

I traced your circuit, and have the following comments: (I used JD Sleep's 1999 schematic for component numbering)
1) The offboard wires from the component side, wires on left, top to bottom should be wired as follows:
     black 1- ground
     black 2- ground
     yellow 1- Sustain pot lug 1
     orange 1- Fuzz switch lug 1
     purple 1- fuzz switch lug 3
     blue 1- lower Balance pot lug 2 (board is R7 33K)
     orange 2-top Balance pot lug 2 (board is R8 33K)
     purple 2- Volume 3
     purple 3- LED +
     Red- +9V
     blue 2- Sustain pot lug 3
     yellow 2- top Balance pot lug 3
     blue 3- 3PDT Ckt INPUT
     white- Sustain pot lug 2
2)  Are the two 33Ks (R7, R8) wired together at the trace leading to C4 (47nF)? They should be
3) The transistors (Q1-Q4) are set up for EBC orientation on the board (top to bottom) looking at the component side, off-board wires to the left.  If you are using 2N5088 or 2N5089, these are all installed upside down.
4) Q5 and Q6 are simply wired for clipping, and assuming they are bipolar transistors, just require the middle leg to be the Base. (E and C are tied together).

I hope this is helpful.

Edit- #3 is incorrect- I had it upside down. Sorry.

[bifbangpow]

So I made a THIRD circuit board yesterday. This one was perfect. absolutely no hairline fractures that I can see.  I've never made such a perfect board. I wired it up and.... nothing. The pedal didn't even get power. I've resoldered every joint so many times it's baffling. Now I'm resorting to trying switchig out fresh new off board components. Starting with the 50k Linear dual gang potentiometer. Now since I'm leaving no stone unturned this time around, I've got to ask is there a trick to wiring up to straight lugs? This dual pot doesn't have round lugs with holes in them, so much as just 6 straight peices of metal to solder to.

Also, if anyone else can think of what might be wrong at this point please let me know. I've built many Maestro Fuzz clones from this exact layout and yet I can not for the life of me get this one to work.

[J0K3RX]

Here's what ya do... Forget the bypass switch, power jack, LED etc.. just connect a battery +to+ and -to- on the board, wire the input and output directly to the in and out jacks and see what you get.

[bifbangpow]

If there were a power problem, you should still get clean sound on one of the stomp switch positions; however, if there's a ground problem, that could affect both the power and the clean signal. 

You should check for continuity of all ground points with your meter. With the meter set to continuity or resistance, touch the meter's probes together and watch the display. This will tell you what to look for when you have continuity. Then place one probe on the NEGATIVE battery lead and place the other probe on each point where you should have a ground connection. Your meter should indicate continuity at each ground point. If one or more ground points does not have continuity then correct it.

Sometimes I try this quick check: Connect a temporary jumper wire between the sleeve lugs of your in/out jacks and toggle the stomp switch back and forth and see if you get sound in either position. It's not as thorough as checking every ground point with a meter,  but I always have alligator leads on my bench and it's a very quick and easy check.

So before reading this I replaced the dual pot and the switch with brand new ones, and rewired. Then I took your advice and tested for continuity on all the ground points. Everything beeps so I assume that means they are all grounded properly.  Now i get clean sound, but the LED doesn't light up and I don't get any sound when the fx is activated.

[bifbangpow]

...
2)  Are the two 33Ks (R7, R8) wired together at the trace leading to C4 (47nF)? They should be
...

What do you mean by "wired together"? the r7 and r8 are in their respective spots on the board, and if i look at the copper side their traces do connect to each other and one leg of the C4.  So if thats what you mean then yes.  Maybe I need to put a picture up of my latest board and wiring.

[bifbangpow]

There is one spot now on the switch that should be grounded and wont beep on the continuity. I've resoldered it multiple times and I can't get a continuity reading.  And this is on the brand new foot switch with a brand new wire.

also. If im supposed to be able to get a continuity reading when touching the red probe to resistors that connect to ground on the pcb I am not getting any.

This is madness. I've aged 5 years in the last two days.

[Jdansti]

Don't let it get to you! This will get easier as you do more.

Regarding the ground on the switch, the only lug that should be grounded is one of the middle lugs that connects to the negative side of the LED when the switch is toggled "on".

Regarding grounds on your board, are you testing with one probe on a known ground such as the negative lug on your power jack and each location on the board where there is a connection to ground without going through a component?

[deadastronaut]

Here's what ya do... Forget the bypass switch, power jack, LED etc.. just connect a battery +to+ and -to- on the board, wire the input and output directly to the in and out jacks and see what you get.

DO THIS^ BEFORE YOU ADD SWITCH /LED ETC...

connect grounds (-) to your jacks too..this is to test it works before you add everything else,
this will tell you if your circuit is working first...e.g. less to troubleshoot. good luck, you'll get there,..

[bifbangpow]

Don't let it get to you! This will get easier as you do more.

Regarding the ground on the switch, the only lug that should be grounded is one of the middle lugs that connects to the negative side of the LED when the switch is toggled "on".

Regarding grounds on your board, are you testing with one probe on a known ground such as the negative lug on your power jack and each location on the board where there is a connection to ground without going through a component?

Thats the thing I've built like 30 pedals and still have issues like this constantly.

correction: all the spots on the board that go to ground are fine.

current status: @#$%ed if I know.

[bifbangpow]

Here's what ya do... Forget the bypass switch, power jack, LED etc.. just connect a battery +to+ and -to- on the board, wire the input and output directly to the in and out jacks and see what you get.

can you explain this in more detail. I want to be sure I'm doing this right and I'm self taught so I don't 'always have the lingo right.

[armdnrdy]

The leg of the resistor that's connected to ground should "beep."

Depending on the amount of resistance....the other side of the resistor to ground should show a resistance value, (depending on your meter) but won't "beep."

[deadastronaut]

explanation.

here ya go...a picture paints a thousand words etc...



now test,  if it isnt working as it should you will know 100% that there is an issue with your pcb only..

[Ben Lyman]

sorry if this question has been asked already, but do you have a breadboard? It can speed up the troubleshooting or avoid problems altogether, after I solder up a board I run some wires into the breadboard and give it a quick test before I install it in an enclosure.
Deadastronaught has a good pic for you there, that is basically my breadboard test. Don't forget though, depending on what pedal you make, some might require the pots to be soldered in as well.

[bifbangpow]

explanation.

here ya go...a picture paints a thousand words etc...



now test,  if it isnt working as it should you will know 100% that there is an issue with your pcb only..

I'm doing my best to learn this but again as a self taught person still learning a great deal let me see if I understand this photo in practical use as applied to this particular pcb:

I should wire the positive lead from the battery snap directly to the first hole on the top left of my pcb, and wire the negative lead to the last hole on the right (the ground), remove the wires from all other pcb holes,and wire the input and output where?  To help me actually understand whats happening in this photo it would be really great if you could give me instructions that apply practically to this layout:

[Cozybuilder]

BBP-
Using a breadboard for testing your circuit is easy enough- you can mount pots, jacks, switches etc with their wires on a piece of angle, and just plug in all the connections on the breadboard. If you want to test against clean signal or another pedal, just use an AB/bypass box. Heres my thousand words for the card I just finished wiring:

[J0K3RX]

here...

[bifbangpow]

Here are updated photos..

anyone see anything bad?