testers

[tsiksmith]

hi guys first time poster here
i am an active member on facebook's diystompboxes (unofficial)
and i would like to know what testers one must have  when building debugging a pedal/circuit
i have already designed some but i would like some opinions before i will show you what they are

[EBK]

You mean, like, test equipment?

Welcome to the forum, by the way!

[tsiksmith]

thank you
not specifically equipment like multimeters and stuff but
testers like the effect tester thats been available to some sites just to make it more clear on what i mean
i have successfully designed an op-amp tester so you can debug the op-amps from a circuit or even test chinese ones from ebay just to see if they work or not

[EBK]

testers like the effect tester thats been available to some sites

Hmm...  Still not quite sure what you mean.  If you are talking about component testers, I have one if these, which is very handy:
http://smallbear-electronics.mybigcommerce.com/peak-atlas-semiconductor-component-analyzer/

[GibsonGM]

Hi Tsik, welcome.

Do you mean like ... a circuit set up as an opamp amplifier, then you put your 'device under test' into it, and it will tell you if the component is good?  Home-made equipment?

I keep a 'flasher' circuit around that pulses an LED with a 555 timer chip, you sometimes need a square wave for whatever use...I have been known to remove the chip and pop in one I am suspicious of.     You could do that with an opamp, dual opamp etc.

Same goes for a generic LM386-based audio amplifier on the bench top...not in a case...so I can test a 386 chip with it...

The audio probe is a necessary and commonly used device.

Once in a great while I may use an "octopus" with my CRO to test components in an older all-analog amplifier or something that a few volts won't hurt.

A simple probe with an LED and ground clip can be used to test if voltage is present above the LEDs turn-on voltage...

Extension cord with a light bulb wired into it for current-limiting when testing big amplifiers...

Other than your DMM, there aren't TOO many other DIY circuits that I've found personally helpful, but there may be some more around that could make life easier, for sure! 

[tsiksmith]

let show you some of my work
i have made a very simple op-amp tester as i mentioned
its really simple you just plug the op-amp in the socket and apply power if the leds illuminate you are good to go simple as that
i also made a bbd tester in which you can determine if your ebay chips are a good or counterfakes
my pcbs are shown here
https://www.facebook.com/grpcbs/

[EBK]

Ah, ok.  It seems you are looking to design more test boards, and you are surveying us to see what would be most useful/marketable.  Is that about right?

[R.G.]

sniff, sniff...
Yep, Erik, I smell a marketing ploy.   

[tsiksmith]

i wont lie for this one yeap its for both reasons
but for me it started as some tools to help debug my pedals and make my life easier when buying crap of ebay
so its not bad to learn what people may want cause i want them as well

[GiovannyS10]

When i have to debug something i essentially use two things:
1. Multimeter
2. Audio Probe.

It should be enough for you troubleshot the most pedals. Sometimes you will need something more specifier - when it happen you will know exactly what to do. If not the guys here will can help.
But be sure that you know what are you doing. Or you will can't see and understood what your probes are saying to you

[Plexi]

When i have to debug something i essentially use two things:
1. Multimeter
2. Audio Probe.

It should be enough for you troubleshot the most pedals. Sometimes you will need something more specifier - when it happen you will know exactly what to do. If not the guys here will can help.
But be sure that you know what are you doing. Or you will can't see and understood what your probes are saying to you

The Audio Probe is very very usefull.
I use one too.

But, to test the "finished" pedal, I use this:


I built in a burned power supply enclosure, power protection diode, LPB 1 at the output, TBP both,with treble mode switchable.