Add Standard Negative Tip DC Jack to ProCo Rat

[natron_mn]

Wondering if I'd be able to install a normal negative tip DC jack in a ProCo Rat? I'm not sure if switching from a positive tip to a negative tip would require a total reconfiguration of the circuit, or if it is a simple swap?

[vigilante397]

It's a simple swap. Take the positive connection from the original jack and connect it to the barrel (sleeve, whatever you want to call it) connection on the new jack, and the negative connection from the old will go to the center connection of the new. Piece of cake, and now you can use one of the greatest pedals ever created (in my humble opinion) with any standard power supply

[Kipper4]

Don't forget to relabel.

[jimilee]

It's a simple swap. Take the positive connection from the original jack and connect it to the barrel (sleeve, whatever you want to call it) connection on the new jack, and the negative connection from the old will go to the center connection of the new. Piece of cake, and now you can use one of the greatest pedals ever created (in my humble opinion) with any standard power supply

I'm pretty sure there's more to it than that. Don't you have to reverse all of your polarity caps?


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[Tony Forestiere]

Shoot. Looks like an old EHX style 1/8" plug. Easily adaptable. No cap flipping needed. If you are using a daisy chain, I have found this to be less trouble:
But then, I am lazy.

It's a simple swap. Take the positive connection from the original jack and connect it to the barrel (sleeve, whatever you want to call it) connection on the new jack, and the negative connection from the old will go to the center connection of the new. Piece of cake, and now you can use one of the greatest pedals ever created (in my humble opinion) with any standard power supply

Yup. 

[vigilante397]

I'm pretty sure there's more to it than that. Don't you have to reverse all of your polarity caps?


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Absolutely not. You're not changing the polarity of the whole pedal, just the jack. The circuit board will not notice any difference. You will still be getting +9V where you should have +9V and ground will still be ground. You're just changing the jack.

[thermionix]

^Yes.  Assuming the new DC jack will be isolated from the enclosure.

[natron_mn]

^Yes.  Assuming the new DC jack will be isolated from the enclosure.

What do you mean? Put a plastic spacer between the jack and the enclosure so as to not create a ground loop?

[thermionix]

Most new "2.1mm" DC jacks you'll see are plastic on the outside, and already isolated.

http://smallbear-electronics.mybigcommerce.com/2-1-mm-all-plastic-round-dc-jack/

or

http://smallbear-electronics.mybigcommerce.com/dc-power-jack-all-plastic-unswitched-2-1-mm/

You don't want one that's going to connect + to the enclosure (ground), if you have one that's metal on the the outside (threaded part) you'll need to isolate it with nylon washers or something.

[bloxstompboxes]

I built my first pedal and tube screamer with a metal dc jack that I had to wrap in electrical tape to isolate from the enclosure. Hated it the whole time. Finally shoved that mess that was in a 1590BB into a 1590B and I am so much happier. Swapped out the jack too, of course.

[vigilante397]

An excellent point, I would definitely recommend a plastic jack as linked above instead of a metal one. Do you already have a new 2.1 mm jack you were planning to use?

[ashcat_lt]

What do you mean? Put a plastic spacer between the jack and the enclosure so as to not create a ground loop?

Not ground loop, dead short that could kill a poorly-protected wallwart.  I don't know that it will hurt the Rat itself any, except maybe to burn the jack.

[natron_mn]

An excellent point, I would definitely recommend a plastic jack as linked above instead of a metal one. Do you already have a new 2.1 mm jack you were planning to use?

I have a few all plastic dc jacks. I do not have a RAT, though. I was going to purchase one if I could add a standard jack to it, and it sounds like I can!

[thermionix]

What is this "purchase" you speak of?

[natron_mn]

The purchase was in reference to a RAT. I was going to buy a used RAT on Reverb or something, but first wanted to know if the dc jack was a simple swap.

[Tony Forestiere]

What is this "purchase" you speak of?

I think you (OP) are being goaded into rolling a Rat of your own. 

[vigilante397]

Owning a RAT is super cool, but it's true the RAT is not a very complicated build. I stopped counting how many I've made  but the RAT will always have a place on my pedalboard.

[natron_mn]

I've built a couple of RATs too, and I should just order another pcb to build one.