BMP Not working

[DeusM]

Hey guys. So. I finished a circuit but it's not working. I still can't make a circuit that work so instead of trowing to the trashed I tough that maybe there is still hope.
My guess is that I made a mistake placing the noise reduction portion of the circuit  (c14 and D15) near the output stage. It's not like in thes chematick. It's on the other side. I say it's my guess beacuse when I turn the volume down the led increases its brightness.

So, I only got sound when it's bypassed, the led starts brightning not instantaneously when the circuit is on (nos so slow but you can see it's bright and then it kinda goes a little down) and also when it's bypassed the sound comes up kinda slow too. So I hope you guys can help me.

I made a mistake in the circuit so I cut the negative side of C15 and cut the leg of R25 that is on the negative side and added a wire so it all goes to a leg in the 3PDT.

EDIT: When soldering I notices the solder was giving me some electric shocks sometimes (I solder with no shoes touching the ground. Is that ok?) I noticed it was starting to doiig it once it was on for more than 5 minutes perhaps. I read that static could burn Transistors so maybe thats what happened but the LED changing brightness is weird too. I touched my table legs everytime I soldered a trnsistors leg but I missed the last one and also I noticed a shock when it was soldering one so again I'm not sure if i meeded up one transistor. It was the ouput stage transistor too.

[antonis]

@Mat: PLEASE !!! Check asap your soldering iron grounding !!! PLEASE !!! 

If it's of portable type, without ground wire, dismandle it and check for wire cuts/short/insulation... PLEASE..!!! 


P.S.
I'm yelling at you now to be able to also yell at you in the future..

[vigilante397]

You weren't soldering with the effect plugged in, right? I have to ask because it happens. Sorry.

[DeusM]

I decided to throw it and start again. I's easier and I made a lot of mistakes. I redesigned the circuit so it doesn make too much noise now neither from the voltage input nor the switch.

@Mat: PLEASE !!! Check asap your soldering iron grounding !!! PLEASE !!! 

Yes, you are right. I think I'm an idiot for soldering with my feet touching the ground and specialy here in my country ground connections are often missed. Thanks for letting me notice that.
And it's ok that you yelled at me 
Oh, I figured out that disconnecting the soldering when you are about to solder and discharging it is  a good solution.
By the way, the transistors are fine. Im amazed by how much they actually can handle (heat and static)

You weren't soldering with the effect plugged in, right? I have to ask because it happens. Sorry.

And no, I wasn't soldering with the effect connected 
I'm going to start over so I'm going to close this threat. Thank you guys!
I hope the third one is the right one.

[antonis]

Oh, I figured out that disconnecting the soldering when you are about to solder and discharging it is  a good solution.
By the way, the transistors are fine. Im amazed by how much they actually can handle (heat and static)

An even better solution should be the permanent discharge of soldering iron..
(either straight or via a wrist-band - you can also use your bare feet with a 1M resistor...  )

By the way, the transistors are fine. Im amazed by how much they actually can handle (heat and static)

Cheap devices usually can stand much more stress than far expencive ones (like yourself..) 

P.S.
About BMP, I agree with your choice about total circuit rebuild in case of many prototype errors..

[DeusM]

An even better solution should be the permanent discharge of soldering iron..
(either straight or via a wrist-band - you can also use your bare feet with a 1M resistor...  )

The problem is that here in Argentina, ground connections are often missed (welcome to the third world  ). It sucks, specially when you try to play with distortion pedals and you hear the radio signal more than your guitar. So I think wrist-band would be useles beacuse they need gound conection right?

I redesigned the pedal and now I reduced the noise and the pop a lot! Noticed a couple of things I didn't read anywhere like connecting the negative of the filter caps closer to the negative sources improves noise reduction but only for the cap.

[antonis]

The problem is that here in Argentina, ground connections are often missed (welcome to the third world  ). It sucks, specially when you try to play with distortion pedals and you hear the radio signal more than your guitar. So I think wrist-band would be useles beacuse they need gound conection right?

Maybe you can find a metal water pipe somewhere around..
(or even hammer a stainless-steel nail on a plastic water pipe - hermetically sealing it, of course, unless you desire a full grounded floor.. )

[DeusM]

Maybe you can find a metal water pipe somewhere around..
(or even hammer a stainless-steel nail on a plastic water pipe - hermetically sealing it, of course, unless you desire a full grounded floor.. )

I dont fully understand how that works 

[antonis]

I dont fully understand how that works 

Metal water pipe is in conduct with water and also with earth..

Plastic water pipe "insulates" water (hence earth) so you need earth accessibility, via a humble nail bridge..

P.S.
On plastic water pipe case, make sure for regular water company bills payment.. 

[EBK]

I dont fully understand how that works 

Metal water pipe is in conduct with water and also with earth..

Plastic water pipe "insulates" water (hence earth) so you need earth accessibility, via a humble nail bridge..

P.S.
On plastic water pipe case, make sure for regular water company bills payment.. 

I don't see how you could make a low-impedance path to ground in your plastic pipe scenario. 

[DeusM]

I dont fully understand how that works 

Metal water pipe is in conduct with water and also with earth..

Plastic water pipe "insulates" water (hence earth) so you need earth accessibility, via a humble nail bridge..

P.S.
On plastic water pipe case, make sure for regular water company bills payment.. 

Ohhh! Now I get it. I was thinking of a pipe, but like, not the one in the wall, just one piece of it lie next to me. I dont know how to say it.

[antonis]

I don't see how you could make a low-impedance path to ground in your plastic pipe scenario.

Hopping for water leakage to ground..

[antonis]

For God's shake, Mat, DON'T drill your house walls searching for water pipes..!!! 

Use any conveniently placed near to you metal surface/object/pipe/whatever connected someway to ground..
(e.g. radiator/heater/lightning rod)

Or get into trouble to build your own workbench ground via a wire to ground barried metal rod..
(with plenty of salt around rod..)

[vigilante397]

I lived in a lovely part of the world that didn't believe in grounded plugs too, but the exception was our stove. It was the only grounded plug in our apartment, so I was able to run a wire from that to use as earth ground. Not my favorite way to hook up an amplifier, but one does what one must for tone

[DeusM]

For God's shake, Mat, DON'T drill your house walls searching for water pipes..!!! 

Hehe. Don't worry. I wont.

I lived in a lovely part of the world that didn't believe in grounded plugs too, but the exception was our stove. It was the only grounded plug in our apartment, so I was able to run a wire from that to use as earth ground. Not my favorite way to hook up an amplifier, but one does what one must for tone

In my case is not the tone but avoiding the church radio that is one block away from here that drives me crazy anytime I want to practice.
Any tip on how to check ground conection?

[vigilante397]

In my case is not the tone but avoiding the church radio that is one block away from here that drives me crazy anytime I want to practice.
Any tip on how to check ground conection?

Look at the plug: two prongs or three? If it's three you probably have a ground. Do you own a multimeter? If so UNPLUG THE APPLIANCE FIRST then set it for connectivity/resistance. Put one probe on an exposed metal surface of the stove chassis, then check all three pins with the other probe, see if there is a connection. Alternatively: some plugs will even have a ground symbol (like or similar to the one below) on the plug molding itself.

[PRR]

You can have a grounded plug and an un-grounded outlet. It may be a 3-hole outlet but lack any wire to the 3rd hole.

I had an entire kitchen done that way. Oddly there were green wires, properly bonded at fusebox, but at the outlets they had been cut-back, not connected. Took a couple days to pull enough green out to connect properly. (MANY other faults found...)

For Life Safety, I strongly advise GFI/RCB protection. Ground Fault and Residual Current breakers DO trip faster than you can die; I've proven that a couple times. They are commonly available in US and UK, many other places. In-wall but also portable cord-plug outlets. They do not need a functional ground to detect that current is leaking out of its proper path (maybe through you). I do not know if they are common in Argentina or what the local name is.

They do nothing for buzz and radio reception.

[PRR]

Permanent mount RCB with Argentine outlet:
http://www.internationalconfig.com/icc6.asp?item=84225-30HG
That is a US seller so that may not be how it is called in Argentina; may even be not-legal for some reason.

They are apparently required in Brazil; however not the same outlets and some difference in wiring convention (and the language!).
"Brazil - - Since NBR 5410 (1997) residual current devices and grounding are required for new construction or repair in wet areas, outdoor areas, interior outlets used for external appliances, or in areas where water is more probable like bathrooms and kitchens."

Hmmmm.... my Spanish is muy mal(?) but I think I found a datasheet for Disyuntor de corriente residual (RCCB). However that one is much too BIG for a human, more to protect a large house from gross faults. I suspect that a workbench/human RCCB will be specified as 16A and 30mA.

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disyuntor  plain breaker, won't protect you
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interruptor_diferencial  differential (RCCB/GFIC) safety breaker

That type of DIN-rail breaker is widely used in UK and EUR, and widely available in eBay and other global markets. I have two 1A (no GFI) on my furnace assist fan bought from (probably) China). But this becomes a 3-language problem, and also often a payment and *TAX* problem.

[PRR]

Argentinian essay on PROTECCIÓN CONTRA ELECTROCUCIÓN (robot translation to English)

[DeusM]

Thanks guys for all the data!
Here in Argentina ever house has a Diferencitial Breakear. What I meant is Like PRR said. Some sckets have 3 holes but they may be lacking theconection in the 3rd hole. Honestly I'm not sure if thats the case here in the place I'm living now. I'm not very good at figuring out where the noise comes from.