3dpdt LED wiring issues !!! HELP NEEDED!!!

[Lalope]

Hi ! I am build a kill/tuner switch pedal but I have some issues with the 3dpdt swithc wiring concerning the DC power supply.
The power supply I have is negative on center pin, the onboard pcb I have purchased has all grounds together so the aluminium enclosure is also grounded...
The LED is not properly wired I think.... here is some pics.
Maybe I will have to change the female DC jack with one in plastic to be isolated from chassis ? and maybe solder the ground (negative DC) directly on the LED leg ?







Thanks !!!

[thermionix]

Maybe I will have to change the female DC jack with one in plastic to be isolated from chassis ?

Yes.

[Lalope]

Whatabout the soldering of the LED leg to the negative wire from DC input jack?

[Slowpoke101]

I am about to ask a dumb question.
You are aware that LEDs are polarised?
The anode would connect to the series current limiting resistor on your board and the cathode connects to ground through the board's ground connection.
The type of DC connector that you have is a pain. You could wire it so that the centre pin is positive but you would also have to rewire your power supply to match. And remember that it has been modified well into the future. The first warning that you would have that you had forgotten is the copious amounts of smoke coming out of that expensive new pedal that you just bought.
Fully insulated DC connectors are available and I do recommend that you get some. It may save letting the magic blue smoke out of something expensive.

If you connect power to this switching unit with that DC connector installed you will short out your power supply. With the power supply's connector plugged into the DC connector the outer positive contact (the sleeve) of the power connector will be connected to the grounded enclosure. If you disconnected the DC negative wire from your ground points and then connected it directly to the LED's cathode wire then, yes, the LED will probably work. But the enclosure will still be connected to the power supply's positive line. If the power supply is powering other items that connect via any audio cable plugged into this switching unit then the power supply will still short out.

Since you are only trying to power an LED, why not remove the DC connector until you get an insulated connector and use a 9 volt battery ?

[Lalope]

Yes I am aware of the LED polarity, I noticed there could probably be a short out problem with the DC power connector...
Here is a detailled shceme of the PCB board I got... my main question is how/were to solder the wire of the negative pole of the DC supply....


I have to tell I would like to light the LED when not bypassing the signal to tuner....
Maybe I will have to use a 3dpdt switch without the PCB....

[GGBB]

First - as already mentioned - you must use an isolated DC jack.

Second, the switch PCB is designed to turn off the LED when the effect is bypassed. Since in your case tuner out is the "effect," and you want to LED on when the tuner out is off, you need to make two changes to the official wiring for that PCB. Connect the tuner out to the "JO" connection, and connect the output jack to the "BI" connection.

It looks like that is what you are trying to do, but I can't be sure from your pictures because it doesn't show everything clearly (behind the PCB) and it looks like there is no connection to the output jack tip. Also it looks like there is an unconnected end of a black wire - if this is the negative pole of the DC supply it should be connected to GND.

If you've done those things correctly, it will work.

[Lalope]

Ok I got he fact that my DC not isolated is a crap.... 

It's ok also for the output to connect to the tuner for the off LED position.... thanks

The negative connection of the DC is connected to all the grounds (and chassis ) on the PCB (cf- pic, in pink) ...., would it be ok when I will got the isolated DC connector.
Maybe I could disconnect the signal ground from the PCB and only connect the jack's grounds together....


Thanks for your past and future replies !
N

[GGBB]

The isolated jack will have no connection to the chassis. You only need to connect ground (center pin) to GND - as you've shown - and power (barrel) to +9V.

[Lalope]

I understand that the connector is isolated from chassis but as it will be connected to ground of the PCB and as the female 6.35 jack are also grounded and connected to chassis, it will be as if the negative DC was connected to ground ?! (the 3 ground connections on PCB are connected together, the signal and DC are not separated as I understand....)
Regards

[GGBB]

I understand that the connector is isolated from chassis but as it will be connected to ground of the PCB and as the female 6.35 jack are also grounded and connected to chassis, it will be as if the negative DC was connected to ground ?! (the 3 ground connections on PCB are connected together, the signal and DC are not separated as I understand....)
Regards

Yes that is fine.

[Lalope]

Thanks everyone for your advices, I will purchase a DC isolated connector and it will be ok...., the switch without led works well and the test with a 9V battery works also...

[Lalope]

Well.... I still have an issue....despite the isolated DC connector, the LED ligths when I plug a jack from the Tuner in any input or in contact of the sleeve with the chassis ?, a jack not connected to the tuner dont allow the LED to light...
What's the problem ?!!!

[sominka]

Work i out....

[Lalope]

Work i out....

Sorry ?!

[Lalope]

Here is my wiring now...

[GGBB]

Here is my wiring now...

Follow the instructions I gave above - you need to swap BI and JO in order to have the LED off when the tuner out is switched on. Also make sure you don't have tips and sleeves mixed up on any connections.

[Lalope]

[/quote]

Follow the instructions I gave above - you need to swap BI and JO in order to have the LED off when the tuner out is switched on. Also make sure you don't have tips and sleeves mixed up on any connections.
[/quote]

Yes I noticed for the switching of BI and JO, I will do it in a second time, because my main issue is that the LED is always on when I plug the TUNER.... what kind of mistake can make this happen ? you talked about tip/sleeve mixed up but I dont think there is such a think in my assembly...
Regards

[antonis]

Yes I noticed for the switching of BI and JO, I will do it in a second time, because my main issue is that the LED is always on when I plug the TUNER....

GGBB tells you that should be done in a first time...

Your LED is always ON due to permanent (not switchable) connection between its Cathode & GND..
(check LED (-) and GND continuity for both switch positions..)

[Lalope]

Sorry, it's me again....

this time I did all you told to me:
- I installed an isolated DC connector with negative in center pin
- I switched the wires on BI and JO connections
- I tested the LED on/off with the 2 switch position : it is OK, the LED works well
- I checked the femalle jack connectors, all grounds are sleeve and signal are tips connected

The problem comes here:
- When I connect either the tuner or the distortion pedal (connected to power supply) on the outputs, the LED turns immediately off, even when using the switch. With an unconnected jack there is no problem with the LED when plugging in the outputs....

I guess it is a ground issue from the other pedals or tuner, or something like this but I can't find how to solve the problem....

Thanks for helping.



GND are black wires
JI is red wire
BI is red wire
JO is white wire
DC +9V is red wire
Jack connectors and 3dpdt switch are grounded to chassis

[GGBB]

The problem comes here:
- When I connect either the tuner or the distortion pedal (connected to power supply) on the outputs, the LED turns immediately off, even when using the switch. With an unconnected jack there is no problem with the LED when plugging in the outputs....

I don't understand the second sentence. Do you mean that it works fine with cables connected to the out and tuner jacks but not connected to any pedal at the other end? In that case, you probably have a reversal of polarity somewhere. Connecting a pedal will connect the ground of that pedal and its power supply to your pedal and its power supply ground. If that is actually power, then power is shunted directly to ground and of course no current will flow to the LED. This could melt something - don't do it. Without power connected, connect your distortion pedal to the out jack or tuner jack, then use your meter to check for continuity between the ground of the distortion pedal (jack sleeve) and the +9V terminal on the PCB, then the GND terminal on the PCB. If you have continuity at +9V then you've wired something wrong. If not and you have continuity at GND, it's probably the DC jack or possibly the power adapter (not sure if you have one adapter split to supply all pedals or separate adapters).

It could also be a faulty switch or solder, so check that each lug in the middle row connects to the corresponding lug on the top row in one switch positioin and the bottom row in the other switch position - never both (or none).