Queen of Bone Troubleshooting - please help

[Subotnik]

I built a Queen Of Bone 2 that has no sound with the foot switches switches either on or off. The LEDs come on though. Can anyone offer some advice on how to debug it?

1.What does it do, not do, and sound like? The lights switch on but there is no sound, even with the switches off.
2.Name of the circuit = Rullywow, Queen of Bone 2
3.Source of the circuit (URL of schematic or project) = https://www.rullywow.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Queen-of-Bone-v2-Build-Doc-REVISED-v2.pdf
4.Any modifications to the circuit? None
5.Any parts substitutions? None
6.Positive ground to negative ground conversion? No
7.Battery voltage? = 9.1v

Here are the IC voltages:

IC1.1   16.6
IC1.2   16.4
IC1.3   2.1
IC1.4   0
IC1.5   8.5
IC1.6   8.5
IC1.7   8.5
IC1.8   17.1
   
IC2.1   8.7
IC2.2   8.7
IC2.3   7.8
IC2.4   0
IC2.5   8.5
IC2.6   8.7
IC2.7   8.5
IC2.8   17.1
   
IC3.1   9.3
IC3.2   5.7
IC3.3   0
IC3.4   -3.1
IC3.5   -3.1
IC3.6   4.6
IC3.7   5.6
IC3.8   9.3

Diodes:
D1 - anode   8.5
D1 - cathode   8.3
D2 - anode   8.3
D2 - cathode   8.5
D3 - anode   8.5
D3 - cathode   8.3
D4 - anode   8.3
D4 - cathode   8.5
D5- anode           8.5
D5 - cathode   8.5
D6 - anode   8.5
D6 - cathode   8.5
D7 - anode   8.7
D7 - cathode   8.5
D8 - anode   8.5
D8 - cathode   8.5
D9 - anode   8.5
D9 - cathode   8.4
D10 - anode   8.5
D10 - K           8.7
D11 - A           8.5
D11 - K           8.5
D12 - anode   8.5
D12 - K           8.5
D13 - anode   9.3
D13 - K          14.3
D14 - anode     14.3
D14 - K          17.1
D15 - anode   9.1
D15 - K           9.3

[Subotnik]

Here are some pics as Ewell.

I should note that I originally installed C22 backwards, but I tested in with the multimeter and the numbers go up, so I guess that means it still works (). I realize that is an imperfect way of testing a capacitor.

I've tried reflowing the joints, but that doesn't seem to do anything new.

[GGBB]

Welcome to the forum. It could be problems with the foot switches. Use your meter to check continuity between the footswitch pins in both bypass and on positions - make sure the witches are making the right connections and not making any others. Also check that there is proper connectivity between the two boards.

[duck_arse]

also welcome - and we'd also like to see your in/out jacks to check your wiring.

[Slowpoke101]

Also, welcome to the forum.

The voltages on pins 1, 2 and 3 of IC1 seem to be of the most interest. Pin 3 should be around 8V (all 3 pins should be around 8V - compare with IC2 and you will see what I mean ) but it is much lower which is causing pins 2 and 3 to be at a much higher voltage. So something is dragging the voltage down. IC1 pin 3 is connected to Vb (1/2 supply voltage ) through R4 (1M ). Remove power to the pedal and remove IC1. Power the pedal up again and measure the voltage on pin 3 of IC1's socket - if it is now about 8V then replace IC1 with a new IC. If it is still around 2V then measure the voltage on one end of R4 and then the other. This is to see that R4 is connected to Vb or not. Let us know what you find.

Keep in mind that this pedal is basically two distortion pedals in one unit. Depending on the foot-switch selection you can select either effect individual or cascade one into the other. The voltages on IC2 and IC3 look to be OK so one effect channel should be working but it isn't (or appears not to work ). The footswitches look to be installed correctly and hopefully not overheated when soldering them in (they are very easy to damage ). Make certain that they are the latching type and not momentary - easy test; do the LEDs stay lit when you press and then release the foot-switch? If they do then you have the latching type switches. If they only stay lit if you press and hold the foot-switch then you have momentary types.

Duck asked for some pictures of the in/out jacks and wiring. Please post them when you can. The pedal is true by-pass so you should have signal going through it if the foot-switches are set to by-pass. A wiring error in this area would cause some issues.

[Subotnik]

Wow, you guys are awesome. Thanks so much for your kind help.

also welcome - and we'd also like to see your in/out jacks to check your wiring.

I'm attaching some pics here of the wiring for the input/output jacks. I do have the latching type, but it is possible that they got cooked in the soldering process, although I was careful not to do that. I definitely had the iron on the pins for a bit more than 3 seconds. Probably more like 5 or 6 seconds.

Remove power to the pedal and remove IC1. Power the pedal up again and measure the voltage on pin 3 of IC1's socket - if it is now about 8V then replace IC1 with a new IC. If it is still around 2V then measure the voltage on one end of R4 and then the other. This is to see that R4 is connected to Vb or not. Let us know what you find.

I took the IC out completely and measured the socket without the IC. Socket 1.3 reads about mV (not volts) and then starts falling, so there's almost nothing there. R4 reads 8.6V and 7.7V. Based on what you were saying about expected voltages, there must be something dragging this IC, right? I have no idea how to think through what might be causing the problem.

Welcome to the forum. It could be problems with the foot switches. Use your meter to check continuity between the footswitch pins in both bypass and on positions - make sure the witches are making the right connections and not making any others. Also check that there is proper connectivity between the two boards.

I was also thinking that there must be some issue with the foot switches because there should be signal coming through, at least when the LEDs are off. But when I test continuity the two switches seem to be functioning predictably when compared to each other.

If we use the numbering for the 3pdt switch in the photo below, I have the following continuity for the switches when both are turned on simultaneously:

Right side switch
OFF position:
pins 1,2,4,5 connected to ground
pins 6,7,8 connected to input/output
ON position:
Pins 1,2,3,4 connected to power
Nothing connected to output when both switches on (pins 8,9 connected when only this switch on)
Pins 5,6,7 connected to input

Left side switch
OFF position:
pins 1,2,4,5 connected to ground
pins 6,7,8 connected to input/output
ON position:
Pins 1,2,3,4 connected to power
Pins 8,9 connected to output
Nothing connected to input when both switches on, but 5,6,7 connected to input when only this switch is on.

Here's a schematic I found on Rullywow for the PCB for the 3PDTs. I'm about 90% certain its the same PCB for the switches on this build. The numbering system is different than what I'm used to though. https://www.rullywow.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/3PDT-PCB-v3.1a-Dimensions-and-Schematic.pdf

[duck_arse]

I think your purple wire and your green wire are connecting to the "ring" tag on the jacks. follow the longest dinger on the jack - that is the one that contacks the plug tip. ground wires at the jax appear correct - but you also need to check you made the right connection on the board.

[GGBB]

I think your purple wire and your green wire are connecting to the "ring" tag on the jacks. follow the longest dinger on the jack - that is the one that contacks the plug tip. ground wires at the jax appear correct - but you also need to check you made the right connection on the board.

That's the way it looks to me, too. That needs to be fixed first - it might be the only problem but I can't be sure about the switching connections because I don't see the pic of the switch numbers that you mentioned. Assuming (as viewed with the square solder pad top left #1) it's:

Code Select Expand

1 4 7
2 5 8
3 6 9


then it looks okay - just confirm that by "power" you mean LED/CLR (the cathode of the LED most likely otherwise one side of resistor CLR1/CLR2) as well as GROUND:

Pins 1,2,3,4 connected to power Should be LED/CLR AND GROUND

[Slowpoke101]

I agree with duck regarding the input and output jacks. You do have the ground wires (black ) going to the correct terminals on those jacks (sockets ) but the signal wires (colored ) are connected to the 'ring' terminals and not the 'tip' terminals. Once you connect them to the correct terminal, bypass should work.

Now for the next problem;

I took the IC out completely and measured the socket without the IC. Socket 1.3 reads about mV (not volts) and then starts falling, so there's almost nothing there. R4 reads 8.6V and 7.7V. Based on what you were saying about expected voltages, there must be something dragging this IC, right? I have no idea how to think through what might be causing the problem.

Your measurements are very helpful and show that R4 and IC1 are OK but R4 is not connected to IC1 pin 3 at all. The leg of R4 that measured 7.7V should be connected to IC1 pin 3 and one leg of C2. Closely inspect these connections and the PCB tracks connecting them for damage or faulty solder joints. If you find a broken track you can bridge it with a small length of wire.

Let us know what you find.

[Subotnik]

Thanks! I can't believe I soldered the input jacks incorrectly! Actually, I can. This is my third pedal build and every time i do it I have to go back and look at what is what. I guess I was trying too hard to get this done quickly.

I'll have a look at the IC problem later this week and get back to you. But thanks so much for the troubleshooting.

[antonis]

I can't believe I soldered the input jacks incorrectly!

Well, you could deservedly join the club but I'm afraid you also have to forget place IC in sockets, mismatch IN/OUT jacks, fire effect with stereo input jack without plugin it, etc..!! 

[Slowpoke101]

And don't forget my absolute favourite; using a guitar as a signal source whilst testing and leaving the guitar's volume set to zero (minimum ), leading to hours of time being wasted trying to troubleshoot a pedal that has nothing wrong with it 

[johnadon]

May I nominate myself for longest running build problem? I had trouble with a BMP in 2013 and finally gave up on it. I'd built a bazillion of them before but the bazillionth and first just would not cooperate.

https://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=102929.msg914693#msg914693

I just ran across the circuit in my salvage box of components a few months ago and decided to plug it in for kicks. As I expected, I still didn't work, but then i noticed I hadn't used my usual input/output lead color scheme. I had been plugging my guitar into the output jack and using the input jack for the output the whole time!

(Edit: There were some build issues, but I apparently fixed them all by the time I gave up. Except for the lead colors. 😁 )

[Subotnik]

I rewired the jacks and now it works! I think there are still issues with the components and it might not be working to full capacity, but the pedal sounds pretty good!

When I get some extra time I will look more into the lingering issues with the voltage drag in some places.

This forum is great thanks to everyone's generous help. Thanks!