Assistance needed with Aion Refractor (Klon)

[CasWalker]

Hello,

I'm hoping someone can help me with this one. I've built about 10 of these Aion kits, and this is the first time I've had an issue I can't seem to figure out.

Bypass works, but no sound other than pot noise comes through when the pedal is on.

I checked all of the component values, and they are correct. I've checked cap polarity. Not sure  what else to do.

I made an audio probe and it seems to get real faint around C3, which is right after the first IC. Could that IC be the issue?


The voltages are off from what they should be.

[antonis]

Hi & Welcome..

I'd check for VR (+4.5V) correct value and wiring..
(best check point is R29/R30/C18 joint..)

[CasWalker]

Here are some inside pictures.

[CasWalker]

Hi & Welcome..

I'd check for VR (+4.5V) correct value and wiring..
(best check point is R29/R30/C18 joint..)

It's very possible I don't know how to check this correctly, so if this is wrong, just let me know. 20V setting in a multimeter is getting around -6.78 on the right leg of both resistors, and the left leg of the cap. The left leg of R29 is 9.47, left of R30 and right of C18 are 0.

The values are correct.

[antonis]

Although that minus sign (-) is sometimes puzzling, you can't get 6.78V on the junction of two equal value resistors fed with 9.47V..
(less than 9.47/2 should be acceptable..)

[CasWalker]

Although that minus sign (-) is sometimes puzzling, you can't get 6.78V on the junction of two equal value resistors fed with 9.47V..
(less than 9.47/2 should be acceptable..)

I guess I'm not understanding what to check and I know this is my ignorance... I see on the schematic VR and it supposed to be 4.5V, but I don't have a test point. If I need to check the junction of R29, R30, & C18, would you care to explain to me how I do that properly?

What I was doing to get the numbers I posted before was black multimeter lead to ground and red to the different legs of R29, R30, and C18.

[antonis]

You did it right..

Could we take a look on solder side of PCB..??

[CasWalker]

You did it right..

Could we take a look on solder side of PCB..??

Well that's good to know.

Here is the solder side.

[duck_arse]

also hello, and also welcome. your posted voltages confused me somewhat, then it dawned on me. could you repost your readings, please?

[CasWalker]

also hello, and also welcome. your posted voltages confused me somewhat, then it dawned on me. could you repost your readings, please?

Hello,

There is an image in the first post that has the IC voltages I am getting. The print is what they should be, the handwritten part is what I'm getting.

If you don't see it, or can't read my writing please let me know.

[duck_arse]

allow me to explain. observe your image and posted voltages for IC3. they confused me because the circuit diagram shows pin 1 connected to pin 8, meaning both pins must show the same voltage. your posteds don't. I see your pin 5 reading matches well enough what pin 8 should be, hence, I think you have counted your pins top down both sides, whereas they are always read anticlockwise - as in that arrow image.

[CasWalker]

allow me to explain. observe your image and posted voltages for IC3. they confused me because the circuit diagram shows pin 1 connected to pin 8, meaning both pins must show the same voltage. your posteds don't. I see your pin 5 reading matches well enough what pin 8 should be, hence, I think you have counted your pins top down both sides, whereas they are always read anticlockwise - as in that arrow image.

Thanks. I double checked, and I did write down IC3 wrong. IC1 & IC2 were correct. I deleted the incorrect image and added a corrected one to the initial post, but here it is.

[antonis]

Could you plz take IC1 & IC2 out of sockets and take measurements on respective pins 3..??
(DMM Black probe on any convenient GND - IC3 pin 3 prefered..)

[CasWalker]

Could you plz take IC1 & IC2 out of sockets and take measurements on respective pins 3..??
(DMM Black probe on any convenient GND - IC3 pin 3 prefered..)

IC1 - 1.56
IC2 - 4.67

[antonis]

Unless your DMM has a low internal resistance (about 1M or so), "something" loads down R2 (2M) bias resistor..

Anyway, place IC1 back in socket, and take measurents on all of its pins..
(better with IC3 out of socket..)

[CasWalker]

Unless your DMM has a low internal resistance (about 1M or so), "something" loads down R2 (2M) bias resistor..

Anyway, place IC1 back in socket, and take measurents on all of its pins..
(better with IC3 out of socket..)

Here you go:
IC1 with 2 and 3 out.

1: 0.18
2: 0.18
3: 0.48
4: 0
5: 0.04
6: 1.17
7: 0.57
8: 9.46

[antonis]

Throw away IC1...

P.S.
Put IC2 in place of IC1 and take measurements, to verify IC1 malfunction..

[CasWalker]

Throw away IC1...

Since IC1 and IC2 are the same chip, I took the one I measured out and put the other one in the IC1 slot and got the same readings.

---just saw your PS that suggested the same thing

[antonis]

See above P.S.

[CasWalker]

See above P.S.

Yes, both got the same readings.