9V adapter connection problem

[birt]

i've bought a couple of those metal adapter connections (for boss style adapters)

the + and - connection are both insulated from the enclosure.
everything i make has the (for effects standard i guess) - in the middle and + on the side. but if i plug in an adapter i connect the part thats bolted to the enclosure to the + connection and it obviously won't work.
i don't get how i should use these things? should i keep on pasting plastic connections to my enclosures or is there a way out??

[niftydog]

hmm, you contradict your own statement there, but I'm assuming since you're asking the question that the latter statement holds true.

Some folks have been known to go to the trouble of cutting a large hole and "backfilling" it with a non-conductive resin - therefore making a ring of non-conductive epoxy that the metal jack can be attached to without shorting out.

Otherwise, stick with the plastic ones. You can get plastic ones that bolt in just the same as the metal ones - they're just not as sturdy.

[dpresley58]

Before I got the fully-insulated jacks from Small Bear (hint, hint), I was using the metal jacks as well (a'la Radio Shack). The trick that solved the problem for me was to make up a short cord that reversed the polarities. On the power supply end, life was normal (+ on the sleeve, - on the pin), but the side that got plugged into the effect was reversed, putting the + on the pin and - on the barrel. Since the effect was grounded by the chassis, you have to internally wire the metal jack in the reversed manner where + is on the pin.

Clear as mud..?  :wink:

[nelson]

I sed clear nail varnish and coated the hole and metal socket in it. thus insulating it from the enclosure.

[gez]

Before those plastic sockets became available I used to make all circuits that required mains power positive ground.   You name it I converted it, op-amp circuits the works!

Over the years I've been stripping my old projects for parts but I still have one or two that were converted to +ve ground.  Not an ideal solution and I'm glad those plastic jacks are available now!