What does an ON-OFF-ON switch do?

[Auke Haarsma]

Hi,

For my multi-fx project. I'm looking for a toggleswitch. Some switches have a description like ON-ON, and another has ON-OFF-ON. I can guess what that means, but I don't know for sure. Can some1 explain what ON-OFF-ON does mean? What happens in each position. How is the signal routed?

for an example check: http://www.newtone-online.nl/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22_24&products_id=39

thnx!

[daverdave]

on/off/on switches usually have three poles, the middle pole is switched between the other two poles. So when the switch is in the top position it is connecting the middle and bottom poles, when it is in the middle position there is no connection, and the bottom position is connecting the middle and top poles. I hope that made sense, I'm newish at electronics.

[daverdave]

Sorry, I didn't look at the link. That's a 3 position dpdt switch, so it's the same as my previous reply but with 2 sets of seperate poles being switched at the same time, if that makes sense.

[Auke Haarsma]

does make sense indeed. Thanks for clarifying!

What I'm looking for is a switch that:
1-allows me to send input/output from/to channel A
2-allows me to send input/output from/to channel B
3-allows me to send input/output from/to next FX (so bypass current fx).

Option 1&2 can be managed with an ON-ON switch (double pole).

If I want all three, I need an ON-ON-ON switch right?

[daverdave]

Yeah, I think an on/on/on switch would do it, if I understand what you mean. So you want to have a switch that routes the signal through either A or B, or bypasses both completely?
I think the type of switch would be a dp3t on/on/on but I'm not certain. Hope this helps.

[Mark Hammer]

does make sense indeed. Thanks for clarifying!

What I'm looking for is a switch that:
1-allows me to send input/output from/to channel A
2-allows me to send input/output from/to channel B
3-allows me to send input/output from/to next FX (so bypass current fx).

Option 1&2 can be managed with an ON-ON switch (double pole).

If I want all three, I need an ON-ON-ON switch right?

To do that, you'd need more than the 6 lugs found on a standard 3-position toggle.  I have some 3-position slide switches that probably can do what you describe, and they have something like 16 lugs (4 per contact set).

[Auke Haarsma]

thnx for the replies.

16 lugs is waaay to complicated (and expensive I guess). I need such a switch for a dozen fx orso... There must be a simpler way of selecting a channel per fx.

*continues brainstorming *

[daverdave]

you could use a rotary switch, like a 3 way 2 pole one or more, I think that would work for what you want to do.

[Mark Hammer]

I didn't say you NEEDED all 16 lugs, but you need more than 6.  Personally, I think the easiest way to do what you want is with 2 DPDT toggles, one for bypass vs loops, and the other to select which of two loops you want to use.

[daverdave]

Yeah, that actually sounds best, I'd go with that. It would be best to have stomp switched though, I'd have thought it would make it alot more practical, unless it's intended for table top use.

[Mark Hammer]

Although rotary switches is an excellent idea for a multi-FX unit.  If the intention is to have something that might be best-located in a rackmount or table-top chassis, then a rotary switch can do things like let you pick which of several circuits (including an external one, or a straight wire bypass) you want to "assign" to a particular serial position.  For example, a 6PDT switch (very available and inexpensive) would let you stick any of 4 different circuits into a given location, in addition to bypassing or selecting an external loop for something off-board.

Let,s get honest here.  If it lets you have a chicken head knob on your chassis, it has to be a good thing, right?

[Auke Haarsma]

semi-OT: rofl! I love chickenheads (especially on my Vox ), but they are just too big for what I want, I've been looking for smaller chrome knobs instead

It's not going to be rackmounted. I've still not decided if I want a switch per fx, or a switch per effecttype. In the last case I wouldn't need the bypass-toggle. Thanks for thinking with me, it's another step to realization.

[daverdave]

I take it you're putting quite a few different effects in one box, nice.
One way could be to have a rotary or similar switch to select between effects in catagories and a dpdt switch to bypass that particular catagory. Or perhaps have mini dpdt switches to turn on the effects within each catagory, and then a bypass switch round the whole catagory so you could use more than on at a time, make some real noise like.

[Auke Haarsma]

that's indeed what I want to do. If you're interested you can read my ideas in this thread:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=56334.0

[Meanderthal]

 Hmmm... until I read that other thread I thought I had an answer... but here it is anyway... should do what has been discussed in this thread, but with stompswitches instead of toggles...

[Auke Haarsma]

If I understand correctly this would select either FX1 or FX2 and give an option to bypass which ever effect is selected. That's not how I want my routing to go. But that's probably what you meant with:

Hmmm... until I read that other thread I thought I had an answer...

thanks anyway!

[Meanderthal]

I understand correctly this would select either FX1 or FX2 and give an option to bypass which ever effect is selected.

Yep.

It appears the switching arrangement you have in mind is going to be much more elaborate, include loops, sub groups, order switching, etc... still, the squares marked Effect 1 and 2 could be entire sub groups, not just single effects. Part of the puzzle anyway, maybe... or maybe not.

[ambulancevoice]

what about the dp3t slide switch on small bear?

[Auke Haarsma]

this is much more complex (for my untrained mind ) than I thougth.

I drew up a schematic for what I need and a way to do it:



Now, if I'm correct what I drew up can be done. Two switches, one for each channel. Per channel you select if you want to bypass the effect of if you want it in the chain. WIth a millenium bypass like circuit I can add a LED to each channel.

But that's not what I want. I whant a switch (mechanical or via a small circuit, keeping costs low is an issue here... I need a dozen or so switches):

-When Channel A is routed through the fx, channel B is automatically bypassing the fx
-When Channel B is routed through the fx, channel A is automatically bypassing the fx

I'd like to achieve this with 1 switch. Is that possible at all in a relatively simple way?

[Auke Haarsma]

Having two dpdt's can give some interesting routing options, but in most situations I think I'll find my self setting both switch up or down simultaniously. Any thoughts on this?