Relays on Amplifiers

[blindsjc]

Hi friends,
I'm thinking about a footswitch for my home made amp using
a relay (Thanks RG), I already know how to do the thing but
still thinking about how much I can trust a relay after some
time of use. Somebody can tell me if a relay is really a good
idea, the big brands like Marshall, Mesa os Fender use relays
on footswitch circuits on their amps? They will last for some
years if used correctly?

Sorry about my poor english, thanks a lot.

[CGDARK]

The average relay (well a good one) can withstand from 10 to 20 million (operations minimum). So if you drive them with the proper circuit it can last forever (or at least the time you will be using it). Some amp builders use them inside their amps for switching channels and features.

CG

[QSQCaito]

Yes, under the good conditions it's as CG explained. Relays are usually quite sensitive to heat if I remember correctly. Anyway, you could have them socketed and have spare ones

[blindsjc]

Thanks a lot friends,
I plan to use a JRC-19F relay.

[Rodgre]

If someday, someone figures out how to do remote channel switching with relays or electronic switches without an awful gap of silence while switching, could you please let Marshall, Mesa and any other amp manufacturer with channel switching know?

Come on. We can put a man on the moon and these companies can't seem to make an amp that doesn't have an awful delay and/or gap of silence when you switch channels.

Roger
proud non-channel switching amp owner.

[soulsonic]

If someday, someone figures out how to do remote channel switching with relays or electronic switches without an awful gap of silence while switching, could you please let Marshall, Mesa and any other amp manufacturer with channel switching know?

Come on. We can put a man on the moon and these companies can't seem to make an amp that doesn't have an awful delay and/or gap of silence when you switch channels.

Roger
proud non-channel switching amp owner.

What are you talking about? I've never experienced this in anything except for cheap-o digital multieffects units that have a bad dropout between presets. I've never experienced this with an amp and I guarantee you the one I build that uses relays doesn't do this. With some designs, such as the Soldano SLO, this is almost physically impossible as the channels are both on simultaneously and it alternates between muting one or the other.
I really don't see how gaps can happen with most relay circuits, and maybe it can happen with amps that use LDRs to switch because of the time it takes for the LDR to change resistance, but I've never experienced a real dropout in the sound with anything other than the aforementioned multieffect boxes.
Please tell me what amplifiers you've experienced this with, as it may be something I've never played through.

[Rodgre]

Off the top of my head, a couple of Marshall JCM900 heads that have come through the studio had less than seamless channel switching. If I recall correctly, so does the Mesa Maverick head. I think it was the JCM900 that most recently baffled me why this still is a problem in this day and age.

Roger