hot battery

[fogwolf]

Hi,

I'm working on my first project, an A/B/Y box from generalguitargadgets.com. I'm building from scratch, not a kit, and my pedal does not work, which is fine and actually not my main question - more the battery after being connected for several minutes gets really hot. Any ideas on why this might happen and how to avoid/fix it?

Thanks!

[foxfire]

sounds like you've got a short somewhere. look for solder bridges and check your wires. rylan

p.s.- you'll find that you'll tend to get more responses if you post a link to the schematic/pedal/circuit you are asking about.

[R.G.]

PS - read the sticky: Debugging: What to do when it doesn't work.

[fogwolf]

Thanks - there is definitely a solder bridge or 2 - did not realize or come across anything I've read yet warning that's what would happen with those.

Also have looked at the sticky - have just started debugging and a red flag went up when I noticed the hot battery but didn't see anything about that specifically so figured I'd ask.

PS - read the sticky: Debugging: What to do when it doesn't work.

[Paul Marossy]

A hot battery happens when you have a shorted power supply. Been there, done that. 

[kurtlives]

Your shorting the battery like said....Happened to me recently on a very tight build.

[fogwolf]

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but when you say a shorted power supply, could this be a short anywhere on the PCB (i.e. due to 1 or more solder bridges) or do you mean there is specifically a short in the power supply (i.e. somewhere along the connection of the battery snaps to the dc jack to board)? If you mean the latter, how do you detect and fix that specific short?

Thanks.

A hot battery happens when you have a shorted power supply. Been there, done that. 

[Paul Marossy]

It can be anywhere where the 9V is getting directly shorted to ground.

[petemoore]

  Routine for newbuilds: check for established non-continuity between V+/-, just prior to applying power.

[fogwolf]

What does this involve exactly - testing between several points all along the copper circuit with a multimeter?

Thanks.

  Routine for newbuilds: check for established non-continuity between V+/-, just prior to applying power.

[petemoore]

  Set DMM so 'beep' sounds when leads are touched together.
  then apply the DMM leads across the battery clip.
  Simple explanation for simple battery PS.
  ..other PS wiring options such as DC jack or switchings, in the case of shorted supply +/-, are additional causal suspects.
  Finding the shortcircuit is another matter, intuition and sight [using Magnifying-glass and close in light], then whatever else, then the last and most complete test...elimination [which requires lifting connections to limit the shortcircuit search area].
  The thing is...ground goes here..there..wherever it goes, just like V+ [follow schematic Vs. Dmm readings]...pretty much have to follow the routing and ferret out by some means exactly where they connect before it can be disconnected for safe power application...ie there can be a lot to check and little feedback possible in terms of debugging...you may have to dig stuff up until you find it...but I would do all the informed searches [informed meaning follow the traces compared to the schematic]...but sometimes it's only after the mis-connection is found that it is seen.