dc power jack problems...

[danielzink]

man....I just can't seem to get these builds done.....

I bought a handful of these dc jacks from Parts Express thinking they would be great for my 1590 mini builds:





they're inside mount jacks ie: the nut screws on at the outside of the pedal.

Here's the problem...when I feed the jack through the pedal and affix the nut to it - the power adapter is seeing a dead short.

What the heck is going on here ?


Thanks....frustrated...

Dan

[WLS]

Switch Crraft Junk.

You can not use these in a metal box. Their is bleed through. The case of the jacks are not insulated enough and when you put juice to them, unless you make your pin positive it will cook.


Switch out to a plastic jack for a metal box or vice versa.

Bill

[davent]

Hi Dan,
If your pedal is negative ground (most) you need to isolate the jack from your enclosure because the body of the jack is positive. Hooked up without isolation the center terminal of that jack is also connected to the box someplace in there, your short. If you have a positive ground effect such as a typical Fuzz Face, Rangemaster (the Skyripper i just finished) you are fine to use that jack as is. They're what i used for the Skyripper.

dave

[aron]

Or simply reverse the polarity and use the center as positive. That will work too.

[Paul Marossy]

Or simply reverse the polarity and use the center as positive. That will work too.

And if you do that, make sure that your power supply to the pedal(s) takes that into account, or else you will still have a short directly to ground in your power supply...

[danielzink]

mehhhhh....

I took my trusty Dremel and a mill bit and made the hole larger to accomodate the standard "dime sized" dc jacks that we use....I still wish I could find a smaller one that would work.

Thanks for all the help - pedal works - I'm semi happy 

Dan

[davent]

Hello,
If you want small power jacks there's the little one in the middle. They aren't switched but if they're going into 'A' enclosures there's no battery to worry about anyways.

Click to enlarge.


dave

[danielzink]

Hello,
If you want small power jacks there's the little one in the middle. They aren't switched but if they're going into 'A' enclosures there's no battery to worry about anyways.

Click to enlarge.


dave

I like 'em !

Source ?

Thanks, Dan

[WLS]

Yes Dan,

I'm sure you do, less fess and do a nice job no matter what case you use.

I didn't mean to sound offensive, but I tried everthing with the metal jacks, gromlets, etc... and the only practical solution is to reverse pin polarity.

I too no longer use them and none of my pedals have them in them either.

Good Choice!

Bill

[solderman]

Hi Dan
We share the same problem. I use a standard cable female jack (they are eaven cheaper than chassi type jacks) a nut that fits on the inside. If its to little space left for the nut I glue the thing in place.

This is the way I do it in the bigger boxes.




//Solderman

[danielzink]

yes yes - but where are you sourcing them from ! ? !




Dan

[punkin]

Wow...I don't get it. I've read that the metal units can't be used but I'm using them exclusively. It keeps me wondering what am I missing. My boxes are DC ground (negative), I connect the negative connection to the housing pin and the positive to the center.

The audio jacks are also metal. Again the housing/shield of the jacks are grounded and never had a problem. Really feeling like I'm missing something here.

[frequencycentral]

Wow...I don't get it. I've read that the metal units can't be used but I'm using them exclusively. It keeps me wondering what am I missing. My boxes are DC ground (negative), I connect the negative connection to the housing pin and the positive to the center.

The audio jacks are also metal. Again the housing/shield of the jacks are grounded and never had a problem. Really feeling like I'm missing something here.

You're doing it the opposite way to the rest of us. The 'Boss' protocol is sleeve=positive, tip/centre=ground. A daft protocol really, as it causes so many problems in DIY builds. It's fine to do what you are doing, just be careful never to mix conventionally wired pedals with your DIY ones run off the same adapter, and never use a Boss adapter. I'm sure I mentioned this to you when you showed your Pepper Shredder. 

[solderman]

yes yes - but where are you sourcing them from ! ? !




Dan

I bye them locally. They are very common and easy to find in allmost any store that carries electrical stuff.

[WLS]

Wow... I connect the negative connection to the housing pin and the positive to the center...

The housing is not a pin. Center is the pin. You are using them the only way they can be used which is the opposite of a standard pedal.


Bill

[punkin]

Wow...I don't get it. I've read that the metal units can't be used but I'm using them exclusively. It keeps me wondering what am I missing. My boxes are DC ground (negative), I connect the negative connection to the housing pin and the positive to the center.

The audio jacks are also metal. Again the housing/shield of the jacks are grounded and never had a problem. Really feeling like I'm missing something here.

You're doing it the opposite way to the rest of us. The 'Boss' protocol is sleeve=positive, tip/centre=ground. A daft protocol really, as it causes so many problems in DIY builds. It's fine to do what you are doing, just be careful never to mix conventionally wired pedals with your DIY ones run off the same adapter, and never use a Boss adapter. I'm sure I mentioned this to you when you showed your Pepper Shredder. 

You did mention it before and again, I thank you kind sir. It just suprises me that this subject comes up so often. I do get that mixing polarities amoung boxes is a bad thing and so far, I've been fortunate. Finally, today it sinks in why everyone is using the "other/Boss" standard. So far I haven't mixed my pedals with purchased pedals but as I said, I now see the wisdom and think that I might go back and modify them to match the industry "standard". It just seems...odd is all.

Again, thanks for the patience and explanations. Sorry if I hi-jacked the thread but I feel like we did stay on subject.

[davent]

yes yes - but where are you sourcing them from ! ? !




Dan

Hi Dan,
I think i got my from Electrosonic here in Canada, can't be sure i've had a my supply for too long to remember. They're made/distributed (?) by Mode Electronics part number 31-134M-0 for the 2.1mm centre pin, 31-154M-0 for the 2.5mm centre pin. http://www.e-sonic.com/aboutus/cat/_pages/1437.pdf

dave