amp footswitch clarification

[Isaiah4Autumn]

greetings folks,

Need some help on a project that I'm working on...trying to build a amp footswtich to switch between the clean and dirty channels or my amp with an mulit colored led to indicate which channel is selected...wondering if my idea about how to wire this thing up is correct

1- -2
3- -4
5- -6

Here's my thoughts...

I'm going to wire the tip to pole 2, 1 side of the led to pole 3 the other to pole 4 and the ground to the sleeve...I'm not sure about the resister for the led's as well...do I need 2 or just 1...

Thanks for the help folks....

[Barcode80]

you need to check the original footswitch if available and search for one online if not. There are about a million different ways of wiring a footswitch depending on the amp circuit, and if you wire it wrong you risk damaging the amp, or at the very least wasting a lot of time.

[Isaiah4Autumn]

it's for an orange ad30

[trixdropd]

assuming that your footswitch is a spst with a led in series, you won't be able to do what you wan't without a battery because your amp only supplies voltage on 1 channel. if this is the case, you could get a Dpdt and wire 1 side like the factory setup, and the other to have the new led come on when the factory one is off.

remember this is all an assumption based on how your amp may be wired. use at your own risk.   

[Isaiah4Autumn]

remember this is all an assumption based on how your amp may be wired. use at your own risk.   

can you explain this...thanks

I'm understanding that two leds might not work now...so what your saying is that I need to get out a voltage reader to check how much juice is coming out of those channels first before I decide what to do as far as my led's are concerned.

[Barcode80]

I'm not sure if he's on the same track I am, but what I was saying was that there are a large number of ways different manufacturers make their footswitch turn the features on and off. For example, one might use the switch to connect a relay to ground, switching channels. Another might keep a connection to ground but disconnect it to switch channels. There are a myriad of ways that different amp manufacturers utilize the wiring in the footswitches, so it's hard to say "how do i wire a footswitch?" It's like saying "how do i build a car." You have to know what kind of car and how that car operates.

[Isaiah4Autumn]

I'm not sure if he's on the same track I am, but what I was saying was that there are a large number of ways different manufacturers make their footswitch turn the features on and off. For example, one might use the switch to connect a relay to ground, switching channels. Another might keep a connection to ground but disconnect it to switch channels. There are a myriad of ways that different amp manufacturers utilize the wiring in the footswitches, so it's hard to say "how do i wire a footswitch?" It's like saying "how do i build a car." You have to know what kind of car and how that car operates.

Ok so I found this...does this help...the drawing is kinda of funky to me...can anyone help? Thanks

[Barcode80]

Is that drawing specific to your amp manufacturer?

[Isaiah4Autumn]

Is that drawing specific to your amp manufacturer?

yes for an Orange AD30...

[Isaiah4Autumn]

[Barcode80]

only thing I'm having trouble discerning is what "red ring" and "red tip" means...

[trixdropd]

based on what i see on that schematic I drew you this. It should be correct. The one switch looks a bit wierd thoughj

red tip and red ring mean the tip and ring of jack 1, jack 2 is plain tip and plain ring. You need 3 prong jacks, not two prong. Think of a stereo headphone jack, you have tip, ring, and sleeve. the sleeve is the ground.

[Isaiah4Autumn]

based on what i see on that schematic I drew you this. It should be correct. The one switch looks a bit wierd thoughj

red tip and red ring mean the tip and ring of jack 1, jack 2 is plain tip and plain ring. You need 3 prong jacks, not two prong. Think of a stereo headphone jack, you have tip, ring, and sleeve. the sleeve is the ground.

Thanks for you help with this...I actually think that I'm just going to need 1 footswitch instead of 2...I'll find out which one it is and get back to you on this...thanks again..

[Isaiah4Autumn]

so i did so more research and found some http://forum.orangeamps.com/viewtopic.php?t=35960&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0...

what do you think...this is the exact switch that I need...maybe a new drawing...thanks for you help...

[trixdropd]

so i did so more research and found some http://forum.orangeamps.com/viewtopic.php?t=35960&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0...

what do you think...this is the exact switch that I need...maybe a new drawing...thanks for you help...

Think of it like this in your head: Your breaking a connection between negative and ground on your jack with the switch. Between positive and negative is the led and resister. This circuit is as easy as they come.
I hope this helps...

[Isaiah4Autumn]

so i did so more research and found some http://forum.orangeamps.com/viewtopic.php?t=35960&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0...

what do you think...this is the exact switch that I need...maybe a new drawing...thanks for you help...

Think of it like this in your head: Your breaking a connection between negative and ground on your jack with the switch. Between positive and negative is the led and resister. This circuit is as easy as they come.
I hope this helps...

sorry im just new to this whole thing...i really appriceiate the help that you have given. Here's how I understand it...

1- -2        T- -S
3- -4
5- -6

My switch is a DPDT...it throws from 1-3, 2-4, and vis versa 3-5, 4-6. This is how i think I'm supposed to wire it:

Tip to 1 Sleeve to 2
+ leg of LED to 3 in series w/resitoor - leg of LED to 4
nothing to 5 & 6

is this correct?

[trixdropd]

I'd go nice and simple. wire the tip to the resister and wire it to 1.
Wire the led to 3, and then to ground on the jack. That's all you should need. Worst case scenario, is you switch tip and sleeve if the led doesn't light due to backwards polarity. I'd use a low value resister like a 470 ohm or none as you may suck to much of the power the amp is supplying, preventing the relays from engaging fully.

[Isaiah4Autumn]

I'd go nice and simple. wire the tip to the resister and wire it to 1.
Wire the led to 3, and then to ground on the jack. That's all you should need. Worst case scenario, is you switch tip and sleeve if the led doesn't light due to backwards polarity. I'd use a low value resister like a 470 ohm or none as you may suck to much of the power the amp is supplying, preventing the relays from engaging fully.

that seems simple enough..i'll give it a try...still my question is the way I thought it up in my head; is that right way or am I over complicating the matter...

[trixdropd]

I'd go nice and simple. wire the tip to the resister and wire it to 1.
Wire the led to 3, and then to ground on the jack. That's all you should need. Worst case scenario, is you switch tip and sleeve if the led doesn't light due to backwards polarity. I'd use a low value resister like a 470 ohm or none as you may suck to much of the power the amp is supplying, preventing the relays from engaging fully.

that seems simple enough..i'll give it a try...still my question is the way I thought it up in my head; is that right way or am I over complicating the matter...

You are only switching one thing in this case, and that is the power that engages the relay and your led. So wiring to both sides of the switch is redundant. You really could do with an spst here, but cost wise you're better using what you have.

[trixdropd]

I wanted to add a simple way I think you can test before you solder...  Take a guitar cable and plug it into your amps footswitch jack. Take an led and short the tip to ground on the cable. If all goes well you';; get the amp to switch, and the led to light, which will tell you which rail is positive in case you don't have a multimeter.