How do you test your pedals before sending them away to people?

[darron]

This is one of my greatest fears. If I make a pedal to sell to someone, or even give to a friend, then I worry that anything could go wrong down the track. The best thing I can do to get rid of these fears is remember I did everything I could right when making it. IE all good solder joints, no possibilities of shorts, heat-shrink where due.

I used to work for a medium-sized Australian amp manufacturer. Out test method on the amps would usually be running it through a scope with a function generator and a dummy load or speaker. Sit it there for a while and see that all the knobs had the expected response on the scope. Then it would go downstairs and be played for a bit after being put in it's cabinet/head. If anything ever came back then it would be something strange that escaped testing, like a tube socket failure or.. or... well lot's of strange things!

So what can go wrong and how to we best test for it? A connection may be bad somewhere, so do we shake it around and probe the wires with a pen so make sure nothing crackles? I think that's a good idea.

Do a current draw readout to make sure nothing's drawing too much which might show a component fault or a short somewhere.

Run it on the bench for a while. How long? 30 secs? 5 mins? 2 hours? What function would you feed it - noise or sine?

Run it on the battery for a little bit as well as the bench supply.

Test it with a real guitar and amp. Bedroom level? Stage level?



So what else can go wrong and how else can we test for it?


Thanks for your input guys,

Darron

[John Lyons]

Anything that would go wrong electrically should happen in a couple minutes I'd say.
Mechanical issue crop up with any quality build at some point really..
Just make sure joints are solid and any parts that may get bumped inside are minimal.
Battery snap/wires should be strain relieved etc. Wire's tied off if need be.
As long as things are tight and not flopping around inside that's about all you can do other than
good soldering and routing....testing before they go out.

john

[trixdropd]

I beat the switches up pretty good with my feet. I've weeded a couple out this way before wending them out. I've never had one come back as a result, though luck certainly helps...

[aziltz]

take them out back and give them a good punt. 



at least the ones with the "road worn" finishes.


no but seriously, good question.  I haven't really thought about this.  I've been trying to get into building for people, but I'm having a hard time getting serious people to bite.

[kristoffereide]

I test mine on different amps (I'm glad I do! Just found out that one of my designs doesn't distort itself, but overdrives the trannys in my trannyamp), with both battery and supply, low and high volumes, singlecoil and humbuckers, leave it overnight on supply to see if anything changes the next day. Don't know if all this is necessary though...

[Toney]

Then there's always the technician's 'bastard' .... the intermittent fault.
I have a Rangemaster that is more elusive than a greased fox. Damn thing randomly cuts out but never, ever when there's a multimeter handy.
Been over it twice, three times. Those few components and shiny solder joints mock me.
I think it may actually be withing the tranny... despite the fact that it always tests perfect.

[darron]

more elusive than a greased fox

hehe! i actually laughed out loud


thanks for your input guys. still interested to hear what other people get up to when testing. it's gone as far as testing over night which i think is cool. you can tell people "ohh.. and i ran it in for you so you don't have to do it now" -"huh?" lol

[petemoore]

  I don't send 'em out [haven't yet], but do smack 'em around a bit anyway, in case they're thinking of causing a problem, a 'Whapping' from top, bottom, all four sides.

[darron]

  I don't send 'em out [haven't yet], but do smack 'em around a bit anyway, in case they're thinking of causing a problem, a 'Whapping' from top, bottom, all four sides.

i think that's a good idea. kind of like how i said knock it around and give everything a good jiggle. hi five! ... or not... cough.