I'm going to build a Fuzz Face pedal! (First build)

[yeeshkul]

I suppose you've built the Ge version with positive ground. The 9V on Q1 collector (= full DC) is too much by all means - this can mean that
- the collector resistor is shorted
- the tranny burned and c-e doesn't lead any current
- a mistake in the pinout.

Check that out. Also there should be about 0.2V difference between the base and emitter. Also when you post the voltages always measure and post the voltage of the battery.
I bet you screwed up the pinout.

1. what did you build - Ge or Si Fuzz Face?
2. What transistors did you use?

Jan

[Woopa]

I suppose you've built the Ge version with positive ground. The 9V on Q1 collector (= full DC) is too much by all means - this can mean that
- the collector resistor is shorted
- the tranny burned and c-e doesn't lead any current
- a mistake in the pinout.

Check that out. Also there should be about 0.2V difference between the base and emitter. Also when you post the voltages always measure and post the voltage of the battery.
I bet you screwed up the pinout.

1. what did you build - Ge or Si Fuzz Face?
2. What transistors did you use?

Jan

It's a silicon Fuzz face, the layout i used is this:


I used BC108C. They have CBE pinout right?

[Scruffie]

I used BC108C. They have CBE pinout right?

http://www.datasheetcatalog.org/datasheet/siemens/BC109B.pdf

EBC

[Woopa]

I used BC108C. They have CBE pinout right?

http://www.datasheetcatalog.org/datasheet/siemens/BC109B.pdf

EBC

Same thing different name? E=the small metal marker B= in the middle C=well, the one that's left.

[Scruffie]

Yeah it's just the metal tab is E, alotta the time the tabs are the Collector is all but in this case, it's the other way round.

[yeeshkul]

So you put the black (ground) to the minus lug on the battery and the red one on the circuit and you get negative voltage on negative ground silicon FF? I suggest to either check if you have the DMM wires at the right sockets or swap the battery lugs.

If you don't have the protection diode installed in the circuit, there is a big chance you've destroyed both trannies and maybe the 22uF cap.

[Woopa]

Yeah it's just the metal tab is E, alotta the time the tabs are the Collector is all but in this case, it's the other way round.

Okok. The thing  is if the pinout is EBC, then everything is like it should be. And im back to broken parts. Did i overheat the transistor when soldering maybe but i was very careful, so i don't think so.

So you put the black (ground) to the minus lug on the battery and the red one on the circuit and you get negative voltage on negative ground silicon FF? I suggest to either check if you have the DMM wires at the right sockets or swap the battery lugs.

DMM?

[yeeshkul]

digital multimeter

late edit: in case the cables on the DMM are socketed right, then you may have burned a few parts. If you don't have the protection diode installed in the circuit, there is a big chance you've destroyed both trannies and maybe the 22uF cap.

[Scruffie]

Yeah it's just the metal tab is E, alotta the time the tabs are the Collector is all but in this case, it's the other way round.

Okok. The thing  is if the pinout is EBC, then everything is like it should be. And im back to broken parts. Did i overheat the transistor when soldering maybe but i was very careful, so i don't think so.

So you put the black (ground) to the minus lug on the battery and the red one on the circuit and you get negative voltage on negative ground silicon FF? I suggest to either check if you have the DMM wires at the right sockets or swap the battery lugs.

DMM?

You could have overheated them, but for the moment, assume they're ok, best to use sockets in future though, get a 6 Pin DIP Socket (a socket for a 6 pinned chip) and cut it in half to have 2 transistor sockets for future projects.

[yeeshkul]

whatever you do next time, always install the potection diode, that can save your butt:))
1. either a common si diode between voltage and ground so it leads all the voltage to the ground when you swap the battery lugs by accident - this works most of the time
2. or a schottky(or Ge) diode in between the battery and the circuit - there is really a small drop on it and it perfectly protects the whole circuit

First of all sort out the mistery of the negative voltage you get on the circuit though )
Nothing is lost, FF is a cheap and simple circuit, you will make it fuzzzzzzzz soon, don't be affraid.

[Woopa]

Yeah it's just the metal tab is E, alotta the time the tabs are the Collector is all but in this case, it's the other way round.

Okok. The thing  is if the pinout is EBC, then everything is like it should be. And im back to broken parts. Did i overheat the transistor when soldering maybe but i was very careful, so i don't think so.

So you put the black (ground) to the minus lug on the battery and the red one on the circuit and you get negative voltage on negative ground silicon FF? I suggest to either check if you have the DMM wires at the right sockets or swap the battery lugs.

DMM?

You could have overheated them, but for the moment, assume they're ok, best to use sockets in future though, get a 6 Pin DIP Socket (a socket for a 6 pinned chip) and cut it in half to have 2 transistor sockets for future projects.

Yeah, sockets i will use in the future!

digital multimeter

late edit: in case the cables on the DMM are socketed right, then you may have burned a few parts. If you don't have the protection diode installed in the circuit, there is a big chance you've destroyed both trannies and maybe the 22uF cap.

The DMM's cables are in the right place. But so are the batteries cables, if not then the calbes are wrong on it.

whatever you do next time, always install the potection diode, that can save your butt:))
1. either a common si diode between voltage and ground so it leads all the voltage to the ground when you swap the battery lugs by accident - this works most of the time
2. or a schottky(or Ge) diode in between the battery and the circuit - there is really a small drop on it and it perfectly protects the whole circuit

first of all sort out the mistery of the negative voltage you get on the circuit though )

Nice tip! Thanks!

[yeeshkul]

ok, please put the black cable right on the battery "-" and the red one right on the battery "+" and tell me what you get, ok? no circuit involved, just the battery.

[Woopa]

No need for that. I opened up the battery socket and the cables were right. Wont do any difference.

[Woopa]

I think i will order some sockets and 2N2222A. Better to buy cheap trannies, haha.

[petemoore]

  I don't even have that many blown trannies around here, I used to subject them to many dont's and other unknowns.
  I do have the least expensive DMM's I've heard of here, they all have the "hfe'' function, when a reasonable Hfe for the transistor type under test is displayed, a good transistors pinout can be read from the meter socket.
  Get the inline type of socket SB sells for cut-short installations like 3 pin inline for FF transistors, regular sockets can be floppy, bendy = funky.
 

[Woopa]

  I don't even have that many blown trannies around here, I used to subject them to many dont's and other unknowns.
  I do have the least expensive DMM's I've heard of here, they all have the "hfe'' function, when a reasonable Hfe for the transistor type under test is displayed, a good transistors pinout can be read from the meter socket.
  Get the inline type of socket SB sells for cut-short installations like 3 pin inline for FF transistors, regular sockets can be floppy, bendy = funky.
 

I don't know if the trannies are blown, but i assume that they are. I have alot of perfboard over so i think I'll order new parts. 

Any good tip for a set of color for cables? Could do order that to.

[oliphaunt]

I use white for signal, red for +9v and green for ground. I also keep pretty much every other color around for use in the various pots. For example, my tone pot wires will be purple, my gain pot wires are blue.

[Woopa]

Had some ideas when i did the first board tha failed. It was alot of room over. So i did this:

[Woopa]

While waiting for new parts to my Fuzz Face I've started on a Big Muff.

Here's some pics on my progress so far.