DPDT Switch - can you help?

[Beexter]

I have recently tried to replace a faulty DPDT switch in my early 80's RAT but something seems to have gone wrong. The new switch was supplied by Proco and I was led to believe that the lugs should be soldered exactly the same as the original which is what I've done.

Here is the old switch in situ.....



and here is the new switch in situ....


Can any more experienced people see where I've gone wrong? As far as I can tell, I've "copied" the same connections. Any help would be appreciated. I'm a complete noob at this so feel free to treat me as such - I'm just trying to learn.

[KazooMan]

I think you should actually test the switch to see what the proper orientation is.  You can easily do this with a multimeter, or even with a battery and small light bulb.  

Just to be clear, you may have the switch rotated 90 degrees. 

[Mark Hammer]

One more time...with feeling....

X-wing stompswitches are every bit as good as we need them to be.  HOWEVER, we don't always solder as well as the switches need us to.

My experience with X-wings is that when too much heat is applied - and that can be for one solder joint, or pooled across several consecutively soldered joints - the grease that holds the little rocker contacts in place inside the switch (and which are in thermal contact with the inside portion of the solder lug) melts and flows along the rocker contacts, coating them and insulating them so that they do not make electronic contact anymore.

I have personally rehabillitated many such switches by gently prying the tabs at the sides to permit disassembly (don't lose any parts!).  Once the switch is opended up, you will see the rocker contacts inside.  They float freely, pivotting on the middle lug.  The grease is also intended to keep them slightly damped so they don't vibrate or "chatter".  You can simply tap the switch and empty the contacts out onto the counter.  Clean them off with a tissue or something similar.  If what I described has happened to you, then you will see a fair amount of residue come off.  Once cleaned of grease coating, they can be simply dropped back into place, and will work properly (thoght you may want to clean off the inside contacts in case some grease is coating them too).  You can then squeeze the two switch halves together and pinch the tabs into place, and the switch will work as new.

This is NOT the source of ALL stompswitch problems, but it is the source of a great many of them amongst hobbyists who lose track of time when they are trying to solder a wire in a tricky location.

On a final note, from all visible evidence, unless there is something VERY strange about the original, you have oriented the replacement switch correctly.

[frequencycentral]

Is that new switch actually soldered in place? I'm not seeing what I would think of as great connection.

[MikeH]

Is that new switch actually soldered in place? I'm not seeing what I would think of as great connection.

Yeah, I think you might want a little more lead on those connections

[bumblebee]

At least two of them new connections don't even look soldered to me.

[Beexter]

Thank you to everyone that offered advice. A bit more solder on the connections has done the trick! Thank you.