Can I used a regulated PS for a Boss pedal which asks for ACA adapter ?

[Gil]

I have a great sounding Boss BF-1 flanger pedal, probably from mid seventies. The sticker on the back says it needs an ACA adapter. AFAIK, ACA are unregulated adapters... What if I connect my general purpose regulated, stabilized adapter to it ?
Will it cause any defect to the pedal ? I have it in my pedal board and rather prefer using the same power supply as I use for my other Boss pedals... Thanks !

[jkokura]

Nothing will explode if that's what you're asking.

More likely, the pedal won't work for you because it's not seeing enough power. Essentially, back in the day the ACA power supplies from Boss gave off unregulated power. Inside the ACA pedals there's a diode and resistor combo that brings the ACA adaptors power down to a more regulated 9V. At least, I think that's how it works.

So when an ACA pedal see's a regulated 9V power supply, it regulates it down again to a power level that doesn't allow the pedal to work. So, you can either mod your pedal to accept the new PSA supply, or like I do, use a Power Supply that provides 12V. I use either a BBE Supa Charger or a Pedal Power 2 Plus that has a little dip switch option to give 12V instead of 9V for ACA pedals.

Jacob

[Paul Marossy]

According to this link, it depends on how it's connected to the power supply: http://www.stinkfoot.se/andreas/diy/articles/bossadapt.htm

[Gil]

Well, now I see why the guy on ebay sent me a regulated 12v adapter along witn it

So what's the best way to modify it internally so I can use a 9v regulated adapter with it ?
I have no space left in my pedalboard for an extra adapter...

[flintstoned]

There's a simple fix for it, just need a small jumper,  or an intentional solder bridge like I did. Search the boss area forum for aca to psa mod. I wanna say it was the positive wire on the battery to the positive wire on the jack, but there's a picture in one of the threads.

[phector2004]

According to this link, it depends on how it's connected to the power supply: http://www.stinkfoot.se/andreas/diy/articles/bossadapt.htm

so THAT'S why my CE-2 doesn't light up!
I've been using a PSA and notice a cleaner signal when I daisy chain sometimes... guess it depends on whether or not I plug through my tuner or direct guitar-pedal-amp mode!

Thanks for the article!

[Paul Marossy]

According to this link, it depends on how it's connected to the power supply: http://www.stinkfoot.se/andreas/diy/articles/bossadapt.htm

so THAT'S why my CE-2 doesn't light up!
I've been using a PSA and notice a cleaner signal when I daisy chain sometimes... guess it depends on whether or not I plug through my tuner or direct guitar-pedal-amp mode!

Thanks for the article!

Glad that was some help to you. I hear about these weird problems with Boss pedals more and more lately. Or I pay more attention than I used to. Anyway, I saw that article and it all started making sense...

[Gil]

So basically if I daisy chain a CE-2 and a BF-1 with other PSA ready pedals, to a single 9v regulated power supply, I'm set ?
This is how I have my pedalboard -

Boss LMB-3 (bass limiter enhancer) -> Boss CE-2 -> Boss BF-1 -> EH Big Muff


Thanks !

[phector2004]

Tested it out last night,

My CE-2 always worked, but the LED sometimes worked and sometimes didn't, and it sounded a bit gritty (I guess from running at a lower voltage? Less headroom?). I didn't even know there were different Boss adapters, and always assumed it was from old age...

Daisy chained it + patch cabled to my tuner and it works perfectly. LED always lights up, and it sounds cleaner than before. I'm guessing any effects that don't work on a 9V adapter WILL when you do this trick, as it bypasses the built-in regulator. A bit annoying to have to hook up two pedals instead of one, but its worth it!

[Paul Marossy]

Tested it out last night,

My CE-2 always worked, but the LED sometimes worked and sometimes didn't, and it sounded a bit gritty (I guess from running at a lower voltage? Less headroom?). I didn't even know there were different Boss adapters, and always assumed it was from old age...

Daisy chained it + patch cabled to my tuner and it works perfectly. LED always lights up, and it sounds cleaner than before. I'm guessing any effects that don't work on a 9V adapter WILL when you do this trick, as it bypasses the built-in regulator. A bit annoying to have to hook up two pedals instead of one, but its worth it!

Yay!

[zombiwoof]

If you have any BBE pedals, the ones that come with an adaptor, I've found that the BBE adaptor will power my ACA-powered Boss pedals fine.  It must be an unregulated adaptor like the old Boss ACA's.

Al