Schematic to Breadboard nightmare!

[maurice]

So I built my first pedal last week...  It worked but failed to fuzz.

From then on I've been sticking to bradboards attempting to create the One knob fuzz.  I must have built it over ten times now, each attemp fails to fuzz!

I've followed the schematic with insane detail and tried numerous different setups.

I'm so close to giving up which I really don't want to do but am as a loose end.

Any advice for a newbie?  What common problems did people have rendering schematics to breadboards?

[artifus]

maybe post a pic of your breadboard with a failed circuit to see if anyone can spot a simple school boy error. we all have our doh! moments.

[LucifersTrip]

I don't know what breadboard attempt this is:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=94125.msg811509#msg811509

my suggestion is to eliminate connecting wires and connect component to component directly in order to cleanup and simplify the board

i gave an example of  clean breadboarding in that thread that should be easy to duplicate:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=94125.msg811386#msg811386

[jbgron]

This article by Beavis really helped me.  I recommend building the LPB-1 as pictured in the article.  Let us know how you go.

http://www.beavisaudio.com/techpages/SchematicToReality/

[Satchmoedie]

OK #1 solder some wire to your jacks and tin the opposite end(s) and eliminate the alligator clips there. Do the same thing with a 9 volt battery clip connector and loose those alligator clips. Just use telephone wire (the solid #26 ga stuff) and you do not need to tin the opposite end. I use telco wire a lot on bread boards. I also have my jacks with telco wire on them so they plug into the bread board without the gator clips. Then use more wire to connect to the bus strips (blue and red) for your ground(blue)  and hot(red). Sometimes these boards get flaky if they have been used a lot with components with fat leads. Anyway try to get rid of most of the alligator clips. When I get smart enough to post a picture I will show my powered board with 3 wah wahs set up each using different transistors, (all wah Qs from the past) and the vintage caps. I made a box with pots and telco leads for whatever controls I need, but a simple wire soldered to the pot(s) and stuck into the breadboard also works. Next test every wire or lead that is in the same slot as one it is supposed to connect to and be sure you have continuity. That will eliminate any open circuit issues, which look vert possible with that set up.

[alparent]

If this is your setup
[/quote]

Then I think the 2n2j100 and the .1j63 caps have both sides on the same strip.....no? So you basically eliminated those caps from the circuit.

If you don't give up......I knew the guys on this forum wont let you down. Courage!

[smallbearelec]

Hi--

There are three tutorials in this section of my site:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/HowTos/HowTos.html

that might help you. They start with the basics of how the breadboard works (which isn't always obvious) and then walk you through the relationship between a known-good schem and a cleanly set up circuit. You already have the tool, so see if my explanations point out something that you were missing. If you want to try building the silicon FF, the parts cost pennies.

Regards
SD

[maurice]

still no joy

Re-planned the breadboard for the on know fuzz three times again today.  Each version had clean signal but no fuzz.

Could I be doing something REALLY dumb with the jack or pot wiring that's bypassing the circuit altogether?

If I turn the pot, the volume lowers but nothing more.

[maurice]

Also, I'm not using a switch.  Surely that's irrelevant right?

[LucifersTrip]

Also, I'm not using a switch.  Surely that's irrelevant right?

right...actually, it's better to test without the switch. no use adding another layer to troubleshoot.

have you tried to simply duplicate the breadboarding I pictured? use jumpers instead of wires except for the external connections to the pot, jacks & power.

if you do that cleanly and take a clear pic, someone will find the error if it still doesn't work.

Also, remember that we need the voltages to troubleshoot.

[arma61]

I struggled for a while with mine new bradboard some time ago to find out that I need to joint all those periferical double strips, usually +V and ground...

something like this, either horizontal or vertical
                ___               ___               ___               ___               ___               ___             
°°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°° +V
°°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°  -V               
                ──                ──               ──               ──               ──               ──               

Ciao

[maurice]

Really appreciating the help guys!

To be honest I really struggled to follow your breadboard lucifer. I had a go but no signal came through.

Will have another go tonight but here's my interpretation http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/64/imag0037lx.jpg/

[alparent]

I struggled for a while with mine new bradboard some time ago to find out that I need to joint all those periferical double strips, usually +V and ground...

something like this, either horizontal or vertical
                ___               ___               ___               ___               ___               ___             
°°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°° +V
°°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°   °°°°°°°°°°°°  -V               
                ──                ──               ──               ──               ──               ──               

Ciao

Good point! I ordered new breadboards and found out that the configuration was different then my old one!

I you have a meter....set it to continuity and check if the point you wont to connect together are actually connecting!

[deadastronaut]

i had a few spare minutes so here ya go....try this... i always have a breadboard template for emergencies..

not the same shape breadboard  as yours but ........trannies are C B E as you look at them ok...should be ok......good luck..

[LucifersTrip]

Will have another go tonight but here's my interpretation http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/64/imag0037lx.jpg/

massively better than your other attempts. I can't see everything perfectly clearly in the pic, but we should be able to get you rolling now.




I cannot see clearly any connection between Q1C and Q2B. the only thing I see from Q1C is the resistor to +
I cannot see clearly the 150K connection between Q1B and Q2E

I cannot see clearly what is connected to the left red arrow or what the R with red arrow is connected to

also, please clear up how you plugged the transistors in. I see it is ebc left to right, but I cannot tell exactly where B is on either?
from left to right, do you have Q1,2 EB(space)C or C(space)BC ?  how many spaces? 

[maurice]

Thanks again guys. Have been away from internet last few days but I'm still bashing my head against this circuit.

Lucifer: I tried joining the missing connections but I'm not getting any sound at all now.

Deadastronaut: great diagram, I followed it but again have no signal at all!

Here's my latest interpretation


I'm going to solder my pots and jacks but I'm honestly worried I'll be connecting the wrong wires now! I feel like such an idiot!  ...albeit a persistent one which is the correct way to wire pots/jacks?

[sundgist]

I think someones mentioned it earlier but you need to put jumpers in to join the V1 & V2 and V3 & V4 like marked below.



See where the red line is not continuous, those tracks are not joined internally.
Didn't check the rest of the board just my first thought.

[maurice]

I think someones mentioned it earlier but you need to put jumpers in to join the V1 & V2 and V3 & V4 like marked below.

Thanks for the heads up, but theres no need on that breadboard, they're connected.  I tested the continuity on a meter.

[LucifersTrip]

Thanks again guys. Have been away from internet last few days but I'm still bashing my head against this circuit.

Lucifer: I tried joining the missing connections but I'm not getting any sound at all now.

Here's my latest interpretation

...albeit a persistent one

it's cool you're sticking to it, but it will be very difficult for us to troubleshoot something that you keep changing (with new interpretations).

it will be best to get one clean breadboarding down with all the wires pushed out of the way (or use more metal jumpers like on my earlier example) so we can clearly see exactly what's connected to what...then we can solve one problem at a time and get it fuzzing

regarding the breadboard jumpers joining v1, v2, etc, it looks like you breadboarded on one segment in your last interpretation, so you won't have to worry about those

[LucifersTrip]

on a quick look of your last interpretation, of what i can see, i don't see any errors.

i cannot see the tab on Q1.  Is the tab on the right, CBE from left to right just like Q2 ?