All kinds of Green Ringer Issues...

[Tobes]

Hi everyone, I'm on my first kit build, a GGG Green Ringer and I've run into some problems.

When there is no power supply hooked up to the unit, the bypassed signal comes through fine. When I hook in a battery there is a massive volume drop whether the unit is on or off (almost mute, only can hear it if I crank my amplifier), and when I hook it up to a 9v adapter, there is no signal at all and just a HUGE hum whether the pedal is on or off. Either way, no effect is present...

I checked my transistor voltage values and they are pretty close to the reference values that were provided in the instructions, so I have no idea where the source of my problem could be.

Any insight from those who have worked on this build would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[LucifersTrip]

When there is no power supply hooked up to the unit, the bypassed signal comes through fine.

I checked my transistor voltage values and they are pretty close to the reference values that were provided in the instructions, so I have no idea where the source of my problem could be.

If it works in bypass, then the jacks are most likely wired properly and if you have the correct voltages (you should post them anyway), the circuit is most likely good.

That would leave the switch and possibly other offboard wiring. If you are indeed using a switch, try it without a switch first...

good luck

[R.G.]

"Debugging: what to do when it doesn't work'"
Pretty close can vary in importance.

However, LT is correct - wiring.

The most likely problems with *every* new build are soldering problems, wiring errors, and component pinout issues.

[Tobes]

Thanks for the replies so far, I'm going to try to find a way to bypass the switch.

Reference values

8.8v

Q1
Collector 5.5v
Base 1.8v
Emitter 1.1v

Q2
Collector 2.6v
Base 5.5v
Emitter 6.2v

Q3
Collector 8.8v
Base 4.0v
Emitter 3.4v

My voltages

9.58v

Q1
Collector 5.29v
Base 2.03v
Emitter 1.48v

Q2
Collector 3.56v
Base 5.3v
Emitter 5.93v

Q3
Collector 9.58v
Base 4.5v
Emitter 3.95v

[R.G.]

My voltages
9.58v
Q1
Collector 5.29v
Base 2.03v
Emitter 1.48v

Q2
Collector 3.56v
Base 5.3v
Emitter 5.93v

Q3
Collector 9.58v
Base 4.5v
Emitter 3.95v

Thanks. A tenth of a volt difference on the base versus emitter can be a big deal. However, in this case, you're right, they seem to be OK.

The huge hum thing implies a ground wire problem. I would take a multimeter, set it to "ohms" and measure every single place that is supposed to be connected ground for continuity to the input jack bushing to start with. Include the output jack bushing in that.

[LucifersTrip]

one last thing...definitely troubleshoot it with a battery.   mine didn't work well with an adapter & others had similar problems. here's one with a hum:

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=94291.0

[DrThousand]

Sounds like the power supply is somehow getting into the output.  A hint is that the wall wart makes it hum.  Seems like you're pulling more current than the wall wart can handle.  This will cause the output voltage of the 'wart to droop.  If the 'wart capacitors are discharging in less than 1/60 of a second, hum will sail right on thru.  Are you sure nothing is going into saturation?  If the amp doesn't have an input cap, it could be loading your box down.
I've left a lot to imagination.  That comes from being unused to remote control troubleshooting, but I hope I helped.

DrT

[Tobes]

It works! Thanks for the great replies everyone, your suggestions really helped me isolate my problem.

If it works in bypass, then the jacks are most likely wired properly and if you have the correct voltages (you should post them anyway), the circuit is most likely good.

That would leave the switch and possibly other offboard wiring. If you are indeed using a switch, try it without a switch first...

A friend and I took the jack leads and pcb leads off of the switch assembly and compared the bypass/saturated signals by just twisting the appropriate wires together and found the same hum problem. So that left out a bunch of possibilities.

The huge hum thing implies a ground wire problem. I would take a multimeter, set it to "ohms" and measure every single place that is supposed to be connected ground for continuity to the input jack bushing to start with. Include the output jack bushing in that.

Sounds like the power supply is somehow getting into the output.

When I first thought I finished the build, and before I posted here on the forum, I wasn't getting any signal at all, which led me to rewire the jacks and switch. As I rewired the jacks, I accidentally soldered the ground wire to the tip of the input jack as opposed to the sleeve of the output jack where it originally was (and was supposed to be). Thus, when I fixed a couple joints on the switch (which were probably my original problem), I created another (very silly) problem for myself with the jack. Eek!   This way, the bypassed signal passed through without power, and the incessant hum came on with power as I described in my first post.

Almost all of the wires were number-labeled by the time we realized it was the jack wiring, exactly what I thought it wouldn't be since the bypassed signal came through fine.

Thanks again for all the help, its a very neat sounding little box, and I've definitely learned a whole lot making it and troubleshooting it!

Now... what next...