Toggle Switch Question

[phillip]

Would an on/off/on switch work the same as a on/none/on toggle switch?

I'm thinking about building a version of the "Grand Laff Dynamic Overhype" Overdrive pedal, which is nothing more than a modified version of the Tubescreamer.  The toggle switch switches between a set of 1N914 diodes (asymmetric like the SD1) and a pair of red LEDs in parallel in the other position.  The center "none" position is a diode lift.  I'm not sure if an "off" center would work the same as a "none" center.

TIA!
Phillip

[Ge_Whiz]

I think yes, although I've never heard of an 'on-none-on' switch.

[Marcos - Munky]

I think yes too.

[AL]

I don't think so Phillip - I may be wrong but I think an ON None ON toggle has no center position. Meaning it's either right position or left position. Where as an ON Off ON has a center position... I think. There is a difference of sorts. There is also a price difference.

http://www.web-tronics.com/general-supplies-for-electronics-switches-miniature-toggle-switches.html

So if you are just switching between the two set of diodes I would think an ON None ON should suffice.


AL

[ExpAnonColin]

On-none-on = On-On which is not the same as on-off-on, you'd be losing your center-lug-is-connected-to-nothing position.

-Colin

[phillip]

The schematic may be in error, since it does call for the switch to have a center position where the clipping diodes are removed from the circuit, which is what's done with the "turbo" mode on the TS9DX.

Phillip

[Arn C.]

I think either one will work.
As Al said:  

an ON None ON toggle has no center position. Meaning it's either right position or left position. Where as an ON Off ON has a center position..

On None On has no center postion, the toggle will only go to one side or the other, whereas the ON Off On has a center position.  The ON off On can also be used, but just don't put it in the center position, cause you will only have the center lugs connected to nothing.  I hope this is clear.

Peace!
Arn C.

[Mark Hammer]

"Off" and "None" can mean the same thing or different things, depending on context.  For all practical purposes, they mean the same thing when there is one set of contacts: i.e., a three-position SPDT switch..

Whe dealing with a two-sets-of-contacts switch, though, it get complicated.  I have come across switches where the side positions do as you'd expect, and the middle position lifts any connection from the commons to anything else.  Personally, I like to use these to monkey around with the middle pickup on a Strat-type guitar, where middle swicth position removes the pickup from circuit, and the side positions insert it, either in phase or out of phase.

There is another type of dual-contact switch, though, where the centre position only lifts the connection from ONE set of contacts.  Lets call one set of contacts A1/A2/A3 and the other B1/B2/B3.  In one side position, the switch connects A1-A2 and B1-B2, and in the other side position it connects A2-A3 and B2-B3.  In the centre position, however, it connects A1-A2 and B2-B3.

Not quite "both", and not quite "neither", in the sense that there are contacts left unmade, but capable of being "both" or "neither" depending on how you wire it and your application.  Not sure what you call these.

[RickL]

The switch you describe Mark can be wired as a sp3t switch by jumpering two of the lugs. I leave it as an exercise for the student to determine which two (translation: I've done it but I can't be bothered to do the work of figuring it out again). A similar switch with 12 lugs that appears at first to be a 4pdt centre-off switch can be configured as a 2p3t switch with 2 jumpers. That's what I used in my Sansamp (GT-2?)clone to avoid cutting rectangular holes. They're expensive but can be worth it if space and machining are a big consideration. I managed to fit my Sansamp into a Raco box using them.

[petemoore]

Are you sure you even need a fancy switch?
 From what I could tell, adding say LED's to already clipping Ge's frintstanse, didn't seem to make any noticable difference in tone.
 Conversly, disconnecting only the Ge's, Lets the LED's do the clipping.
 If the first diode configuration are of lower threshold than the second [in both directions], it would seem the presence of the higher threshold clipping devices would be cancelled by the lower ones.
 So...couldn't you just use a simple cut switch for the Ge's to ground, to get from Ge's clipping threshold to LED Clipping threshold? ...Or Ge to Si, or one Si to two Si's etc X
 So how close can two parallel diodes clipping threshole be, and still have only one of them reach threshold?
  Seems like if you could match two diodes threshold perfectly, they'd both clip?
 At any rate Just a simple switch should do an interesting trick?
 I don't have field experience, I use the saturation control sometimes..
 That's a good article [AMZ] to look at for interesting diode wiring possibilities.