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DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: BillyJ on February 05, 2004, 05:10:08 PM

Title: I really need an answer on this pulldown resistor question
Post by: BillyJ on February 05, 2004, 05:10:08 PM
I just tried to serach the past post and did not find the answer.
Here is the situation.
I had read about 4.7M being used probably out of just having them around and that was likely why they were used often.
I read that too low a value and you could screw with the impedance but didn't read any ill effects of having larger one other than comments that it was unlikely that most people would have these values but no real word on if you did and used them.
So I was bypassing a frineds BMP when I realized I hadn't any 4.7M so instead used a 5.1M....
My friend reported that he had no popping but that when he switched it on (I think it was on ...might have been off) he got a second of volume drop...like it was being sucked down....??
ALso he uses some types of switcher that selects between two loops.
He said he caould get this effect while he was using the other loop and depressed the switch on the BMP in the non active loop.
Can anyone explain any of this or explain away the PDR's as the cause of the phenomenon  or ???
Many thanks in helping solve this one. We have other pedals in his rig to TB but first I need to figure this out.
Waiting to hera back from him if theproblem is gone now that I removed the resistors....
Huge thanks!!!
Title: I really need an answer on this pulldown resistor question
Post by: aron on February 05, 2004, 05:31:50 PM
I don't think it's your resistors. Something else is causing the problem or perhaps somehow the resistors are connected in such a way as to affect something else. The pulldown resistors shouldn't affect the pedal if placed in the proper way.
Title: I really need an answer on this pulldown resistor question
Post by: BillyJ on February 05, 2004, 06:26:58 PM
That is what I thought.
Well I wanted to do it on the jack but it didn't take long to see the probelm there so what I did was wire the input wire on the middle lug of 3pdt same, with the output, on the lug that carries the signal to the board I soldered one end of the PDR, the other lead I tied to the middle row bottom lug which was also tied to the middle rwon middle lug which also ground for the LED.
I can maybe draw it if need be.
Did I do this wrong? I thought I was being rather clever with the switch idea.
I had thought about the jacks but it didn't take long to see that wouldn't really work.
Isn't there something at geo about this?
Title: I really need an answer on this pulldown resistor question
Post by: brett on February 05, 2004, 06:29:21 PM
I agree with Aron.  If there's been a change, look elsewhere for what's different.  At 4.7M and 5.1M you're using very large pull-down resistors.  Anything from 1M up has very little effect on the signal.
Title: I really need an answer on this pulldown resistor question
Post by: Brett Clark on February 05, 2004, 07:15:40 PM
have you checked (measured) that it really is 5.1M?

That's an unusual-ish value...
Title: I really need an answer on this pulldown resistor question
Post by: BillyJ on February 05, 2004, 08:40:00 PM
Ooops my bad.
It is supposed to be a 5.5M (green green green) but meaures 5.7
I guess I read that wrong.....any change in the verdict?
HE swears by it....
I think I am going to wire upa switch like I had it before with sockets so we can goof with it and see what gives.
Thanks for the input everyone.
Title: I really need an answer on this pulldown resistor question
Post by: Rick on February 05, 2004, 10:31:37 PM
It's a guess but  5 meg might be a tad too high. It's for sure that the cap in question will discharge more slowly thru a 5 meg resister maybe enough to notice the sag time. Try a 2.2 meg or experiment  with other values and let us know if it makes a difference.
Title: I really need an answer on this pulldown resistor question
Post by: BillyJ on February 05, 2004, 10:48:18 PM
Yeah he says it is gone after I removed them so...??
Anywya I will report back soon. Not sure when we are going to mess with them as he has gigs but soon we will get to the bottom of it.
Thanks!!