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DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: JackLondon on April 09, 2010, 06:43:52 AM

Title: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: JackLondon on April 09, 2010, 06:43:52 AM
Hi Guys, I'm having a bit of a problem with one of my builds. Here's the spec

1.What does it do, not do, and sound like? – Doesn't put enough signal to the output, it's very very very silent. In bypass mode there is no signal at all.
2.Name of the circuit = Agua Filter
3.Source of the circuit (URL of schematic or project) = http://www.tonepad.com/project.asp?id=4
4.Any modifications to the circuit? – Yes, Emphasis control, reverse sweep, filter range, all from the schematic

5.Any parts substitutions - No.

6.Positive ground to negative ground conversion - No

7.Voltage at the circuit board end of the red battery lead = 9.11
Voltage at the circuit board end of the black battery lead = 0.79


IC1
P1 0.34
P2 0.19
P3 0.20
P4 0.18
P5 0.14
P6 0
P7 0.79
P8 0.20
P9 0.21
P10 0.20
P11 0.21
P12 0.22
P13 0.74
P14 0.17

IC2
P1 0.56
P2 0.21
P3 0.21
P4 0.21
P5 0.70
P6 0.24
P7 0.79
P8 0.71
P9 0.23
P10 0.20
P11 0.23
P12 0.23
P13 0.75
P14 0.17

IC3
P1 0.66
P2 0.69
P3 0.70
P4 0.68
P5 0.73
P6 0.71
P7 0.79
P8 0.14
P9 0.00
P10 0.14
P11 0.47
P12 0.71
P13 0.74
P14 0.17

D1
A = 0.04
K = 0.17

D2
A = 0.10
K = 0.15


Any help kindly appreciated
Cheers
Jack
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: anchovie on April 09, 2010, 06:52:20 AM
Check your offboard wiring - something is very wrong if you get nothing in bypass as this should just create a connection straight from input to output. Your black battery lead should be 0V because it's a direct connection to ground. Pin 14 of each of the ICs should be seeing several volts, pin 7 should be zero.
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: differo on April 09, 2010, 06:57:44 AM
Check that you have all jumpers installed, specially the little one in the middle.
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: JackLondon on April 09, 2010, 08:13:36 AM
I've checked all the wiring and it seems fine, this is the schem I followed for offboard wiring :

(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff2/Fallengorion/wiring.jpg)

This is the pic :

(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff2/Fallengorion/IMG_0204.jpg)


There's no jumpers because the spaces are used for the dpdt switches for reverse sweep and filter range mod.

There's signal on C4 and R1 but it is very quiet, almost nothing at all.
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: differo on April 09, 2010, 08:25:04 AM
Have you tried the circuit before installing mods?
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: markeebee on April 09, 2010, 08:32:04 AM
Looks like your output jack is connected wrongly.  The output from the switch should go to tip, but instead it's connected to shield.
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: markeebee on April 09, 2010, 08:34:18 AM
Ooops, also looks like ring and shield of input are incorrect.
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: JackLondon on April 09, 2010, 08:36:16 AM
No, I haven't tried it before the mods, and I'm now thinking about the IC's because according to some build reports on tonepad the TI IC's don't work in this circuit and I believe my IC 3 is TI
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: markeebee on April 09, 2010, 08:38:40 AM
Really, check your jacks  :icon_wink:
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: JackLondon on April 09, 2010, 08:56:23 AM
Quote from: markeebee on April 09, 2010, 08:38:40 AM
Really, check your jacks  :icon_wink:

Right I've checked my jacks ;) It's working when in bypass mode but still no audible signal when on :icon_rolleyes:
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: differo on April 09, 2010, 09:14:40 AM
If chips aren't fried (probably not but you never know:) ) you should hear almost bypass (clean) sound when effect is engaged even if (TI) chips are used which are not working (out of the box eh) with this circuit. Meaning, if everything else is correct, wiring, soldering, component values etc. you should be able to get signal through the circuit but no auto wah audible.
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: JackLondon on April 09, 2010, 12:12:58 PM
Right, I've changed the 4066 IC and now I get a signal (with a small volume drop) through the circuit but it's not wah wahing. Checked all the solder points etc and it seems that nothing is wrong. Any ideas where to look ? I can't change the 4069IC because the local shop didn't had them so I'll have to order some in...
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: differo on April 09, 2010, 12:41:14 PM
do a search on that volume drop, there is some resistor to be changed for that, don't recall myself, do you know the manufacturer for 4069 you have? IC2 is the one that is (sometimes) problematic.
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: JackLondon on April 09, 2010, 12:50:03 PM
I'm not sure about the manufacturer, will this pic help ? Both 4069 are the same

(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff2/Fallengorion/IMG_0206.jpg)

Cheers
Jack
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: differo on April 09, 2010, 02:14:20 PM
ok, not TI, thats good, and unbuffered also good, you don't need (I don't know this but a good guess) to fidle with it.
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: JackLondon on April 09, 2010, 02:22:44 PM
I just saw in members only are that you're in a similar boat to me :D Agua bloody filter eh?
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: Brymus on April 09, 2010, 04:32:08 PM
Have you tried E-mailing Fernando about this?
Since two of you are having similiar problems maybe its something he has already dealt with.
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: differo on April 11, 2010, 01:05:06 PM
Mine works now, but not with TI chip in pos2. I get the sound and everything but no autowah. I put a pot instead of that resistor (100K) close to ic2 as some sort of 'mod' - like that I can change the sweep range and/or starting point kinda nice. I have bunch of chips all work in all positions (besides pos2 where TI won't work) - some other guys have made this work somehow but I didn't have that luck (so far). 
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: JackLondon on April 11, 2010, 01:12:04 PM
I've ordered some new chips which should come in the next couple of days, I also had a chat with one of the boutique pedal makers and he suggested a few changes so I'll try them, in the meantime I've built rebote 2 which doesn't work either :(
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: Solidhex on April 11, 2010, 05:34:40 PM
Quote from: JackLondon on April 09, 2010, 08:56:23 AM
Quote from: markeebee on April 09, 2010, 08:38:40 AM
Really, check your jacks  :icon_wink:

Right I've checked my jacks ;) It's working when in bypass mode but still no audible signal when on :icon_rolleyes:

Did you just check them or did you rewire them? They were definitely wired wrong.

--Brad
Title: Re: Help debug a circuit.
Post by: JackLondon on April 14, 2010, 11:33:02 AM
The jacks have been rewired.

I have taken the circuit out, taken out all the mods, change all the IC's and still get no wah sound, this is really driving me mad.