LED question

[dubs]

I was wondering what is the best way to  wire the led so it only functions when the cable is  plugged into the input  of the pedal?
I made a Ross  compressor for a friend but he says when he leaves in his case, sometimes it switches on when moving around and the led comes on and thus drains the battery when he comes to using it again.

Should I wire the led ground wire to the input?
I should mention that I used 3pdt footswitch so I can use a led.
Thanks & regards
Darren

[Explorer]

Connect it like this and you will be ok:

http://www.montagar.com/~patj/fuzzface.gif

[Mike Burgundy]

using a stereo jack for power switching (switch the battery, not the LED) on the input solves this.
How to wire: easy:
assuming this is a negative ground pedal like the Ross, lift the battery - from the circuit, and connect it to the stereo jack's ring (the extra connection). Input and ground are wired the same as with a mono jack.
If there's no jackplug inserted into the pedal, the powerchain is interrupted so there's no way the battery can be drained, no matter what, because it's effectively not hooked up.
Insert a mono plug into the input, and the large sleeve on the mono plug shorts the ring connection to the sleeve connection: the power chain is now connected and the pedal is alive and ready to go.

[dubs]

using a stereo jack for power switching (switch the battery, not the LED) on the input solves this.
How to wire: easy:
assuming this is a negative ground pedal like the Ross, lift the battery - from the circuit, and connect it to the stereo jack's ring (the extra connection). Input and ground are wired the same as with a mono jack.
If there's no jackplug inserted into the pedal, the powerchain is interrupted so there's no way the battery can be drained, no matter what, because it's effectively not hooked up.
Insert a mono plug into the input, and the large sleeve on the mono plug shorts the ring connection to the sleeve connection: the power chain is now connected and the pedal is alive and ready to go.

I have used a stereo jack ring, and have wired as you have said but the led still comes on. In terms of wiring the led. I've the -ve wire to 3pdt footswitch which goes to ground of the circuit and and the +ve wire to the +ve lug on the dc adaptor which goes to the +ve point on the circuit.

Perhaps if I wired the -ve wire from the footswitch to the stereo jack then it will only enable when plugged in?

[Explorer]

connect it like this and  you will be ok:

http://www.montagar.com/~patj/fuzzface.gif

[Andy]

your link shows only a schematic of the fuzzface.  No led in there.

[Rodgre]

I'm a little confused by how you have your's wired, but this is what I do.

The LED connects to ground (either a lug on a jack, or the back of a grounded POT) and the other end goes to a resistor to the pole on a 3PDT, and then the switch is connected to +9v DC. The DC jacks I use are switching, so if I have a DC plug in them, it disconnects the battery clip from the circuit. The negative from the battery clip connects to the sleeve on the input jack.

By the way, are you putting 9v through the LED without a resistor? I usually use a 1k. Some use 8.2k. 1K seems to be as low as I would go. I used to use a 680 ohm resistor for some reason.

Roger

[dubs]

I'm a little confused by how you have your's wired, but this is what I do.

The LED connects to ground (either a lug on a jack, or the back of a grounded POT) and the other end goes to a resistor to the pole on a 3PDT, and then the switch is connected to +9v DC. The DC jacks I use are switching, so if I have a DC plug in them, it disconnects the battery clip from the circuit. The negative from the battery clip connects to the sleeve on the input jack.

By the way, are you putting 9v through the LED without a resistor? I usually use a 1k. Some use 8.2k. 1K seems to be as low as I would go. I used to use a 680 ohm resistor for some reason.

Roger

Ahhh gotcha! I understand now. I generally use a 10K resistor on the led.

[dubs]

I've wired as you mentioned Rodgre but since the input is grounded to the pedal case the led always comes on no matter which point on the input jack when the effect is on whether there is a cable in the input jack or not. Here's how I wired:
1. LED +ve wire to 3pdt -> 3pdt to dc jack (+ve)-> +9v circuit
2. LED -ve wire to input jack.

I'm trying to work this out logically, not no avail.
Maybe I'm not using proper stereo jacks, the jacks I have have what looks like a Tip ring sleeve, but only 1 "latches' where the cable comes contact with the cable.

[dubs]

guys I think I've realised I've used the wrong type of jack. The sleeve is always touching the tip hence always on.

[Mike Burgundy]

sleeve and ring, I assume, not tip (this would leave you with no signal whatsoever).
I think you have a mono jack that switches (useful for send/return constructions).
If you have a jack that touches the ground sleeve to the chassis (metal switchcraft will do that) there's still no problem. With the battery - connected to the ring, and circuit ground (AND chassis) connected to the sleeve, there's *no* contact between the battery - and *anything* else unless there's a plug inserted.

[nightingale]

yeah~
it happened to me too... i thought i found the proper switchcraft jacks at my local supply. i couldn't get a pedal to work for almost 3 weeks. i thought it was my soldering technique. needless to say it ws pretty epic when i figured out my problem.
best,
~ryanS