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Building How-to » Nocto Loco » Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting [message #2664] Sun, 22 May 2011 16:07 Go to next message
Mat is currently offline Mat
Messages: 12
Registered: January 2011
Junior Member
I'm trying to troubleshoot a nocto pedal I built. I've systematically checked the continuity from component to component and the wiring on the switches and made sure the capacitors, transistors and IC's are facing the right direction. Everything I've tested seems to be working. The caps don't appear to be burnt out visually.

Here are the symptoms of what the pedal is doing now:
-With no power the signal buzzes through the pedal loudly
-With power on the signal buzzes even louder
-The bypass switch doesn't seem to have any effect on the signal (but the wiring appears correct -which makes me think it maybe a rare instance of the switch being broken)
-The other switch appears to operate the LED correctly with the differing colors engaging depending on how the switch is engaged.

What would be the next steps ? Maybe going through the tedious process of taking out each component from the circuit and testing it?

Input is much appreciated!

Mat
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Re: Troubleshooting [message #2667] Wed, 25 May 2011 09:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
dann is currently offline dann
Messages: 829
Registered: December 2002
Location: Austin TX
Senior Member
Hi, loud buzzing is a grounding issue or a jack mis-wiring. If you're not getting a clean signal pass through when it's bypassed, then that also points to a mis-wired jack or bypass switch.

Luckily these are easy problems to troubleshoot and fix!

When in bypass, the board is taken out of the circuit, so the problem isn't on the board.

1. Maybe your signal and ground tabs are reversed on your jacks? That would explain all of your symptoms. Check to make sure you wired that correctly... the ground tab is on the beveled edge of the jack.
Or perhaps you are wired to the ring instead of the tip on the jack?
Take a look at this:
http://commonsound.com/other/jacks.pdf
The kit comes with the 568-NY234-3 jack

2. Is it mounted in a metal box? The metal box functions as ground, so if it's not present, then you need to connect a wire from the input jack ground tab to the output jack ground tab.

3. Do you have a ground wire from the power jack to the PCB?

4. Do you have a ground wire from the power jack to the input or output jack ground tab?

5. Verify the stomp isn't rotated 90 degrees when you wired it.

It's highly unlikely a component is bad, especially the stomp switch! The only time I've seen them be bad is when a tab is loose enough to fall off by itself, or if the blue case is cracked.

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Re: Troubleshooting [message #2668] Wed, 25 May 2011 22:24 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mat is currently offline Mat
Messages: 12
Registered: January 2011
Junior Member
Yea it wasn't mounted in the box. So the bypass now works when I connected a wire from the input jack ground tab to the output jack ground tab. Does this stay connected when I mount it in the box - or do I have to ground it another way when I eventually mount it in its box?

Also - I'm not out of the woods yet. I'm now getting no signal through the pedal once the bypass is turned off. There's no buzzing just silence. The LED seems to light up for the appropriate settings.

Any thoughts? THANKS!!!

Mat
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Re: Troubleshooting [message #2669] Wed, 25 May 2011 23:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
dann is currently offline dann
Messages: 829
Registered: December 2002
Location: Austin TX
Senior Member
Cool! getting somewhere...


So did you adjust the trimpots?
http://www.commonsound.com/kits/doku.php?id=commonsound:noct o_trim_pots

The ground wire can be removed once you mount it in a metal box, because the box itself makes the connection (the jacks have metal noses which touch the metal box)

[Updated on: Wed, 25 May 2011 23:39]

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Re: Troubleshooting [message #2670] Thu, 26 May 2011 22:12 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mat is currently offline Mat
Messages: 12
Registered: January 2011
Junior Member
I got a small screwdriver, followed the directions, and twisted the trim pots for both and didn't get any signal through doing that. -- regardless thanks for all the input thus far.

Mat
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Re: Troubleshooting [message #2671] Thu, 26 May 2011 23:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
dann is currently offline dann
Messages: 829
Registered: December 2002
Location: Austin TX
Senior Member
Hmm... if you want to send some pictures, feel free, maybe I can spot something
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Re: Troubleshooting [message #2676] Mon, 30 May 2011 15:46 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mat is currently offline Mat
Messages: 12
Registered: January 2011
Junior Member
Hi,

Attached are some pictures. I noticed that the volume pot may need to be re-soldered as it's kinda loose. So I'll see if that has any effect. Let me know if you see anything from the pictures that may need to be tweaked

Mat
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Re: Troubleshooting pics 2 of 5 [message #2677] Mon, 30 May 2011 15:58 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mat is currently offline Mat
Messages: 12
Registered: January 2011
Junior Member
pic 2 of 5

Mat
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Re: Troubleshooting pics 3 of 5 [message #2678] Mon, 30 May 2011 16:00 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mat is currently offline Mat
Messages: 12
Registered: January 2011
Junior Member
pic 3 of 5

  • Attachment: IMG_1605.JPG
    (Size: 1.94MB, Downloaded 217 time(s))

Mat
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Re: Troubleshooting pics 4 of 5 [message #2679] Mon, 30 May 2011 16:05 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mat is currently offline Mat
Messages: 12
Registered: January 2011
Junior Member
pic 4 of 5

Mat
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Re: Troubleshooting pics 5 of 5 [message #2680] Mon, 30 May 2011 16:29 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mat is currently offline Mat
Messages: 12
Registered: January 2011
Junior Member
pic 5 of 5

Mat
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Re: Troubleshooting [message #2681] Mon, 30 May 2011 16:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
dann is currently offline dann
Messages: 829
Registered: December 2002
Location: Austin TX
Senior Member
Mat wrote on Mon, 30 May 2011 14:46

Hi,

Attached are some pictures. I noticed that the volume pot may need to be re-soldered as it's kinda loose. So I'll see if that has any effect. Let me know if you see anything from the pictures that may need to be tweaked


Hmm.. only 3/5 came through, and it's pretty blurry.

Yes, if the volume knob is not making a connection, that would definitely cause no sound.
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disregard [message #2686] Sat, 18 June 2011 00:25 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mat is currently offline Mat
Messages: 12
Registered: January 2011
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No Message Body

[Updated on: Sat, 18 June 2011 22:17]

Mat
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disregard [message #2687] Sat, 18 June 2011 00:32 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mat is currently offline Mat
Messages: 12
Registered: January 2011
Junior Member
No Message Body

[Updated on: Sat, 18 June 2011 22:17]

Mat
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disregard [message #2688] Sat, 18 June 2011 00:33 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mat is currently offline Mat
Messages: 12
Registered: January 2011
Junior Member
No Message Body

[Updated on: Sat, 18 June 2011 22:16]

Mat
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posting pics in reference to Troubleshooting [message #2689] Sat, 18 June 2011 21:56 Go to previous message
Mat is currently offline Mat
Messages: 12
Registered: January 2011
Junior Member
OK - the pics are too hi-res (file size too big) to post here let me know if I can e-mail them to you. My email address is matsemailhere@yahoo.com
Thanks

[Updated on: Sat, 18 June 2011 22:15]

Mat
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