Build Your Own Clone Message Board

I just completed an Analog Chorus kit with Rev 1 and copyright 2014 printed on the circuit board. Just for background I've successfully built about 10 pedals and a 5e3 Deluxe amp from a kit but I have limited electronics knowledge.

After my initial test of the Analog Chorus I rechecked my soldering on the board and found one bad solder joint on the 2k7 resister that is on the far left side of the board when viewing from the component side. Prior to fixing this solder joint the LED did not blink in time with the rate knob. I mention this just in case it has relevance to the other problems I'm still having. I also wanted to note that I reflowed some of my solder joints after fixing the 2k7 resister and the attached picture of the backside of the board was taken after I completed that work and cleaned the board. I also note that I removed all of the ICs before reflowing the soldering joints. Here is a description of the issues I'm still having as of my last test along with the voltage readings on all of the ICs:

1. The pedal passes signal both while engaged and bypassed but there is no effect and no change to the signal from changing the setting on the depth and rate knobs (i.e. the signal is the same clean signal with the pedal on or off knobs up or down). When the trim pot is turned all the way down and all the way up the signal cuts out and makes a loud squelching nose. With the trimpot turned between 9 o'clock and noon there is an audible clicking noise that corresponds to the rate knob. I note that this was the same both before and after I fixed the bad solder joint mentioned above.

2. The battery does not work which is not a big deal for me because I always use 9v adapters but maybe this helps explain the problem I'm having with no effect being produced.

Here are the IC voltage readings at each of the pins for each IC:

TL022
1. 5.4 highest reading (variable readings shown on meter)
2. 4.37
3. 4.4 highest reading ((variable readings shown on meter)
4. 0
5. 4.37
6. 4.4
7. 4.6 highest reading ((variable readings shown on meter)
8. 8.76

4558
1. 3.33
2. 3.33
3. 3.28
4. 0
5. 3.33
6. 3.33
7. 3.33
8. 8.76

3101
1. 8.46
2. 4.05
3. 0
4. 4.10
5. .39 highest reading ((variable readings shown on meter)
6. 7.98
7. 2.8 highest reading ((variable readings shown on meter)
8. 7.9

3007
1. 8.46
2. 4.1
3. 2.67
4. 7.89
5. 0
6. 4.05
7. 6.34
8. 6.34

Any help with this is much appreciated.

Thank you!

Where did you get that kit from? How long have you had it?

You need to set the trimpot more in the middle of its rotation. The voltages on the 4558 should all be around 4.5V (or half of your supply voltage so 4.35V in your case) except for pins 4 and 8. Pin 3 of the 3007 should be closer to 3.5 ~ 4V

I don't think this is your primary problem. We'll still need to figure that out. But getting your pedal biased correctly is a start.

_________________
*patience is a virtue*

Please do not PM me. email is prefered. keith@buildyourownclone.com

Thank you for responding to my post. I purchased this kit from the BYOC website back in 2017. I've just had a number of other projects and didn't get around to building this one until recently. After setting the trimpot to the 12 o'clock position, I measured the following voltages on the 4558 IC:

4558
1. 4.43
2. 4.44
3. 4.43
4. 0
5. 4.43
6. 4.44
7. 4.44
8. 8.76


Readings on the other ICs were almost the same as reported in my original post except pin 3 on the 3007 now reads 3.75.

Thanks again for your response!

Those voltages are perfect. And the voltage on pins 7/8 on the 3007 didn't change at all?

_________________
*patience is a virtue*

Please do not PM me. email is prefered. keith@buildyourownclone.com

Okay I just rechecked voltage on the 3007. With both the rate and depth knobs at about 12 o’clock, I am reading 4.10 on both pins 7 and 8.

Those voltages suggest that the BBD is working as it should. Do you have a signal tester? Based on your voltages, I would assume you simply have a cold solder joint somewhere in the wet signal path. If you have a signal tester, that would make it easier to track down. Otherwise, just reflow all the solder joints.

_________________
*patience is a virtue*

Please do not PM me. email is prefered. keith@buildyourownclone.com

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

I previously reflowed my solder joints and noted that in an earlier post. I just did some signal testing and noted a weak signal on the components that I have highlighted with red boxes in the attached picture (I used the layout picture from the instructions with the 3.0 resister change highlighted, so ignore that). I'm not great at reading schematics but it looks like I'm having problems at the front and back end of the wet signal chain. Is this correct? After signal testing I reflowed the solder joints on all of the components where I detected a weak signal and after retesting I still do not get an effect from the pedal being engaged and the signal continues to be weak on the components I've highlighted.

Thank you guys for responding to me!

Start by testing for signal at pin 3 of the 3007 and pin 8 of the 3007. Describe what you hear at those points and we'll go from there.

_________________
*patience is a virtue*

Please do not PM me. email is prefered. keith@buildyourownclone.com

Okay I tested pins 3 and 8 of the 3007 and I get a loud clear signal with no chorus effect coming through and it does not change with changes in the rate and depth knobs.

Thank you.

Hmmm....well...since the 3007 is passing signal, it should be good. It's just not getting anything from the 3101 clock driver, or perhaps the clock driver isn't getting anything from the LFO. You weren't very clear about the LED. Does it blink and can you change the rate at which it blinks with the rate knob?

_________________
*patience is a virtue*

Please do not PM me. email is prefered. keith@buildyourownclone.com

Yes, I explained what I was seeing with the LED in my original post but I realize I could have been more clear. Initially the LED did not blink in time with the rate knob but I was able to fix this after I reflowed a bad solder joint on the 2k7 resister that is on the far left side of the board when viewing from the component side. As I stated in my original post, the picture of the solder side of the board was taken after I fixed the bad solder joint and reflowed all of my solder joints.

Thanks!

Please turn the depth knob to full turn clockwise and measure the voltage on pin 7 of the 3101. Does the voltage fluctuate? Can you adjust the rate of fluctuation with the rate knob?

_________________
*patience is a virtue*

Please do not PM me. email is prefered. keith@buildyourownclone.com

Okay I just measured voltage on pin 7 of the 3101. With the depth knob turned all the way up and the rate knob turned all the way down the voltage fluctuates between 3.3 and 4 volts. When I turn the rate knob up the voltage stabilizes at 3.7 volts once I get close to the maximum setting on the rate knob.

You probably need a new 3101. Please contact sales@buildyourownclone.com and ask for a replacement 3101/3007 chip set.

_________________
*patience is a virtue*

Please do not PM me. email is prefered. keith@buildyourownclone.com

Okay thank you. I'll email my request and report back. Thanks again.

I received the replacement 3101 and 3007 ICs and after installing both of the replacements I tested and still have a clean signal both with the pedal engaged and disengaged. There was no change with different settings on the rate and depth knobs. I then swapped the 3101 replacement IC with the one that came with the kit and the pedal produces a good chorus effect when engaged that appears to work properly (hooray!) but there is a faint audible noise in the background that sounds like a wailing siren and this noise changes with adjustments to the rate knob. I measured the following voltages on the 3101 and the 3007 with the two replacement ICs installed and then I observed the second set of voltages after I swapped the replacement 3101 with the original from the kit. All readings were taken with the depth and rate knobs turned all the way up.

3101

1. 8.45
2. 4.05
3. 0
4. 4.10
5. .381
6. 7.97
7. 2.74
8. 7.9

3007

1. 8.45
2. 4.09
3. 3.8
4. 7.89
5. 0
6. 4.05
7. 6.87
8. 6.88

Readings after installing the original 3101:

3101

1. 8.47
2. 4.34
3. 0
4. 4.39
5. .357
6. 7.48
7. 2.84
8. .564

3007

1. 8.46
2. 4.39
3. 3.84
4. .564
5. 0
6. 4.34
7. 3.84
8. 3.84


Any thoughts on how to fix the siren noise?

Thanks.

What kind of power supply are you using?

_________________
*patience is a virtue*

Please do not PM me. email is prefered. keith@buildyourownclone.com

Okay I just plugged into my Voodo labs and the noise is no longer present. I was using a 9volt adapter that came with on of my other pedals for my previous tests. Thank you for your help!