Build Your Own Clone Message Board

Hi,
I'm new to the board and putting together pedals. I was very excited to get the Classic Delay with the beginners kit and I put it together as soon as I got it. I have soldered many connections successfully in the past but I haven't actually put together a circuit board.

The bypass works fine the LED works I just have no sound when the delay is engaged.

I read some of the posts and took some readings on the IC and it seems they are off and so I tried a reflow of each connection. I also rechecked each resistor, cap and direction of the electrolytic caps but nothing obvious and still no love.

With a 1/4" jack in the "in" (top right) and a new 9 volt battery I noticed the bypass lights up the LED but a little dimmer than with the delay engaged which is bright. Is this correct or should the LED be off for the bypass?

Here are photos of the pedal.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmX4Ewzw

Reading to the ICs:

PT2399 in socket delay on
_ _
3.5 - | U | - 1.53
1.5 - | | - 1.53
0.00 - | | - 1.53
0.00 - | | - 1.53
1.58 - | | - 1.53
1.52 - | | - 1.53
2.40 - | | - 1.53
6.30 - | | - 1.53
-----

PT2399 out of socket delay on
_ _
4.56 - | U | - 0.00
0.04 - | | - 0.00
0.00 - | | - 0.00
0.00 - | | - 0.00
0.00 - | | - 0.00
0.00 - | | - 0.00
0.00 - | | - 0.00
0.00 - | | - 0.00
-----

TL072 in socket delay on
_ _
2.32 - | U | - 4.60
2.32 - | | - 2.30
1.15 - | | - 2.30
0.00 - | | - 2.30
-----

TL072 out of socket delay on
_ _
0.00 - | U | - 6.02
0.00 - | | - 0.00
1.50 - | | - 0.00
0.00 - | | - 2.90
-----

BTW - What voltages should they be? Or where would I find that?
I will probably go and try another reflow as that seems to be the number one issue.
Any other suggestions?
Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers,
Joel

Your voltages are very low, with pins that should show your power source voltage (nominally 9V) reading ~6V or lower. So either your battery wasn't as new as you thought or you're bleeding off voltage to ground somewhere in the circuit. Try rechecking the battery disconnected from the circuit and see what the voltage output reads now.

I would definitely recommend a complete solder reflow for the pedal as the first course of action, following these guidelines: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=52188 As part of that process, you should snip off all of the long component lead "tails" protruding above the tops of their solder joints, as these are potential sources of power and signal shorts. Pay special attention to the joints beneath the Level pot in the middle of the PCB, since these could short against the back of that pot.

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

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

Hi VoodooMan,
We're making some progress!
Now with Delay engaged, still no guitar signal coming out but I'm getting some faint static with the volume all the way up and if I roll the time and reps I hear something faint indicating a change but it seems like none of the guitar is come thru.
Thanks for the suggestions. I swapped out the battery which was ~7 volts with new 9.5 volt battery.
Reflowed (3rd time) clipped short any long leads and I laid a 1" piece of electrician's tape under the middle pot for extra protection from shorting there.


I have a couple of questions.
1. Is the LED supposed to be bright on bypass and dim on Delay?

2. What should the voltages be for the two ICs with Delay engaged?

Here's some new photos.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmX5YacP

Reading to the ICs:

PT2399 in socket delay on
........_ _........
5.04 - | U | - 2.47
2.47 - | | - 2.47
0.00 - | | - 2.47
0.00 - | | - 2.47
1.74 - | | - 2.47
2.43 - | | - 2.47
0.29 - | | - 2.47
0.65 - | | - 2.47
.......-----.......

TL072 in socket delay on
........_ _........
4.69 - | U | - 9.36
4.69 - | | - 4.67
2.34 - | | - 4.67
0.00 - | | - 4.65
.......-----.......

Shall I try another reflow?

Cheers,
Joel

Not sure about the PT2399 voltages since I don't have one here to check, but the TL072 values look good with the exception of pin 3 which is still low. But I've seen that before and it may not be a problem.

Re: more reflows, I would only touch up joints that look irregular or blobby.

Do you by any chance have a signal tester?

https://buildyourownclone.com/collectio ... gnaltester

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

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

DuhVoodooMan,
Yes, I bought the Starter package with the Classic Delay and I have been using the digital multimeter to check the signals.
Is that a positive probe and a neg. alligator clip going into a female 1/4" TS jack? I don't have that but I have an alligator clip. I might even be able to make one tonight.
After another reflow I still didn't hear any guitar signal coming thru but when I clicked the switch to enable the the Delay the sound of the click repeated through my amp and the reps and time knobs changed the way the "click" sounded. (Looks like a little more progress!?!)
Cheers,
Joel

Please explain in more detail what is going on with your LED.

The fact that you're getting the switch pop to repeat, implies that you simply aren't getting input signal to lug 5 of the footswitch. Try reflowing lug 4 of the foot switch.

_________________
*patience is a virtue*

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

DuhVoodooMan,
Another step closer!
After you mentioned to reflow the switch I discovered that that 1 & 5 were reversed on the board. I corrected that and reflowed 4,7, & 8 but it's still not working correctly.

When delay is engaged I hear reps that change with the time and reps knobs but it sounds more like a beep, oscillation, or tick from the box. I can hear the guitar play through now, but it's as if it were on bypass. In other words it seem as if they are two separate sounds rather than integrated and the guitar sound isn't delayed or repeated.

Bypass still works as expected.

Instead of a battery which I removed I tried a 1Spot 9 volt power supply.

I hear a noticeable hum when I touch the case. (Ground problem?)

Now when the pedal is on bypass the LED is off and with delay engaged the LED is on.
Cheers,
Joel

DuhVoodooMan,
SUCCESS!!!
After reflow 5 or maybe even 6, I've lost count, and of course the prior correction of the switch to board leads swapping 1 to 5, I am enjoying some sweet slapback sounds from the Classic Delay.
My Gretsch 6120-60 is happy.
Thank you so much for all your troubleshooting, support, and suggestions on making my first pedal build a success.
Cheers,
Joel