Running pedal's at higher voltages?

[smallsnd/bigsnd]

if it isn't clearly stated on the box or on the company's website, don't do it.
the best thing to do is simply ask the maker of the pedal in question...

as for ss/bs goods - they're all built for 9v, so higher voltages may damage them or make them work incorrectly.

[Ancient Astronaught]

I know that most members here are pedalphiles and gear heads but i'm starting to contemplate a "Boutique Pedal's For Dummies FAQ" thread to be sticked for newbies interested in the wonderful pedal's that we all love. We were all newbies at one point and had questions that people felt were too stupid to answer (nobody here luckily seems to be that way here which is why i love this forum) i would post questions and answers for things like this thread an example of what would be in there would be like....

Q: I've heard you can run pedal's at higher than 9v is that true?
A: if it isn't clearly stated on the box or on the company's website, don't do it. the best thing to do is simply ask the maker of the pedal in question... Also make sure to match the pedal adapter to the pedal i.e. 9v neg tip to 9v neg tip not positive tip. Below is a list of known manufacturers that do not accept higher voltages and a list of pedals meant to be run at higher voltages or can run at higher voltages.
9V Only:
Dwarfcraft Devices
Small sound / Big sound
Fuzzhugger
Earthquaker Devices
etc... etc...
Non 9V pedals:
Large box Electro Harmonix Pedals (18v only)
Fulltone OCD (can be run at 9V or 12V)
etc... etc....

[McSpunckle]

That's odd, didn't think too LOW of voltage would do harm.

Neither did I but we fried 2 pedals that way my q-tron and my friends full size holy grail.

Hmm... are you sure the power jacks weren't wired for positive tip like some of the other EHX pedals are?
In schematics for both all that should have gotten hit would be regulators which don't make sense.

I kind of thought this too. From what I was told by someone answering emails for EHX, all the pedals with the small tip barrel are center positive. Small stone is included. I never hear people having problems daisy chaining their sstones though so . I always run mine on a separate supply just to be safe.

I'd imagine the adapter for the daisy chains is set up to run them. I think almost everything that uses the 3.5mm jack is positive tip, so the adapter just routs it that way.

I don't see a low voltage hurting a pedal, but reverse polarity definitely can.

[jrmy]

Actually, I believe that the EQD Sea Machine can be run at up to 12v for greater headroom & deeper effect. But as always, check with the manufacturer before trying anything funky!

[Ancient Astronaught]

[ don't see a low voltage hurting a pedal, but reverse polarity definitely can.

Your right, otherwise when your 9v battery dies so would your pedal. I believe what happened in my case was we hooked up boss wall warts to 18v ehx pedals that caused reverse polarity. It was a very expensive lesson learned and the whole reason i havent bought another ehx since, but their newer smaller 9v pedals are getting kinda interesting especially the freeze pedal...

[Schlatte]

I don't see a low voltage hurting a pedal, but reverse polarity definitely can.

Yep, that's why I build in protection diodes in every pedal

Also, just for the record, MOM-D Pedals are capable of taking up to 15V (due to el-caps)... but I've never tried running them at higher voltages.. you know.. at 9V (or 8.3 ) you have your calculated bias points and stuff like that.. but with higher voltages the bias-es get moved up... so.. idk how that would sound