Why do pedal builders put the LED next to the footswitch?

[Chankgeez]

...and other such questions.

[skullservant]

It's a lot more simple to run the LED close to the footswitch instead of somewhere higher up to reduce the amount of extra wire floating around in the enclosure. I set mine at a 45 to the switch just cause I don't like the look of it right on the side!

[Jwar]

So they don't have to run a wire. Dunno. lol

It's pretty simple to put an LED anywhere you want.

[Chankgeez]

...yah, but sometimes if I don't lift my foot off of the footswitch, I can't tell whether the LED is lit up or not.

I don't mind a little more wire in the enclosure if it means I don't have to take my foot off the pedal to see if it's engaged.

Ergonomics, cost saving measures, noise reduction, whatever.

[skullservant]

I want to make a pedal with a plexi faceplate attached to the metal enclosure that lights up with the LED. That way the WHOLE pedal lights up

[Psyre]

Because when you look at a pedal you typical are looking at the foot switch so it takes less time looking elseware on the box. Makes sense to me

[Jwar]

I think it depends on what's on the box. For example. I made a looper for Delta not that long ago and he wanted RJD2 on it with the eye being the LED. It was simple enough for me to run a wire or two to do that from the stomp. Worked out great!

It works even better IMO if you use shrink wrap around the solder joints of the LED and wire. So less chance of that shit grounding somewhere and frying your LED.

I can see using it close to the stomp for convenience of the build, but I guess it depends on what you're building.

[skullservant]

Yeah. Heat shrink is an LED's best friend

[goroth]

Build pedals with these!

http://diystompboxes.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=86&zenid=3f1529e7984ca15a558cd16733809b68

[skullservant]

YES! They're so cool

[Jero]

The two easiest/cleanest spots to put leds are right by the switch, or by the dc jack. It's also one area in a pedal, that you can almost guarantee won't be blocked by something else...pcb, jacks, pots, etc.

The whole, blocking the light because I can't move my foot outta the way/can't hear the effect I just turned on/off complaint, never made much sense to me.

[excane]

...yah, but sometimes if I don't lift my foot off of the footswitch, I can't tell whether the LED is lit up or not.

This. SOOooo this.

This is a perfect example of how something that might look good on the chalkboard doesn't work in execution.

This is something that urks me a lot.... I've gone to step on something (holding my foot in anticipation) and get annoyed thinking "it just coulda been moved an inch or so"

yeah, yeah people can say "well you don't need to see the LED, you'll hear it when it's on" blah blah.

I want to see my LED since that's the intended purpose.

[Jwar]

Yeah. Heat shrink is an LED's best friend

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not. Stupid internet!!! lol


I mean heat shrink on the wiring. Like it you run a wire from the LED to the stomp. I put heat shrink over the solder joint from the two wires so they wouldn't ground out on the case.

[Jwar]

Just so I'm clear. Can someone give me a pedal with bad LED placement? I've never seen LED placement as an issue, unless there isn't an LED. That's a HUGE annoyance to me.

[excane]

Just so I'm clear. Can someone give me a pedal with bad LED placement? I've never seen LED placement as an issue, unless there isn't an LED. That's a HUGE annoyance to me.

*cough* fuzzpotion *cough*