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I want to kill myself.
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 5:30 am
by Officer Bukowski
So this was my first build and it works but the led doesn't work

(this picture doesn't show the led wired up, I wired it in after)
the ground is going to the center lug on the 3pdt and the negative leg of the led is going to the middle lug on the top row. The positive leg is wired to the led spot on the board.
What am I missing here? I guess I could live without a working led.. I can definately tell when it's on without one but it's the principal of the whole thing haha. I need to know how to make it work.
I don't have a dmm
thanks errbody
Re: Why is my LED not working?
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 5:33 am
by Schlatte
Maybe the led spot on the board is already ground and you have to connect the +9v via the switch?
Re: Why is my LED not working?
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:10 am
by mysteriousj
try putting 9V to the + on the LED, with a resistor in series (about 2k). Then grab the 1st lug of the middle pole and send that to the - on the LED

Re: Why is my LED not working?
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:10 am
by Fuzzrociouspedals
Take a fresh led and touch the contacts (while pedal is engaged) to the existing led contacts (cathode to cathode).
If the fresh led lights up, you have a bad led in there, so swap it.
If it doesn't light up, disconnect the wires on your switch that come from G and go to the led, then resolder.
Report back!
Re: Why is my LED not working?
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 9:16 am
by fuzzmax
just saying....the resistor does not have to be 2K, when the impedance is higher (more resistance), the led is less bright and when the impedance is lower (less resistence), the led is brighter. If there is no resistance.....BOOM!!!! no more led!!
Re: Why is my LED not working?
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 12:34 pm
by Jero
Yea, you will need a current limiting resistor on the led or it will fry. I stick around 5k or less. Those layouts/boards are nice, they might already have the led resistor included. Also, are you sure the led is facing the right way?
Mysteriousj, shouldn't the resistor be on the positive side of the led? Or does it not matter?
Re: Why is my LED not working?
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 1:01 pm
by Fuzzrociouspedals
If you didn't hook a resistor in line with the long leg/+ side of the led, it's fried.
Re: Why is my LED not working?
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 1:46 pm
by fuzzmax
i think i read somewhere that it does not matter wether the resistor is on the anode side or the cathode side......i may be wrong though...
Re: Why is my LED not working?
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 1:54 pm
by Schlatte
fuzzmax wrote:i think i read somewhere that it does not matter wether the resistor is on the anode side or the cathode side......i may be wrong though...
It does not matter on which side the resistor is.. but there has to be one!
Re: Why is my LED not working?
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 3:24 pm
by Officer Bukowski
I think this board has a resistor on it for the led but I'm not sure. It didn't even light up for a second and blow though.
I'm gonna try what you guys said
Re: Why is my LED not working?
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 3:26 pm
by McSpunckle
If you have a meter with an audible continuity test or diode test, you can put the red test lead on the positive side of the LED, and black on the negative. If it lights up, the LED is good. If it doesn't, try switching the leads and you'll know if you have your LED in backwards.
Definitely make sure there's a current limiting resistor in there. If not, the LED blew instantly. They usually flash... sometimes they smoke, if you're lucky.
Re: Why is my LED not working?
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 3:34 pm
by McSpunckle
Also, if you solder them too long, you can break them.at I've done that before.
Re: Why is my LED not working?
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 3:42 pm
by mysteriousj
Jero wrote:Mysteriousj, shouldn't the resistor be on the positive side of the led? Or does it not matter?
it doesn't matter that resistor is gonna limit the same amount of current no matter what order
Re: Why is my LED not working?
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 3:46 pm
by Officer Bukowski
McSpunckle wrote:Also, if you solder them too long, you can break them.at I've done that before.
This is honestly probly what I did. Good thing I just got a shitload of LEDs from mammoth.
Re: I want to kill myself.
Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2011 8:23 pm
by Officer Bukowski
Rather than start a new thread I figured I'd just continue begging and whining in here.
Fuuuuuuuck!! I seriously hate DIY/myself right now.
I got some parts the other day to finish two builds I had going. The first was an op amp muff kit from mammoth which I think I'm probably just gonna abandon because it doesn't work and I don't have a dmm and there are way too many things that could have gone wrong. I'm pretty butthurt about this cause it was like $60 and there's definately no way I'm getting it working.
Then I tried to finish up my super hard on clone and though I had it all good and then I plug it in and absolutely nothing about it works. There's no bypass signal or effected signal and of course the LED doesn't work or anything. I really don't even understand how the bypass signal could not work. I must be overlooking something really stupid.
Here's a pic of the SHO

is there anything obviously wrong about that? I know the picture sucks but I don't have a camera or a computer I'm pretty limited with my iPhone. I'll try to figure something out..
Sorry for the whining.. I'm just frustrated about this. It really sucks. I'm sure you know how it is.