Build Your Own Clone Message Board

Built the Klone from gtrplaya101's board, and it's DOA - no power, no LED, no bypass, no effect. Had some problems along the way, but its all finally in line with the wiring diagram, and...nada. Can anyone suggest where and how to check continuity, voltage, ground? I have a multimeter but not sure where to probe.

Geo, I would post some good picks first of both sides of the board as well as some good shots of your wiring to the footswitch and all 3 jacks. Also when you say you had some issues what do you mean? The more info you give us the better the chance we get her running.

Will try and post pics later this w/e. Unfortunately had a lot of issues during build:

Found out that I put in the electrolytic capacitors backwards and had to unsolder and resolder them onto board (lots of heat to unsolder, hope I didn't damage board)

bent the legs of the ICs trying to install them into sockets and had to bend them around to restraighten them and reinstall - think they're in okay now

first attempt used way too long lead wire and ended up with quite a birds nest. So I unsoldered the wires connecting to the DPDT switch to shorten them and reconnect, during which one of the legs of the DPDT switch bent away from the switch as the unsoldering heat softened the connection - I carefully reheated it and pushed it back into place, but wonder if the switch is damaged

had one wrong connection to the LED which I had to unsolder and resolder

So not a very clean job, and hope I didn't damage the capacitors, board, ICs, switch, or LED in the process of fixing my mistakes...

Well, CJ just posted this thread viewtopic.php?f=9&t=37383 so keep that in mind as you go along. I know you are using a DPDT but same concept applies. You can usually tell on those if you either melted the ring completely or lifted up the trace. If you have a microscope I would comb over it a bit to be sure. Unless you laid the iron on there too long those caps should be fine as well as the LED. I think I'd be mostly worried about the DPDT but pics might help too in having some of us look at the traces etc...

I've bent many an IC leg but as long as it didn't break in some way it should be fine.

Have you got an extra switch and parts if something is fried?

When desoldering, part of the process is to let things cool a minute or two if you are having a hard time getting them out so keep that in mind going forward. Did you use a braid, pump or what when you desoldered?

Used a pump to desolder. Don't have any extra parts but they are somewhat readily accessible at local electronics stores. Is there a way to check the DPDT switch before swapping it out?

for one thing, it sounds as though that switch might be dead.. once you have a lug floating around from too much heat, odds of survival are low.

If your soldering technique needs practice, the Klon may not have been the best build to dive into, it's intermediate at best..

anyway, post photos, and let's see what you got..

I believe a continuity test will tell you if it is still functional. Put your DMM in continuity mode and test the top row of lugs with the middle row and then click the switch and repeat until you determine which set is being controlled. .

The top and middle should have continuity in one switch postition and the middle and bottom should have it in the other. Pretty sure about that. But like PP said, once the lugs have melted and moved, it is probably best to replace it

So with the switch in one position, the top and middle on both sides have continuity. With the switch in the other position, the top and middle have continuity on the side without the 68k resistors, and the middle and bottom have continuity on the side with the 68k resistors

Okay, here are some pics:











Any help?

By looking at the bottom of the PCB, your soldering looks to be the suspect here. It shouldn't be all burned up like that. Also, when using stranded wire like that, you should tin the ends before attaching them to something (heat the end, put a dab of solder on the end, then thread them through the lugs/PCB). Some of the joints look "cold" as well - meaning the solder melted on the joint, but you didn't heat the components the solder was fusing to.

Just my observation, others may actually look at the components to see any other things causing you troubles on this build.

Yeah, as mentioned above, I mistakenly put in all the electrolytic capacitors backwards so had to unsolder and resolder them which is the reason for all the heat on the board...

Comments & suggestions:

• Replace the switch. Your continuity test shows a problem on the side w/o the 68K's.
• That's some pretty rough looking soldering. I can see several joints that I'd recommend reflowing or adding a bit more solder to. Good solder joints are typically shiny and conical in shape. I'd also recommend clipping off excess lead ends down as close as possible to the top of their solder joints, as these can be potential sources of shorts.
• Speaking of shorts, how are your preventing contact between the back of the PCB and metal surfaces underneath it?
• As mentioned by mxsix, your wire prep before soldering needs a lot of improvement. The basic sequence should be cut-strip-twist-tin. Reference THIS excellent document by moderator Stephen. Many useful tips contained therein.

Well, I am at work and only had a couple minutes to look over the schem for the Klone etc. I know it is not true bypass, but the fact that you are not getting your LED lighting up seems to indicate a power issue. As far as I can tell from a quick look at the layout, the LED should light if you are getting power to the board, and if your switch is working.

How is your DC jack wired up (cant tell from the photo's). It looks like you are not using a battery, so you should have your ground to the ground on the DC jack, and the pos to the outside of the two pos terminals on the DC Jack.



Check your DC jack wiring, and then set your multimeter to read Voltage (usually you will pick 20V, whatever voltage step is the one that is larger than 9V, put the black probe on the ground, red on that outside positive lug and make sure you are getting power through the jack.

Switch to measuring resistance and check for continuity to make sure your ground and power connections to the board are good, double check all the continuity through the foot switch, then switch back to voltage and follow the power trace to the LED. On that note, is your LED the right way around??

There are lots and lots of good posts etc here on how to do this type of continuity and voltage checking (use the search, or look in the Effects Pedals Technical Support, or DIY discussion forums). Have a look around, read up on the troubleshooting stickies etc, get some results from your testing and let us know what you find.