HELP! Grounding. Probably a simple subject. BUT...

[tracer03]

...for some reason, I just can't seem to get it through my thick skull.

I get that, for a circuit to be complete, there's a positive and negative 'side'. The positive supplies the power, and the negative (simply) follows the return path (ground) to complete the circuit.

So, my first build is a Lovepedal Silicon Fuzzmaster (for reference: Lovepedal Silicon Fuzzmaster), which I have wired on stripboard. I tested it before boxing, and it worked fine (using a slew of alligator clips, etc.).

Boxed it, and nothing. Re-checked my solder joints, still nothing. Took it out of the box, semi-disassembled, hooked it to my test rig, and it works again.

I had wired it to my 3pdt using the Madbean Wiring diagram (for reference: Madbean Footswitch Wiring (pops)) with the only difference being that the ground from the board connects to the in/out jack sleeves, then to center of 3pdt, and the ground from output is conncted directly to the ground on the power jack, then to the center of the 3pdt.

Now, I realize that it could just be my n00bish soldering skills, and that there's a bad joint somewhere on the hardware - but since I was fuzzy on the grounding topic from the start, I thought I would ask...

I also have some 3pdt daughterboards from GuitarPCB that I could try, if that's an easier method - but I wanted to do the whole 'switch wiring' thing to get familiar with it.

So - cutting to chase: when the instructions for the Lovepedal says 'Level 1 to ground' does it have to go to a 'specific' ground? Or, using the Madbean diagram for reference, can I wire the ins and outs as follows:

9v positive - from dc jack to board power in (separate lead to led, then to 3pdt)

Signal in - from input jack tip to 3pdt, to board input

Negative/Ground - from board and Level 1 to negative terminal of dc jack (two leads) and from in/out jack sleeves to 3pdt center lug and to dc jack neg terminal (per Madbean)

Signal Out - from Level 2 (per layout diagram) to oiutput jack tip.

Thanks in advance.

[Ciaran Haslett]

Don't get hung up on "this ground" or "that ground." There can be only one (managed to get in a Highlander reference ) They all must be connected together somehow.  

The easiest (and messiest) is to solder a wire to EVERY ground point listed in the layout (jack sleeves, DC, board, switch, any pots or toggles) and simply twist the other ends together in mid air and solder!  Job done.

To answer your question RE Level 1....solder it to literally any ground point you want...as long as ALL ground points are somehow connected.  You can see that in Brians diagrams too....every ground point is physically connected together.  He just does it neat.  I'm in the camp of "nail the lid closed and guard it with snakes"  In other words...my internal wiring looks like shit but I'll never open it again!

So I'd check that every ground point is actually connected with my multimeter.  Set it to continuity (beep), put a probe on the DC negative...and touch the other probe to every other ground point.  If something doesn't beep, theres your problem.  If they all check out...maybe look at the rest of the offboard wiring or even the switch mechanics themselves.

Good luck...and post some pics if you've any further problems and we'll take a look

[tracer03]

Ciaran Haslett wrote

...solder it to literally any ground point you want...as long as ALL ground points are somehow connected.

And therein, I think, was my problem. I was getting so hung up on the multiple grounds that I forgot that there's really only 'one' ground. They just needed to be all connected - which, if I remember correctly, I did *not* do.

*slaps forehead*

Time to head home and heat up the iron....

[nocentelli]

Also, ensure you are using an insulated/plastic DC jack for power in the enclosure: Metal ones with short the positive side of the power supply to ground via the enclosure (a problem ever since BOSS established "centre negative/sleeve positive" as the standard at the end of the '70).

This is a very common cause of "fine outside the box/no sound when boxed"