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Hi, I just built the Green pony as my first pedal build and I'm running into an issue where when the pedal is off, it passes signal, but when I press the switch, there is no signal at all. The LED won't turn on either. I've checked the 9v power socket if it was wired correctly, which it was, I tried with a battery, still won't turn on, and I've reflowed and checked all the connections, and there's no shorts, cold joints or anything that I can tell is seriously wrong which leads me to believe it may be an issue with the power socket itself or the on/off switch. I've attached a couple photos of the wiring so y'all can check my work. (I know the IC on top is soldered directly to the board, one of the pins on the socket broke off and I thought I could try soldering it directly. A replacement is on the way, but I just wanted to get the thing working.)

Thanks!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vl9OQr ... share_link

https://drive.google.com/file/d/102Aenp ... share_link

Do you have access to a multimeter and know how to use it?

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“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Yeah I have one, I'm just not sure what setting to put it on. It's a manual.

I would recommend using the meter to check if you're getting power into the pedal circuit. Here's how to do that:

Set your multimeter to the DC voltage mode, indicated by a solid line above a dotted one. Use the 20VDC range setting if it's not an auto-ranging meter. Your power source needs to be connected and there needs to be a cable in the input jack. If the pedal is assembled into the metal enclosure, put the black probe into one of the corner screw bosses of the enclosure--this is your ground connection. If the "guts" are out of the enclosure, use the sleeve tab of the input jack for the ground connection. Then touch the red probe to the point you want to test. I would check these two points to start:

• The + power connection solder joint at the top of the PCB
• Pin 8 of the top IC

See marked up PCB image below. Report your results here.

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

So i followed the instructions, I’m reading zero on both

OK, then it appears that you've either got no DC voltage going into the effect circuit currently or it's shorting to ground. The DC jack looks pretty rough, so I would replace that and try measuring the voltages again. If it still won't work, try powering it with a battery and see if the battery gets hot after being connected for a couple of minutes. If so, that would indicate a power short somewhere in the pedal.

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Okay, so I’ve ordered some new dc jacks that should arrive in a couple days, along with some ic sockets to fix the ic chip on top. Once they arrive I’ll update with what happens. Thanks for the patience, I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to soldering and electronics

Actually, I would advise against trying to remove the top IC and installing a socket, at least for now. There is no function served by the socket other than making it possible to change IC's without needing to desolder and resolder. But that horse is already out of the barn. Additionally, removing the IC with its 8 solder attachment points is a challenging task even for an experienced pedal builder, which you are not. So I would just leave it as is for now until we can pin down why you have no power going into the circuit. Let's see where you're at after changing out the DC jack.

Incidentally, the process of desoldering a component and cleaning up the PCB before installing a replacement is FAR easier if you have the right tools--a "solder sucker" and good quality desoldering braid:

https://www.amazon.com/TBBSC-Desolderin ... B08XQF9WYV

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008O9VLA2/

One additional thing: You mentioned that you thought that your problem might be a defective footswitch, which you described as an "on/off switch." But the footswitch has nothing to do with power going into the pedal. The circuit will be energized as long as a power source is connected and there's a cable in the input jack to provide the needed ground path. The footswitch only serves to switch the effect circuit in (engaged) and out (bypassed) of your signal path, and to turn on the indicator LED when the pedal is engaged.

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Hi, so early update, decided to try and test it again for some reason, just to see what would happen, and I now have readings coming from the pin on the chip. The thing about it is that I’m getting fluctuating readings ranging from ~0.46 to ~0.60 jumping between values randomly.

Thanks for the tip, I’ve already ordered a solder sucker along with the dc jack so we’ll see what happens then, and I already have some wick as well. I’ll leave the IC alone until after I get it working.

So I’ve replaced the dc jack, still got nothing. Tried with a battery, nothing, and it got hot, so it’s shorting somewhere. I’m going to try and figure out where it is but I’ve got no idea where to begin.

This is a small step but: is there a difference between how it "works" depending on whether everything re-installed in the enclosure, as opposed enjoying the freedom of the open work bench (as in the photos you provided)? The enclosure provides a lot of places for a short to happen.

This has come up a couple of times in the past, so it's worth checking: Because it's a bit thicker than a standard pot, the dual-gang B250 Drive pot can quite easily short against the PCB beneath it. Try slipping a piece of a business card (or other stiff paper) between the back of that pot and the PCB and see if it makes any difference.

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

Sadly nope, when I originally built it, it was in the enclosure. Same result.

Still nothing unfortunately. I'm starting to think I might have broken something while building.

Try removing the ICs from their sockets and taking voltage readings of the empty sockets. Have you been able to get the LED to come on yet?

_________________
*patience is a virtue*

Please do not PM me. email is prefered. keith@buildyourownclone.com

We have a few more things we can check before I would come to that conclusion. Try this:

Remove the charge pump IC (the bottom/left one) from its socket. With the battery connected as the power source and a cable in the input jack, does the battery still get hot? If so, pull the cable out of the input jack, remove the middle IC as well, re-insert the cable in the input and see if the battery heats up again. Report your findings here. (Until we can get rid of that power short, I think it'll be impossible to get the voltage readings that Keith/byoc suggested.)

_________________
“My favorite programming language is SOLDER” - Bob Pease (RIP)

My Website * My Musical Gear * My DIY Pedals: Pg.1 - Pg.2

I’ll try that next, the LED has not turned on at all.

Will do, sorry I’ve been slow to reply, I got midterms

Battery is still getting hot with both attempts

I'm sorry if I've overlooked something you've already done. Don't even worry about "overdrive" right now. The only thing you should be concerned with at the moment is getting the battery to stop heating and the LED to turn on.

Remove all of the ICs from their sockets. Test for continuity between the two battery snap terminals. If you do get continuity, do not assume the problem is with the battery snap, i.e., don't attempt to replace it.

If you do get continuity at the battery snap terminals, insert an plug into the DC adapter jack and test for continuity again at the battery snap.

_________________
*patience is a virtue*

Please do not PM me. email is prefered. keith@buildyourownclone.com

Hi, I’ve tried both with the Dc jack and without, and I’m reading zero with the multimeter

Do you get continuity between pins 4 and 8 of either of the Op amp sockets. Do you get continuity between pins 1 and 3 of the charge pump socket?

_________________
*patience is a virtue*

Please do not PM me. email is prefered. keith@buildyourownclone.com

Yes to both, I checked both op-amp sockets along with the charge pump as well just to be sure. sorry I’ve been taking so long, I’ve had a busy few weeks.

The good news is we know what you problem is. You have a short between ground and your +V. The bad news is I cannot tell you where it is. There are dozens of places where this short may occur. You're going to need to go over your build with a fine tooth comb and a magnifying glass and see if you can find anything that looks suspicious.

Looking at the solder side pic of your PCB, you've got quite a few long leads that could be causing problems. I don't see anything specific, but I'd assume your problem is related to this.

_________________
*patience is a virtue*

Please do not PM me. email is prefered. keith@buildyourownclone.com