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Projects => Tech Help - Projects Page => Topic started by: tenwatt on July 20, 2012, 01:24:19 PM

Title: Lighted Pot Board/3PDT Daughter Board Combo?
Post by: tenwatt on July 20, 2012, 01:24:19 PM
Okay...I'm using three of DuctTapeRiot's lighted pot boards in conjuction with gtr2's 3PDT boards.  I thought I would hook one up and test it but I'm not getting the LED to light.  The LED will not light up.  Since the pot boards have a CLR I put a jumper over the CLR on the 3PDT PCB.  I'm getting a constant 9.22V from the power jack to the lighted pot regardless of the position of the footswitch.  If you click the switch on or off it remain 9.22V.  Bad switch maybe?
Title: Re: Lighted Pot Board/3PDT Daughter Board Combo?
Post by: mgwhit on July 20, 2012, 01:39:34 PM
The footswitch doesn't control power to the LED, it controls path to ground.  I realize that doesn't fix your problem, but it explains the constant voltage reading.

I'm unfamiliar with DuctTapeRiot’s lighted pot boards, but have you checked to make sure your LED is oriented correctly?
Title: Re: Lighted Pot Board/3PDT Daughter Board Combo?
Post by: tenwatt on July 20, 2012, 01:58:34 PM
Yup.  I've checked all the obvious stuff like wire orientation, LED orentation, power jack tabs, etc.  The only thing unique about this is that I'm using a violet LED.
Title: Re: Lighted Pot Board/3PDT Daughter Board Combo?
Post by: mgwhit on July 20, 2012, 02:26:16 PM
Is it a violet LED or an ULTRA-violet LED?
Title: Re: Lighted Pot Board/3PDT Daughter Board Combo?
Post by: gtr2 on July 20, 2012, 02:27:19 PM
Did you happen to check that the LED works before wiring?  Maybe just a bad LED  ???

Josh
Title: Re: Lighted Pot Board/3PDT Daughter Board Combo?
Post by: tenwatt on July 20, 2012, 02:30:36 PM
Quote from: mgwhit on July 20, 2012, 02:26:16 PM
Is it a violet LED or an ULTRA-violet LED?
ULTRA-violet...

Quote from: gtr2 on July 20, 2012, 02:27:19 PM
Did you happen to check that the LED works before wiring?  Maybe just a bad LED  ???
No...no I didn't.  But after Matthew's last post I'm guessing I'm about to learn that I have to do something else to make UV LEDs fire.
Title: Re: Lighted Pot Board/3PDT Daughter Board Combo?
Post by: mgwhit on July 20, 2012, 02:56:20 PM
Some ultraviolet LEDs can be outside of the range of visible light.  It's certainly possible that this is just a wiring error or a bad LED, but I'd check the specs on your LED and see what wavelengths it emits.  Where'd you get it?
Title: Re: Lighted Pot Board/3PDT Daughter Board Combo?
Post by: gtr2 on July 20, 2012, 02:59:34 PM
Take it in a dark room with something white and see if it glows :)
Title: Re: Lighted Pot Board/3PDT Daughter Board Combo?
Post by: tenwatt on July 20, 2012, 03:13:02 PM
Pedal Parts Plus.  It says "LED T-1 3/4 3mm clear lens Ultra Violet in color. 2000mcd Forward Voltage (V) : 3.2 ~ 3.8 Reverse Current (uA) : <=30"

http://www.pedalpartsplus.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PPP&Product_Code=5505&Category_Code=LO3
Title: Re: Lighted Pot Board/3PDT Daughter Board Combo?
Post by: tenwatt on July 20, 2012, 07:11:38 PM
Quote from: tenwatt on July 20, 2012, 03:13:02 PM
Pedal Parts Plus.  It says "LED T-1 3/4 3mm clear lens Ultra Violet in color. 2000mcd Forward Voltage (V) : 3.2 ~ 3.8 Reverse Current (uA) : <=30"

http://www.pedalpartsplus.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PPP&Product_Code=5505&Category_Code=LO3
So does anyone know if this LED is supposed to be visible?
Title: Re: Lighted Pot Board/3PDT Daughter Board Combo?
Post by: mgwhit on July 20, 2012, 08:40:07 PM
I've been poking around the net off-and-on all day to see if I can find a definitive answer for you, but I can't.  According to Mouser, Kingbright used to make a UV LED  that emitted at 395nm, right at the edge of the visible spectrum.  Mammoth sells a Kingbright "Violet" that I have used and it emits plenty of purple light.  Kingbright's own site only used the term "Purple", which leads me to believe that they're trying to avoid the term "violet" altogether.  I have no idea if PPP sells Kingbrights, but it's a pretty standard brand.  Long story short: I've got no idea. ;)

I think Jacob's right -- you need to test it.  When it should be switched on, can you read any voltage across the legs?  If not, try connecting it directly to a battery (through a CLR, of course) with alligator clip leads.  If it won't light up like that, you need to swap it out.  If it does light up like that, you need to do continuity tests to figure out what's not properly connected.
Title: Re: Lighted Pot Board/3PDT Daughter Board Combo?
Post by: jkokura on July 20, 2012, 08:47:26 PM
Quote from: mgwhit on July 20, 2012, 08:40:07 PM
...I think Josh is right -- you need to test it....

Fixed. And seconded.

Jacob
Title: Re: Lighted Pot Board/3PDT Daughter Board Combo?
Post by: tenwatt on July 21, 2012, 06:14:29 PM
Yup...bad LED.  Thanx guys!!!
Title: Re: Lighted Pot Board/3PDT Daughter Board Combo?
Post by: mgwhit on July 21, 2012, 07:43:24 PM
Glad you got it working, and sorry I got us distracted on the UV tangent.  So is the PPP Ultraviolet LED just plain old violet?
Title: Re: Lighted Pot Board/3PDT Daughter Board Combo?
Post by: tenwatt on July 24, 2012, 12:26:49 PM
I'm not sure.  It looks like a black light to me.  You can see some pics in the builds section.  I put them in a Wolfshirt/Snow Fox.
Title: Re: Lighted Pot Board/3PDT Daughter Board Combo?
Post by: mgwhit on July 24, 2012, 04:10:28 PM
Yeah, I saw your build thread.  The UV LEDs look awesome on the white sparkle!