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Should my opto be installed in the direction I have shown?




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I picked up a few different LEDs when I got my breadboard.  This evening I thought I would replace the tempo LEDs to see what that would do.  To my surprise the new LEDs worked just fine.  Both flashing as they should.  However, it is still making some really crazy noises.  Check out the video below.

https://youtu.be/FK5Vlzr73d8



On another note, I have read through some basic bread boarding instructions.  After watching a couple of bread boarding how-to's on YouTube, I thought I was ready to do the power section of this pedal...
I pulled the schematics out and immediately was overwhelmed. Haha.
I guess I was a tad overconfident. Then I thought, even if I knew how to lay out the power section on the breadboard....how do I connect it to the PCB and where?  This is how I would check for the noise. Correct?

I am picking up a breadboard today....however, I have never used one.  I know is may be an elementary question, but I am still kind of new to pedal building.  How would I go about building the power section of the pedal on the bread board to try and find the problem? 

I don't have a bread board.  I need to get one. 

I removed the Zener and replaced the 10uf with a 100uf as discussed.  Still have a noise.  I then replaced the d4 for safe measure....still noise.  After each thing done above I checked and the noise would change pitch.  I did notice the pitch changes as I rotate the bias pot. 

Still dead quiet with a battery. 

I will try changing out the 10uf cap for the 100uf first.  The two additional power supplies that I tried out did produce a really pitched low noise....much lower than the 1spot. So what you said above makes sense.

In regards to the zener....if it is ok to remove it, what was its purpose?  Can it remain out? 
Also,  could you share a link to a proper zener for this project?  I used one I had laying around and if I purchase another one, I want to make sure I am getting something that is appropriate.  You can see in my images it is the small red one. Maybe this is the wrong Zener?

I am away from Home for a couple days but will try the 100uF cap exchange when I get back.

I dug around in my box of random guitar things and found a couple different power supplies.  Both were 9v - 400ma. I thought I would hook them up and check for the same noise.

The pedal made noise with all 3 power supples.  Each one made a different noise.  All at the same volume, just with a different tone. 
It's Crazy how this thing makes so much noise with any power supply, and attached but not with a battery. 

I finished up a smoothie build.  It was my first go at these tiny builds. I had some struggles getting everything to fit.  I ended up milling a little extension of Black Walnut.  I think the hardwood gives it a little class and old school feel. Hopefully my next will fit better.







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Ok.  I hooked the pedal back up with a 9v (same battery used last time) and got the same noise.....then I decided to try a different battery for good measure and I was pleasantly surprised when I heard silence.  I guess it was power all along....but who would have thought a battery would do the same thing?  And why does one battery do it and the other doesn't? Either way I think I have found the problem with the sound. 

However, The second tempo LED is still not working, And when I turned the amp way up I heard a tick with the one tempo LED that is working.  I added a resistor to both tempo LEDs and almost all the tick went away.  But I'm still at a loss for why the second tempo LED fades out the way it does. 

Any ideas on the LED issue? Still a new taptation kit so I wouldn't think both would do the same thing.  I guess I could try a different led and see what happens?

Thanks for all the help on this thing. 

You've plugged your guitar directly in to your amp just to check if the noise is gone?


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Yep.  I did in the video above.

Ok, I pulled ALL the IC's (including the taptation set). Noise was still there. I then pulled the Q2...noise was still there.  The noise changed pitch (lower) when the Q2 was removed but it was still there in volume.

I did buy a new taptation set with the other parts.  The pots and jacks are the only thing I reused. 

The parts that are installed....

2n5457   http://www.mammothelectronics.com/2N5457-p/100-1029.htm

2n5088   http://www.mammothelectronics.com/2N5088-p/100-1000.htm

BS170     http://www.mammothelectronics.com/BS170-p/100-1016.htm

LM78L05  http://www.mammothelectronics.com/LM78L05ACZ-p/400-1108.htm

LT1054        http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Texas-Instruments/LT1054IP/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMuo%252bmZx5g6tFDbWjHMXK2vq

I took the PT out and the noise was still there.  It's changed in sound slightly with the PT removed but was just as loud.  You could actually hear a faint 'tick' with the blink of the one LED that works.

Quick video showing how the second tempo LED fades out after powering up.

https://youtu.be/7oMDdzMLJUk




Second video showing the noise/hiss I'm referring to.

https://youtu.be/vHaEhrDnSkY

Picture of the board.  I will get a video shortly. 








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