element14 Community
element14 Community
    Register Log In
  • Site
  • Search
  • Log In Register
  • About Us
  • Community Hub
    Community Hub
    • What's New on element14
    • Feedback and Support
    • Benefits of Membership
    • Personal Blogs
    • Members Area
    • Achievement Levels
  • Learn
    Learn
    • Ask an Expert
    • eBooks
    • element14 presents
    • Learning Center
    • Tech Spotlight
    • STEM Academy
    • Webinars, Training and Events
    • Learning Groups
  • Technologies
    Technologies
    • 3D Printing
    • FPGA
    • Industrial Automation
    • Internet of Things
    • Power & Energy
    • Sensors
    • Technology Groups
  • Challenges & Projects
    Challenges & Projects
    • Design Challenges
    • element14 presents Projects
    • Project14
    • Arduino Projects
    • Raspberry Pi Projects
    • Project Groups
  • Products
    Products
    • Arduino
    • Avnet Boards Community
    • Dev Tools
    • Manufacturers
    • Multicomp Pro
    • Product Groups
    • Raspberry Pi
    • RoadTests & Reviews
  • Store
    Store
    • Visit Your Store
    • Choose another store...
      • Europe
      •  Austria (German)
      •  Belgium (Dutch, French)
      •  Bulgaria (Bulgarian)
      •  Czech Republic (Czech)
      •  Denmark (Danish)
      •  Estonia (Estonian)
      •  Finland (Finnish)
      •  France (French)
      •  Germany (German)
      •  Hungary (Hungarian)
      •  Ireland
      •  Israel
      •  Italy (Italian)
      •  Latvia (Latvian)
      •  
      •  Lithuania (Lithuanian)
      •  Netherlands (Dutch)
      •  Norway (Norwegian)
      •  Poland (Polish)
      •  Portugal (Portuguese)
      •  Romania (Romanian)
      •  Russia (Russian)
      •  Slovakia (Slovak)
      •  Slovenia (Slovenian)
      •  Spain (Spanish)
      •  Sweden (Swedish)
      •  Switzerland(German, French)
      •  Turkey (Turkish)
      •  United Kingdom
      • Asia Pacific
      •  Australia
      •  China
      •  Hong Kong
      •  India
      •  Korea (Korean)
      •  Malaysia
      •  New Zealand
      •  Philippines
      •  Singapore
      •  Taiwan
      •  Thailand (Thai)
      • Americas
      •  Brazil (Portuguese)
      •  Canada
      •  Mexico (Spanish)
      •  United States
      Can't find the country/region you're looking for? Visit our export site or find a local distributor.
  • Translate
  • Profile
  • Settings
Experts, Learning and Guidance
  • Technologies
  • More
Experts, Learning and Guidance
Ask an Expert Forum Colorsound Power Boost - Another issue!!!
  • Blog
  • Forum
  • Documents
  • Leaderboard
  • Files
  • Members
  • Mentions
  • Sub-Groups
  • Tags
  • More
  • Cancel
  • New
Join Experts, Learning and Guidance to participate - click to join for free!
Actions
  • Share
  • More
  • Cancel
Forum Thread Details
  • Replies 40 replies
  • Subscribers 289 subscribers
  • Views 5390 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Related
See a helpful answer?

Be sure to click 'more' and select 'suggest as answer'!

If you're the thread creator, be sure to click 'more' then 'Verify as Answer'!

Colorsound Power Boost - Another issue!!!

Andy Betts
Andy Betts over 4 years ago

Hi guys,

 

Been a long time since I posted here and i have another issue for you that hopefully you might be able to help with.

 

I've just recently built another Power boost pedal for a client. I etched the board myself using the photo resist method, it came out not too bad save for a couple of areas where the tracks were broke. i patched them up with copper tape that has conductive adhesive. I've checked for continuity and all is fine where the patches are. Here are the pictures of the board and also for reference the schematic.

 

 

image

 

image

 

I've built a few of these now and have had no issues with the circuit or builds until now. I built this one, wired it to my test rig and there is no sound at all.... it's totally dead as if it's not in the circuit at all. I've checked for voltage on input and it's ok. I've checked for continuity in the circuit and it seems ok. i don't know what the voltages should be in the various sections of the circuit so haven't checked them. I've gone basic and checked the input and output wires for breaks and they're ok. I've also checked the test rig with a known good circuit and it's OK.

 

i think there might be a duff component but not sure on first steps to troubleshoot.... Any help will be greatly received.

  • Sign in to reply
  • Cancel

Top Replies

  • michaelkellett
    michaelkellett over 4 years ago in reply to Andy Betts +3
    What value is the blue bodied resistor - it looks like 1.8M brown grey green - if its meant to be 180k that would explain things. I could be being misled by pictures. MK
  • Jan Cumps
    Jan Cumps over 4 years ago in reply to geralds +3
    geralds wrote: ... Tip: use your finger as a signal injector. - You are a 60Hz (in AUT I'm a 50Hz sender ) sender "brummmmmm.....!!!""", so you can check the signal with a signal follower (mini-amp with…
  • Andy Betts
    Andy Betts over 4 years ago +3
    I've taken a higher res photo of the board.... this is how it stand now after reflowing the 3k9 resistor and bridging the break in the track on the Q3 base
Parents
  • Jan Cumps
    Jan Cumps over 4 years ago

    In a next version, I'd drill mounting holes in the board.

    If it hangs in the pedal, held up by the potentioleter pins, I predict that you'll get broken solder joints.

    A pedal gets some abuse when used on stage. And your PCB, with the electrolytes, has a decent mass.

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up 0 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • Cancel
  • Andy Betts
    Andy Betts over 4 years ago in reply to Jan Cumps

    @Jan Crumps Only the pots are board mounted, the on/off switch is separate.

    @Gerald Schwarz The board is an exact replica of an original. All the parts are as an original 0.5w resistors, and Vishay axial capacitors. Here are some photos of some original powerboosts. All the other boards I've made have been perfect, with no issues. This has clearly got to be a component issue.

     

    imageimageimage

     

    The transistors are BC183L the same as an original and are orientated correctly, although I will check to be sure. Pinout is ECB when looking at the transistors from the pin end with the flat on top. The only difference with mine is I've had to mount the pots on the reverse side of  the board as the pot shaft isn't long enough to locate on the board and go through the enclosure. The originals used the pot shaft to mount to the board, where mine use the 3 pins. Also, the originals had the pins bent in the opposite direction to standard angled pot. The originals used custom made pots by Omeg and are not readily available.

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up 0 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • Cancel
  • Andy Betts
    Andy Betts over 4 years ago in reply to Andy Betts

    Sorry, the transistors are BC184L... that was a typo

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up 0 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • Cancel
Reply
  • Andy Betts
    Andy Betts over 4 years ago in reply to Andy Betts

    Sorry, the transistors are BC184L... that was a typo

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up 0 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • Cancel
Children
No Data
element14 Community

element14 is the first online community specifically for engineers. Connect with your peers and get expert answers to your questions.

  • Members
  • Learn
  • Technologies
  • Challenges & Projects
  • Products
  • Store
  • About Us
  • Feedback & Support
  • FAQs
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Legal and Copyright Notices
  • Sitemap
  • Cookies

An Avnet Company © 2025 Premier Farnell Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Premier Farnell Ltd, registered in England and Wales (no 00876412), registered office: Farnell House, Forge Lane, Leeds LS12 2NE.

ICP 备案号 10220084.

Follow element14

  • X
  • Facebook
  • linkedin
  • YouTube