GSSL HELP THREAD!!!
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If it still gives you your -12V, it should be alright?
Lowfreq
Well-known member
Ok everyone, just a couple of quick questions.
I've had a read throught the 60 pages of this thread and some searches and found some info. Just wanna double check i'm heading in right direction :thumb:
Firstly, when I got mt GSSL goin, I got too excited and forgot to do the earth @ pin1 input, and I also had my tants on the control board backwards. Got distortion. which is to be expected from what I've read with other probs have had. (AC instead of DC etc etc)
I've now reversed the tants and grounded my input pin1. Still distorting I read that tants may not survive bein the wrong way round. correct?
Secondly, when I was changing the pin on the release switch, all my pins fell of the rotary switches. No prob I thought to myself. But................when I put the ratio one back on for three selections, now only one ratio seems to work, and I'm sure it was fine before that. If I take the pin out again, i get mostly no sound on any of the selections, and only two working ratios, in random spots on the switch. I made sure I had the switch all the way counter clockwise before i put the pin in. weird :?
I checked for shorts & bad solder joints. None that I could see. I looked at the pcb. obviously only the first three pins are actually goin anywhere on the curcuit. arrrrgggghhh!!! :evil: Do I have a bad switch? Or have I done something stupid when all the washers fell off the board?
And lastly, I went and got some new tants from jaycar (codes from Kevs list) but when I got home, they looked real different. No + sign or a longer leg. Thats not a tant then is it? or is it? I double checked the code and all. Maybe the assistant gave me a ceramic? I'll prob just order some from farnell to be sure.
Well, thats my rave over :green: Thanks for listening. I knwo the frist prob has been covered before, but I don't think I've seen my second prob anywhere.
regards
Steve
I've had a read throught the 60 pages of this thread and some searches and found some info. Just wanna double check i'm heading in right direction :thumb:
Firstly, when I got mt GSSL goin, I got too excited and forgot to do the earth @ pin1 input, and I also had my tants on the control board backwards. Got distortion. which is to be expected from what I've read with other probs have had. (AC instead of DC etc etc)
I've now reversed the tants and grounded my input pin1. Still distorting I read that tants may not survive bein the wrong way round. correct?
Secondly, when I was changing the pin on the release switch, all my pins fell of the rotary switches. No prob I thought to myself. But................when I put the ratio one back on for three selections, now only one ratio seems to work, and I'm sure it was fine before that. If I take the pin out again, i get mostly no sound on any of the selections, and only two working ratios, in random spots on the switch. I made sure I had the switch all the way counter clockwise before i put the pin in. weird :?
I checked for shorts & bad solder joints. None that I could see. I looked at the pcb. obviously only the first three pins are actually goin anywhere on the curcuit. arrrrgggghhh!!! :evil: Do I have a bad switch? Or have I done something stupid when all the washers fell off the board?
And lastly, I went and got some new tants from jaycar (codes from Kevs list) but when I got home, they looked real different. No + sign or a longer leg. Thats not a tant then is it? or is it? I double checked the code and all. Maybe the assistant gave me a ceramic? I'll prob just order some from farnell to be sure.
Well, thats my rave over :green: Thanks for listening. I knwo the frist prob has been covered before, but I don't think I've seen my second prob anywhere.
regards
Steve
Steve,
Yes, tants will probably fail if they've been put in the wrong way in this application, as they are charging DC.
As you may have read, your distortion could also come from having missed the small pcb jumper just above the connector on the control pcb. Somehow this is often missed in assembley.
For your switch, use an ohmmeter to check what happens, referring to the schematic. These switches rarely fail!
Jakob E.
Yes, tants will probably fail if they've been put in the wrong way in this application, as they are charging DC.
As you may have read, your distortion could also come from having missed the small pcb jumper just above the connector on the control pcb. Somehow this is often missed in assembley.
For your switch, use an ohmmeter to check what happens, referring to the schematic. These switches rarely fail!
Jakob E.
Lowfreq
Well-known member
Thanks Jakob,
I'm assumin you are meaning the jumper next to the meter +/-. Yeah that one is all good. I'm guessing it must be the tants.
I'll give that ratio switch a good goin over too. If all else fils I'll just go to jaycar and grab a new one.
I'll be glad when it's sorted, coz I can actually hear the compression working, and it sounds really good!! :thumb: :thumb:
Just that pesky distortion........... :twisted:
Someones gonna get swish happy soon!!!!!! :roll:
regards
Steve
I'm assumin you are meaning the jumper next to the meter +/-. Yeah that one is all good. I'm guessing it must be the tants.
I'll give that ratio switch a good goin over too. If all else fils I'll just go to jaycar and grab a new one.
I'll be glad when it's sorted, coz I can actually hear the compression working, and it sounds really good!! :thumb: :thumb:
Just that pesky distortion........... :twisted:
Someones gonna get swish happy soon!!!!!! :roll:
regards
Steve
After having to put aside my GSSL project for a few months, I'm back to working on it again, and I have a really stupid newbie question.
I've got the PCB's all finished, and am ready to start cutting and connecting the wires between the PCB's and switches and connectors. I soldered on the plastic pin header connectors to the main PCB, and I have the plastic housings and little metal pieces that go on the wire ends and into the plastic housings. My question is, how should I be connecting the wire ends to the metal pieces? Do I just solder them on, or is this where I should be crimping, or either or both? Thanks.
I've got the PCB's all finished, and am ready to start cutting and connecting the wires between the PCB's and switches and connectors. I soldered on the plastic pin header connectors to the main PCB, and I have the plastic housings and little metal pieces that go on the wire ends and into the plastic housings. My question is, how should I be connecting the wire ends to the metal pieces? Do I just solder them on, or is this where I should be crimping, or either or both? Thanks.
Just solder them, and then press them a little together with your pliers. This makes them easier to insert.
Jakob E.
Jakob E.
Luny Tune
Well-known member
I'm probably doing this right, but I'm double checking everything to avoid as much trouble as possible.
I see in the drawing that the Bypass switch has A1, A2, C1 and C2 written by it's legs. My Lorlin switch has 1-12 by the legs.
I'm fine using legs 2, 7 and 8, right?
I see in the drawing that the Bypass switch has A1, A2, C1 and C2 written by it's legs. My Lorlin switch has 1-12 by the legs.
I'm fine using legs 2, 7 and 8, right?
Yup - that should be right. If you're unsure, measure the switch with an ohm-meter..
Jakob E.
Jakob E.
Luny Tune
Well-known member
Thanks, Jakob.
I could of course check it with the meter (and will to make sure the switch is working, like checking resistor values before stuffing the board) but I'm just slightly confused by what's written on the PCB. "On" and "Off". But that means "Bypass On and Off" and not "Effect On and Off", apparently. So when this switch is in the Off position the unit is not bypassed.
No reply needed if I'm right.:wink: It was just to explain why I asked even though I'm checking the switch with the multimeter as well.
I could of course check it with the meter (and will to make sure the switch is working, like checking resistor values before stuffing the board) but I'm just slightly confused by what's written on the PCB. "On" and "Off". But that means "Bypass On and Off" and not "Effect On and Off", apparently. So when this switch is in the Off position the unit is not bypassed.
No reply needed if I'm right.:wink: It was just to explain why I asked even though I'm checking the switch with the multimeter as well.
Lowfreq
Well-known member
Hi everyone,
Ok I'm now more confused than ever......
I changed my tants to some nice new ones. and...........................I don't think they were the problem. Still distorting. arrrgghhh!!!!
It has to be something with my ratio which only seems to get signal on the 1:10 setting. I've checked all the resistors around the ratio (pullin one end of the board before testing) and had a good look at the schem. I checked all the tracks too, to see if anything is lifting. all looks good.
One thing I've noticed is that when I switch from the two non-working ratios to the 10:1 ratio, is that the sound takes a few seconds to fade in. weird. I even put in a new switch hoping that by a long shot the switch was at fault. nope seems to be me at fault. :?
I'm pretty new to problem tracing, so if there's some article I should be reading, then directions would be great.
after lookin & lookin, I just can't seem to see why this doesn't seem to work. It's not the most compicated looking part of the curcuit either. :roll:
I'll try again tonight, but man I'm confused...............
regards
Steve
Ok I'm now more confused than ever......
I changed my tants to some nice new ones. and...........................I don't think they were the problem. Still distorting. arrrgghhh!!!!It has to be something with my ratio which only seems to get signal on the 1:10 setting. I've checked all the resistors around the ratio (pullin one end of the board before testing) and had a good look at the schem. I checked all the tracks too, to see if anything is lifting. all looks good.
One thing I've noticed is that when I switch from the two non-working ratios to the 10:1 ratio, is that the sound takes a few seconds to fade in. weird. I even put in a new switch hoping that by a long shot the switch was at fault. nope seems to be me at fault. :?
I'm pretty new to problem tracing, so if there's some article I should be reading, then directions would be great.
after lookin & lookin, I just can't seem to see why this doesn't seem to work. It's not the most compicated looking part of the curcuit either. :roll:
I'll try again tonight, but man I'm confused...............
regards
Steve
ReggieReddog
Active member
I really hate tacking on another plea for help on this dreaded thread, but.....need a little help.
My voltages all seem to be correct everywhere except at the VCA's. I'm using 2181LB's. My positive voltage is real close, but the negative voltages are WAY off. I'm talking like -3 V. Side chain VCA too. I check the voltages at the 5534 in front of the VCA's and it is fine. Without anything in any of the sockets, the voltages at the left and right VCA sockets are correct, but the sidechain VCA socket still has a neg voltage of -8.5 . Maybe I am going about checking this all wrong. Quite likely because I am an idiot at this stuff. Any ideas on what might be wrong or where I should test?
Thanks
My voltages all seem to be correct everywhere except at the VCA's. I'm using 2181LB's. My positive voltage is real close, but the negative voltages are WAY off. I'm talking like -3 V. Side chain VCA too. I check the voltages at the 5534 in front of the VCA's and it is fine. Without anything in any of the sockets, the voltages at the left and right VCA sockets are correct, but the sidechain VCA socket still has a neg voltage of -8.5 . Maybe I am going about checking this all wrong. Quite likely because I am an idiot at this stuff. Any ideas on what might be wrong or where I should test?
Thanks
dufo
Well-known member
Seems like a hell of alot of prblems with 2181's
215x dont seem to have these issues. Maybe its as simple as wacking a set of say, 2151's in? :grin:
215x dont seem to have these issues. Maybe its as simple as wacking a set of say, 2151's in? :grin:
ReggieReddog
Active member
Well, no, I am having the problem before I put the 2181's in. When I have everything but the 2181's in I am getting a goofy negative voltage reading at the socket where they would be. So it must be something with the rest of the circuit that I screwed up. But thanks anyway!
Edit: Hold up, I think I found it. After hours of searching and tracing (which is something I am new at) I found a 3K9 resistor that seems to be dead. It is the one just below the big word "SIDECHAIN" at the top of the board. On one side of it I am getting -12V, on the other side of it I am getting -8.6V. I think its inerds are broke. That's probably it, right?
Too tired to fix now.....must....sleep.....
Edit: Hold up, I think I found it. After hours of searching and tracing (which is something I am new at) I found a 3K9 resistor that seems to be dead. It is the one just below the big word "SIDECHAIN" at the top of the board. On one side of it I am getting -12V, on the other side of it I am getting -8.6V. I think its inerds are broke. That's probably it, right?
Too tired to fix now.....must....sleep.....
Reggie,
Take a close look at the schematic - that's the easiest way to trace errors:
- you're not expected to have full negative voltage on the VCA pin.
Jakob E.
Take a close look at the schematic - that's the easiest way to trace errors:
- you're not expected to have full negative voltage on the VCA pin.
Jakob E.
chrissugar
Well-known member
[quote author="dufo"]Seems like a hell of alot of prblems with 2181's
215x dont seem to have these issues. [/quote]
It has nothing to do with 2181. Most of the problems are from people doing mistakes.
chrissugar
215x dont seem to have these issues. [/quote]
It has nothing to do with 2181. Most of the problems are from people doing mistakes.
chrissugar
ReggieReddog
Active member
[quote author="gyraf"]Reggie,
Take a close look at the schematic - that's the easiest way to trace errors:
- you're not expected to have full negative voltage on the VCA pin.
Jakob E.[/quote]
Hmm, maybe I am worrying over nothing. I just don't know certain things like where I should and shouldn't have proper voltages. I'll fire her up once I get the cables made tonight and see what happens. I've had power through it with everything connected and didn't have any smoke, so I don't think I am damaging anything anyway.
Man I wish I could trace things by schematics alone. I have to use at least 3 sheets (schematic, parts layout, and circuit board positive) + a certain amount of guessing to figure things out. Here is a cup of mud: :guinness:
Take a close look at the schematic - that's the easiest way to trace errors:
- you're not expected to have full negative voltage on the VCA pin.
Jakob E.[/quote]
Hmm, maybe I am worrying over nothing. I just don't know certain things like where I should and shouldn't have proper voltages. I'll fire her up once I get the cables made tonight and see what happens. I've had power through it with everything connected and didn't have any smoke, so I don't think I am damaging anything anyway.
Man I wish I could trace things by schematics alone. I have to use at least 3 sheets (schematic, parts layout, and circuit board positive) + a certain amount of guessing to figure things out. Here is a cup of mud: :guinness:
ReggieReddog
Active member
Check this out:
http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=47&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=90
http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=47&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=105
http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=47&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=90
http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=47&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=105
Thanks, one more question. The cap that is to the left of the aforementioned resistor, is that another 0.1 uF cap? I couldn't find it anywhere on the schemo...
EDIT: I guess left and right really doesn'y matter, it's the cap between the two 1Ks in the VCA section
EDIT: I guess left and right really doesn'y matter, it's the cap between the two 1Ks in the VCA section
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