Adding a DC Socket to a Pedal

Erskine

I have an MXR Phase 45 pedal which is battery only operation. It also does not have an indicator light to show when the pedal is switched on meaning that often it is left on to drain the battery and break the signal chain through my pedal board.

So, I was thinking of adding a 2.1mm x 5.5mm socket to the pedal to let me link it into the mains supply from the board. Is this a straightforward task?

I was thinking that by connecting the socket to the existing battery connector contacts on the circuit board of the pedal (and fitting to the case, etc) would do the job? Or is there more to it than that?

Jonathangus

Before you start drilling holes, etc, have you tried something like this?

https://www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-dept/guitar-pedals/pedal-power-supplies/diago-ps06-white-adaptor-9v-battery-connection

Erskine

Jonathangus said:

Before you start drilling holes, etc, have you tried something like this?

https://www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-dept/guitar-pedals/pedal-power-supplies/diago-ps06-white-adaptor-9v-battery-connection

Nope! Now wouldn't that be a hell of a lot easier! Thank you for that.

Winny_Pooh

I did this with my phase 45 and added an led on the side of the case at the same time.

Internal pics

https://imgur.com/a/L6lmDea

Erskine

Winny_Pooh said:

I did this with my phase 45 and added an led on the side of the case at the same time.

Internal pics

https://imgur.com/a/L6lmDea

Thanks. That looks pretty neat. Do you have a diagram or can you talk through what connections you made? I have ordered the cable mentioned above, but I may still try the fixed option you have here.

Sporky

Erskine said:

It also does not have an indicator light to show when the pedal is switched on meaning that often it is left on to drain the battery and break the signal chain through my pedal board.

It'll be on constantly - the footswitch connects and disconnects the circuit from the signal chain, it doesn't power the circuit on and off.

I second the battery clip adaptor plan. 

Winny_Pooh

Erskine said:

Winny_Pooh said:

I did this with my phase 45 and added an led on the side of the case at the same time.

Internal pics

https://imgur.com/a/L6lmDea

Thanks. That looks pretty neat. Do you have a diagram or can you talk through what connections you made? I have ordered the cable mentioned above, but I may still try the fixed option you have here.

Lots online eg just establish in and outs of board based on the in/out jacks. Dc jacks are a bit more unusual, when inserting a plug it breaks one connection so if you get confused it helps having a multimeter to test continuity and see what connects where from external jack to internal contact.

viz

Erskine said:

Jonathangus said:

Before you start drilling holes, etc, have you tried something like this?

https://www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-dept/guitar-pedals/pedal-power-supplies/diago-ps06-white-adaptor-9v-battery-connection

Nope! Now wouldn't that be a hell of a lot easier! Thank you for that.

And you can buy some rigid foam to separate the box from the base by 3mm or so, and some longer screws, so you don’t chop the wire in half. 

Erskine

Winny_Pooh said:

Erskine said:

Winny_Pooh said:

I did this with my phase 45 and added an led on the side of the case at the same time.

Internal pics

https://imgur.com/a/L6lmDea

Thanks. That looks pretty neat. Do you have a diagram or can you talk through what connections you made? I have ordered the cable mentioned above, but I may still try the fixed option you have here.

Lots online eg just establish in and outs of board based on the in/out jacks. Dc jacks are a bit more unusual, when inserting a plug it breaks one connection so if you get confused it helps having a multimeter to test continuity and see what connects where from external jack to internal contact.

Many thanks for this.

Erskine

Sporky said:

Erskine said:

It also does not have an indicator light to show when the pedal is switched on meaning that often it is left on to drain the battery and break the signal chain through my pedal board.

It'll be on constantly - the footswitch connects and disconnects the circuit from the signal chain, it doesn't power the circuit on and off.

I second the battery clip adaptor plan. 

I got one today and connected it up. Sadly, it does not work for some reason. Checked the continuity through it and it seems fine. So, it may be that I need to go down the pedal mod route.

Sporky

Awful patronising question - sorry - did you get 9v and ground the right way around?

Erskine

Sporky said:

Awful patronising question - sorry - did you get 9v and ground the right way around?

Not at all....... I am a complete rooky at this stuff but am happy to learn and try.

It was a 9V adaptor cable and was sold as suitable for pedals. The connectors only 'mate' together one way.

Erskine

Back to this once more...........

Having managed to get a connector but finding that it does not work, I suspect that the polarity on the connector is wrong. I have checked this with a mutlimeter and it appears to be centre pin positive. I am thinking this should be negative on an MXR, but can anyone confirm this?

tanihhiavlt

Quick scan on ebay shows some MXR are negative centre - 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265570140576?hash=item3dd536c1a0:g:914AAOSwlgRiB5YA

It could be the adaptor is for a fuzz pedal that has a positive ground? They're often wired the other way around.

Devil#20

Erskine said:

Back to this once more...........

Having managed to get a connector but finding that it does not work, I suspect that the polarity on the connector is wrong. I have checked this with a mutlimeter and it appears to be centre pin positive. I am thinking this should be negative on an MXR, but can anyone confirm this?

Yes, the centre pin should be negative. 

Erskine

tanihhiavlt said:

Quick scan on ebay shows some MXR are negative centre - 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265570140576?hash=item3dd536c1a0:g:914AAOSwlgRiB5YA

It could be the adaptor is for a fuzz pedal that has a positive ground? They're often wired the other way around.

Devil#20 said:

Erskine said:

Back to this once more...........

Having managed to get a connector but finding that it does not work, I suspect that the polarity on the connector is wrong. I have checked this with a mutlimeter and it appears to be centre pin positive. I am thinking this should be negative on an MXR, but can anyone confirm this?

Yes, the centre pin should be negative. 

Thanks, guys. The adaptor was sold as suitable for all types of pedals, but it certainly does not seem that way.

Devil#20

Erskine said:

tanihhiavlt said:

Quick scan on ebay shows some MXR are negative centre - 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265570140576?hash=item3dd536c1a0:g:914AAOSwlgRiB5YA

It could be the adaptor is for a fuzz pedal that has a positive ground? They're often wired the other way around.

Devil#20 said:

Erskine said:

Back to this once more...........

Having managed to get a connector but finding that it does not work, I suspect that the polarity on the connector is wrong. I have checked this with a mutlimeter and it appears to be centre pin positive. I am thinking this should be negative on an MXR, but can anyone confirm this?

Yes, the centre pin should be negative. 

Thanks, guys. The adaptor was sold as suitable for all types of pedals, but it certainly does not seem that way.

It is suitable. The polarity is what you make it. You just need to follow the polarity through the circuit. Colours may not necessarily match. That might mean a red wire connecting to white and a white connecting to a red rather than a red to red and a white to white. The polarity will be marked on the board itself. Use a voltmeter to check at the voltage supply end. Push the connector onto the power supply and check which pins are which on the back of the connector first before you solder it in. 

Erskine

Devil#20 said:

Erskine said:

tanihhiavlt said:

Quick scan on ebay shows some MXR are negative centre - 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265570140576?hash=item3dd536c1a0:g:914AAOSwlgRiB5YA

It could be the adaptor is for a fuzz pedal that has a positive ground? They're often wired the other way around.

Devil#20 said:

Erskine said:

Back to this once more...........

Having managed to get a connector but finding that it does not work, I suspect that the polarity on the connector is wrong. I have checked this with a mutlimeter and it appears to be centre pin positive. I am thinking this should be negative on an MXR, but can anyone confirm this?

Yes, the centre pin should be negative. 

Thanks, guys. The adaptor was sold as suitable for all types of pedals, but it certainly does not seem that way.

It is suitable. The polarity is what you make it. You just need to follow the polarity through the circuit. Colours may not necessarily match. That might mean a red wire connecting to white and a white connecting to a red rather than a red to red and a white to white. The polarity will be marked on the board itself. Use a voltmeter to check at the voltage supply end. Push the connector onto the power supply and check which pins are which on the back of the connector first before you solder it in. 

Sorry, I think we are talking about different things here.

This is a cable adaptor that clips to the battery clip on the pedal and then to the DC plug at the other end. It is not a socket to be fitted to the pedal itself. It is already made up. If that makes sense? I would post a pic but I don't have a hosting option just now.

This type of thing:

https://www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-dept/guitar-pedals/pedal-power-supplies/diago-ps06-white-adaptor-9v-battery-connection

thermionic

Diago seem to have gone bust, but look for the PS06 on amazon - someone has asked the polarity question and a reply says that it is centre positive.

andy_k

I posted in a thread on lockdown pedal building, with a similar problem, I tried to use an external battery box to supply power, and found that the polarity was reversed. This led me to find out that 2 of my previously built projects had their dc sockets wired incorrectly.
It is a good thread for anyone interested in building pedals.

andy_k

Here--https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/176867/lockdown-pedal-building/p17 ;
discussion starts with 'Trouble Booster'