Need Support Wiring Up a 4-Channel Selector Switchbox

All frequent questions on switching: true or not true bypass, transistor-based or mechanical.
Post Reply
User avatar
MusiKyle
Information
Posts: 2
Joined: 31 Dec 2012, 03:46

Post by MusiKyle »

I thank anyone in advance that can help me out. I feel like I'm fairly close and have worked with electronics quite a bit but never a 3PDT.

The image below shows a general set up I have to use for talking points (continued after...)
20121230_213937.jpg
This image shows the overall wiring situation and I added alphanumeric IDs for each post on the 3PDT switches so we can refer via text for convenience (continued after image...)
Switch Template.jpg
Essentially this box is very similar to regular switch box except it has four inputs. I have 4 inputs for 4 instruments and one output. I want to be able to toggle on/off whether or not those instruments get sent to the output or not via 3PDT switches (to utilize LED activation indicators). In addition, I have a single 3PDT bypass switch meant to override any of the selections made for the 4 input switches, but it doesn't 'clear' the selection and the active LEDs remain active, only the sound gets affected. So if Bypass is active (Red LED on), I want all sounds to come through regardless of Channel Switch selections. If Bypass is inactive (Red LED off), I want the selections made (i.e. Ch A, C, and D active (Blue LEDs on)), to determine what goes through.

Should I run all my inputs to my bypass switch first to act as a gatekeeper? Or should I run each of my inputs to their respective switches first and then push them all to the Bypass switch who is either passive (allowing selections made to go through) or becomes active and clears all to go through.

I'm also very confused by the 3PDT switches. If you Google Image search 3PDT wiring you'll find countless ways of wiring them and I think because I don't under the 'idea' behind the switch I'm not finding the pattern between each of their individual setups.

Could anyone please shed any sort of light on what I should do here? A lot of the wiring combinations I've tried either always allow sound through no matter what switch is active anywhere, or I get like a 'ghost' or 'hidden' set of selections that doesn't work right. It works right for 5 or 6 tests of variations but then gets hosed up. I read somewhere 3PDT switches can have several configurations and I'm not sure of the one mine is but I purchased it through Pedal Parts Plus.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH! I'm very appreciate of any advice you can provide :)

Kyle

User avatar
MusiKyle
Information
Posts: 2
Joined: 31 Dec 2012, 03:46

Post by MusiKyle »

As an example, the current wiring is this...
wiring.jpg
In this configuration the bypass is opposite the diagram earlier, it's on the far right but the idea is the same for how it needs to function. So in my current configuration when bypass it active, all signals pass through fine in channels one and two. I can push the switch for one and two all I want on/off, on/off, sound remains. Then I switch bypass off. Each channel button now has control, in all combinations of on/off between ch 1 and 2. Where it gets messed up is when bypass is active again where it allows all the sounds through, if I switch ch 1 off, I should return from turning bypass off to expect ch 1 to be off. Oddly enough ch 2 is the one that turns off and ch 1 is transmits sound. The idea here seems pretty simple but I'm not sure if the design is wrong or the wiring is wrong or both...

Post Reply