Newbie Needs Help w/ Visual Sound Re-House

All frequent questions on switching: true or not true bypass, transistor-based or mechanical.
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woodybrown62
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Post by woodybrown62 »

Hello - Looking for some help w/ a re-housing... the VS Open Road has an inconvenient size/shape (for me) & I ran into a problem trying to re-house it. The switch has to be pushed twice to activate the effect. Thanks for any help.
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Lucifer
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Post by Lucifer »

I'm guessing that you've used a latching switch when the previous one (I assume, as I've never played through and Visual Sound stuff) was non-latching.

The circuit switching appears to come on when the switch is released, so a latching switch would require two pushes - one to make, and the other to release.
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woodybrown62
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Post by woodybrown62 »

Thanks, I'll give it a go.

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Post by woodybrown62 »

No luck with the previous suggestion. VS pedals use an electronic switch that is activated by an external button. I've substituted a regular switch in it's place & there lies the root of the problem. Much appreciated... do any other options come to mind? Thanks.

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Post by Lucifer »

So are you saying that your 'regular' switch is non-latching ?
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Post by woodybrown62 »

Yes, it's just a SPST switch.

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Post by Lucifer »

As you didn't actually answer the 'non-latching' part of the question, I'm guessing that you're not too familiar with the different types of switch - but if I seem to be preaching to the converted, please forgive the rest of this reply.

A SPST switch can be latching (ie, one press for on, and a second press for off) or momentary/non-latching (ie, it closes - or in some cases, opens - only when your foot is on the switch, and reverts to its original state as soon as you take your foot off). The only momentary footswitches I've come across are the normally-open type (ie, close when pressed, and open again when released). If you've got one of these momentary switches, then it should work.

It still sounds to me like you're using a latching switch - that would answer the problem of the necessary double press.

You can often tell just by the 'click' you hear - the click on closing usually sounds different to the click on opening. I would recommend that you test the switch with an Ohmmeter or continuity checker - connect your tester across the two switch terminals - if you get a low Ohms reading or bleep without operating the switch, then it's definitely latching. If you get no reading, press the switch once - do you get a reading now ? Then it's still a latching switch.

If you only get a reading while pressing the switch (you need three hands or a prehensile appendage for this), and the reading disappears when you stop pressing, then the switch is momentary, and should work OK with your pedal.
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Post by woodybrown62 »

First of all, thank you very much for taking the time to help.

The switch is a latching SPST... 1 press for ON, 1 press for OFF. I pulled it out & put in another switch of the same type, only to get the same result. As there are only 2 wires to connect to the switch, I didn't think there were any other choices for a switch, such as a DPDT or SPDT... but obviously, I really don't know..

The original switch was an electronic switch... (image attached) the small button was activated by a larger, external button (that you stepped on).. all separated by a bit of foam.

If anything else comes to mind, any & all advice is much appreciated.

Enjoy the day

- Rob
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Chugs
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Post by Chugs »

Use a momentary switch.

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Post by woodybrown62 »

Thank You.

Like this?

10A MOMENTARY PUSHBUTTON, SPST N.O.

S.P.S.T. normally-open, momentary pushbutton switch. Heavy-duty metal plunger. Snap-action tactile response. 15/32" threaded bushing mounts in panels up to 1/2" thick. Solder-loop terminals. Rated 10 Amps / 125 Vac.

Will a momentary switch provide 1 push-on / 1 push-off control?

Much appreciated...

- Rob
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Post by Lucifer »

The original red pushbutton looks like a simple push-to-make, release-to-break switch, which is what I postulated originally.

Replacing this with a footswitch like the one you've shown should do the trick.

Let us know how you get on.

Good luck :thumbsup
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