There should be no mystery about the correct output voltage levels: They’re connected directly to the Arduino digital pins, so should be (if +5 V is connected to VIN) about +3.8 V. If you’re still reading anything lower you definitely have a problem. And if your LEDs are working and decently bright they must be getting something like that.
3 Likes
This.
@willow2x Is your arduino removable? maybe you could stick it in a breadboard just to check voltages removing the other elements. Its possible the arduino is busted, but probably not.
1 Like
Its an odd one for sure =) Im half tempted to draw out a schem of what ive got on the board n see if it matches up.
im just setting up a new arduino now for Bb and ill test the other on a board with just a button input and see what I get out.
Thanks for the ideas and pointers =)
2 Likes
A bit lower, since the digital outputs won’t reach the supply rails.
Did we figure out if the LEDs turn on, and what color they are?
They do, they are blue.
Ive rewatched Sams Big button vid an I think its to do with how ive connected the led ground and Ch out jack grounds.
I have all the jack gnd twisted 90 and connected together to form a rail, Sam doesnt do this in his vid (because he is using a metal panel).
I have the resistors from jack tip going to the led pos’, and the led neg’ are connected to the jack gnd rail. (Again, Sam doesnt do this in his vid. He creates a rail of LED neg’)
So what im going to do tomorrow is: Create a rail of LED neg and gnd it to something else (not the jack neg/S rail) and see if that clears things up at all.
Sounds harmless enough. But is this ground rail connected to the Arduino ground?
I also uploaded the sketch to a new nano clone, same deal.
Ill try giving jacks/leds their own gnd rails n see whats new =)
For lazyness sake I connected the rail to the CLK gnd, which has a wire heading off to nano gnd, and a wire heading to the 9v in gnd (in between the header and transistor)
Blue LEDs need at least a couple of volts to light up, so I doubt you’d see much if the output signal was 0.38 V. However, 5.0 V - 1.2 - 0.8 - 2.6 is pretty close to 0.38 V, though. Are you 100% you didn’t end up measuring the voltage drop over the resistor?
(1.2 V is the onboard regulator drop, 0.8 V the digital output drop at a ~4 V supply, 2.6 V the forward voltage of a random blue LED I googled up at <1 mA.)
3 Likes
So long as everything that’s supposed to be connected to ground (jacks, LEDs, resistors on push buttons and input jacks, pots, rotary switch, Arduino, 78L05, and power supply) is in fact connected together, that should be fine. No need to separate the jacks and LEDs grounds, they have to meet somewhere anyway.
2 Likes
I connected a patch cable and tested the T-S, I tested the jack T-S and I tested random gnd points and the nano pins.
I’d be a bit surprised if you’ve found blue LEDs that light up at 0.38 V, so odds are you’re not measuring what you think you’re measuring.
1 Like
1 Like
(Lol the weblords tell me ive made 23% of the replies here and should give others space to chat XD)
What is the proper method for measuring the out? I thought measuring the T(+)-S(-) of the jack would be the best way.
Ive also tried Gnd and all the out pins from the nano.
My meter is set correctly.
Its puzzling that its 10% less than expected.
(And thats the peak with loads of triggering)
Thats why i was curious if my Led/Jack gnd rail was somehow making a voltage divider.
=/
It does beep on continuity mode (T-S) and glitches on trigger.
Perhaps a third volt meter would help, may be…
I dont know anymore haha.
May be I need another rebuild =/
(Im going to build a module today just to see if it triggers it, if it does then im wrong somehow)
1 Like
Maybe post some pictures of your jacks and stripboard.
1 Like
Also a quick video comparison. containing my crappy voice which hasnt been heard in my 13 years of Youtube lol.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CO2lVWPHAO9/?igshid=r7wy2p6utpo5
The LED anodes are worryingly close to the ground rail, but I guess that’s partially the camera perspective and if you get a short there the LEDs will definitely not turn on. What voltage drops do you see over the resistors and between the LED pins when the output is on?