# Duocast Diode Question



## joelorigo (Jun 11, 2020)

I am making a shopping list for the Duocast. Is the 15V diode on the parts list this?



			https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Vishay-Semiconductors/1N5245B-TR?qs=TNTIDjy6APo%252BlQLkobTvQg%3D%3D


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## joelorigo (Jun 12, 2020)

I found this thread so it answers my questions:





						Simulcast Zener Diode Wattage
					

Hello Gang - Newb here with his first post.  The Simulcast parts list show a 15V diode for D5. What wattage should the zener diode should I use? Thanks for your time



					forum.pedalpcb.com
				




But there is a BIG price difference in the from different manufacturers. What's the line of thinking on getting one on the $.26 range vs the $4 range?


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## Robert (Jun 12, 2020)

It's really not that critical.  

As long as you don't apply more than 9V (or 15V if you used the LT1054 charge pump) then you don't really even need the diode.


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## lcipher3 (Jun 12, 2020)

1N4744A 1N4744 ZENER DIODE 1W 15V
					

Vishay - Get It Fast - Same Day Shipping




					www.taydaelectronics.com
				




$0.04


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## joelorigo (Jun 12, 2020)

Robert said:


> It's really not that critical.
> 
> As long as you don't apply more than 9V (or 15V if you used the LT1054 charge pump) then you don't really even need the diode.



Ok. Thanks!

However I'm curious why it is in the circuit?


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## Robert (Jun 12, 2020)

It's there to protect the charge pump from over-voltage.   

I should _probably _make a note in the build docs that it needs to be 9V if a TC1044 / ICL7660 is used instead of an LT1054.

On the other hand, I'm not really a huge fan of parallel (to-ground) diode protection, so it might even be removed in a future revision.


Tone-wise it serves no purpose.


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## joelorigo (Jun 12, 2020)

Thanks


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## giovanni (Apr 3, 2022)

Robert said:


> It's there to protect the charge pump from over-voltage.
> 
> I should _probably _make a note in the build docs that it needs to be 9V if a TC1044 / ICL7660 is used instead of an LT1054.
> 
> ...


Has this since been removed? I don’t see it in the build doc but maybe I didn’t look hard enough.


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## HamishR (Apr 6, 2022)

And Mouser is frequently significantly more expensive than Tayda. I have no idea why! Sometimes the price differences are small, sometimes huge. It's the same with my local electronics stores. I once went local to get a few clear blue LEDs. At Tayda they were around 5c but at my local store they were almost $4. That's crazy! I've never had any problems with the cheaper Tayda versions either - as far as I can see they are the same thing.

The 8-pin IC socket that I buy from Tayda for US12c is around US$5 at Mouser. Again, I have never had any problems with the 12c Tayda sockets and I have used literally hundreds of them.


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## andare (Apr 7, 2022)

HamishR said:


> And Mouser is frequently significantly more expensive than Tayda. I have no idea why! Sometimes the price differences are small, sometimes huge. It's the same with my local electronics stores. I once went local to get a few clear blue LEDs. At Tayda they were around 5c but at my local store they were almost $4. That's crazy! I've never had any problems with the cheaper Tayda versions either - as far as I can see they are the same thing.
> 
> The 8-pin IC socket that I buy from Tayda for US12c is around US$5 at Mouser. Again, I have never had any problems with the 12c Tayda sockets and I have used literally hundreds of them.


Mouser is a daylight robbery. And their interface...oh boy.
I wish I could order from Tayda without having to buy yachts and Lamborghinis for the DHL and EU overlords.


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## szukalski (Apr 7, 2022)

I always look at Mouser as a place for professional level components, where you need a guarantee on quality. If I were a manufacturing outfit making electronic products then having an assurance level on component quality would be important. Similar to how the military has this overpriced supply mechanism to ensure spec.

For pedals, you can make your own decision whether this is necessary or not (or where it's necessary). Sockets and knobs are one of the areas I go for the lowest cost option, straight from Ali-express or ebay, for example.

Unfortunately, the hobby needs some scale to be less economically painful, over €70 at Tayda and the savings are more than shipping costs.


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## andare (Apr 7, 2022)

I might still order enclosures from Tayda since I can't find any other UV printing service. Still working on the designs though.


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## HamishR (Apr 8, 2022)

Tayda shipping is very, very inexpensive for me but I'm in Australia. It's almost always under US$10. I use Tayda for lots of things like resistors, caps, LEDs, switches and enclosures. But I usually buy jack sockets elsewhere unless it's the Lumberg option. 

For amps I use Mojotone for chassis and boards, and Antique Electronics or Tube Depot for parts. Antique Electronics have very good prices usually and stock almost everything I need.

Mouser I use for the bits I can't get elsewhere. I've bought a truckload of through-hole resistors from them in the past while they were still available and relatively inexpensive. And things like 10-17W Dale power resistors are difficult for me to find anywhere else.


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## szukalski (Apr 8, 2022)

andare said:


> I might still order enclosures from Tayda since I can't find any other UV printing service. Still working on the designs though.



To Germany, I found the break even point was 6-7 enclosures. Once you start including pots then it's great.


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## andare (Apr 8, 2022)

szukalski said:


> To Germany, I found the break even point was 6-7 enclosures. Once you start including pots then it's great.


I have about 10 to order, with UV printing and drilling, so I guess it makes sense. I'm also missing some elusive pots.
Gee, I really don't want to spend weeks browsing yet another vendor's store...


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## szukalski (Apr 8, 2022)

There was a limit to how many enclosures I could fit into an order with DHL DDP, anything more than 9 and I didn't have that shipping option and would have ended up paying more for another option which didn't include the import tax.

IIRC there was an option to use a DHL registered account, where DHL bills you direct for the tax, which will be my next attempt once my current stocks are running low.


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## andare (Apr 8, 2022)

I'll look into it thanks.


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