# Triangulum boost



## OnaForte (Apr 13, 2019)

Hi.  I am building the Triangulum Boost, but the wiring diagram shows another board than the TB.  So I wonder where the potentiometer is conected (Dosen't show,)?  And the jack grounds?


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## zgrav (Apr 13, 2019)

the wiring diagram follows what you need to do.   the difference with your PCB is that the three holes in the top middle are for the LEVEL control.  On each side of those three holes you will see two holes -- the + and - connections from the power jack are marked.  the small holes next to them are for the ground wires from both of the audio jacks (as shown in the wiring diagram)


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## Robert (Apr 13, 2019)

zgrav said:


> the wiring diagram follows what you need to do.   the difference with your PCB is that the three holes in the top middle are for the LEVEL control.  On each side of those three holes you will see two holes -- the + and - connections from the power jack are marked.  the small holes next to them are for the ground wires from both of the audio jacks (as shown in the wiring diagram)



What he said.    To add to that, make sure you orient the potentiometer correctly.   It should be mounted on the side opposite the components, Lug 1 goes into the square pad.     It should extend past the edge of the PCB, not sit underneath.

I'll post a pic as soon as I'm back at my workbench.


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## HamishR (Apr 13, 2019)

I might add that unless you have isolated jacks you don't need to wire both of them to the board ground points.  All the jacks I use are grounded merely by being bolted to the enclosure.  So I just ground the input jack - which really is grounding the board to the box.  I don't wire the output jack to the board ground so as to avoid any potential ground loops.


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## OnaForte (May 17, 2019)

Hi, did you get a pic of the pot attaching?


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## Chuck D. Bones (May 17, 2019)

I ground everything, never had a ground loop problem inside a pedal.  Make sure the box is paint-free on the inside around the IN & OUT jacks so you get a good metal-to-metal bond.  I use tooth washers to make sure there is a good contact and to keep the jacks from coming loose.


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## Mourguitars (Aug 24, 2019)

On the circuit board it says  for D1 N4148 as well as D2

Build sheet calls for 1n914 in booth places 

Which is correct ? 

Mike


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## Chuck D. Bones (Aug 24, 2019)

1N4148 & 1N914 are interchangeable.  Their electrical specs are identical.  *HOWEVER...*
R9, R10, D1, D2 & Q2 *DO NOTHING.* You can install them or leave them out, the Triangulum will work the same either way. Look at the Integral, it has the same "do nothing" circuit. Now check out the Isosceles, it's the same circuit, except with a boost switch. Note the absence of the "do nothing" circuit at the input.


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## Mourguitars (Aug 24, 2019)

Thank you Chuck !

Ill check that Integral  and the Isosceles out..

Again thanks for the reply back...all done but wiring it up !

Mike


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## Mourguitars (Aug 25, 2019)

On the A5k pot , i can find one that has mounting legs to the board can i solder header pins to it like they do to the circuit bo


Robert said:


> What he said.    To add to that, make sure you orient the potentiometer correctly.   It should be mounted on the side opposite the components, Lug 1 goes into the square pad.     It should extend past the edge of the PCB, not sit underneath.
> 
> I'll post a pic as soon as I'm back at my workbench.




Did you get that pic Mr PedalPCB ? Got it all assembled but nothing, no LED but getting 20V at power...I had to solder small header pins to the A5k to get it mounted under the board to hold the board in.

I used top mount jacks this time it was trying to say the least..been back tracking everything looks correct..but its Not !!!!!  lol

Time to walk away for a while...

Mike


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## Mourguitars (Aug 25, 2019)

LED was wired backward..thats working..but I'm getting a faint sound engaged..bypass is good...?


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## caspercody (Sep 17, 2019)

I am completing a build of the Triangulum Boost for someone, and I am only getting a distorted sound, not clean. It is a boosted sound. But should it be clean?

The IC's and transistors he did solder onto the board, and he used a 1N5818 instead of a 1N5817 (I do not think this has any effect on sound, but wanted to mention it). Could one of these devices been damaged and causing the distorted sound?


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## Chuck D. Bones (Sep 17, 2019)

It's supposed to be a clean boost.  If it's distorted, something is wrong.  1N5817 & 1N5818 are interchangeable on these pedals.

Here are some things you can do to help us help you:

1) Do a thorough visual inspection.  Verify all components are the correct value and are oriented correctly.  Look for bad solder joints and shorts.
1a) Fix anything you find in 1) and retest.
2) Make sure the boards is clean.  Remove all flux residue with a toothbrush & IPA (not beer).  Be careful that you don't wash flux residue into the LEVEL pot.
3) Take a good photo of the board.  Good enough that we can read the IC part numbers and resistors.  If the board is dirty or the solder joints aren't good, we'll tell you, so make sure you do 1) & 2) first.
4) Measure the DC voltages on IC1 pin 2, pin 6 and pin 7 w.r.t. ground.  Pin 2 should be around 26V, pin 6 around 12V and pin 7 around 30V.


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## caspercody (Sep 17, 2019)

Thanks the voltages helped figure it out, plus burning my finger by touching the charge pump. Open circuit on the PCB, some how he scratched it open. There was no connection from pins 1, and 8. And from pin 2 to the capacitors. Works now


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## smsms (Oct 7, 2019)

Chuck D. Bones said:


> 1N4148 & 1N914 are interchangeable.  Their electrical specs are identical.  *HOWEVER...*
> R9, R10, D1, D2 & Q2 *DO NOTHING.* You can install them or leave them out, the Triangulum will work the same either way. Look at the Integral, it has the same "do nothing" circuit. Now check out the Isosceles, it's the same circuit, except with a boost switch. Note the absence of the "do nothing" circuit at the input.



Sorry if this is a naive question, but if R9, R10, D1, D2, and Q2 do nothing, why are they included in the circuit at all? I'm pretty new to electronics, I'm currently building a Triangulum, and I'm a little confused why there'd be redundant components in a circuit.


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## Chuck D. Bones (Oct 7, 2019)

Funny you should ask, Grasshopper.  PedalPCB make faithful recreations of pedals, warts & all.  The Triangulum traces it's lineage back to the TC Electronics Integrated Preamp.  In early versions of that circuit, those parts mentioned above were wired as a mute circuit that engaged if the instrument was unplugged from the input jack.  Apparently, Fortin copied that circuit, but left out the connection to the input connect and one resistor that activates the mute.  I can find "spare" parts in many pedal designs, but this is by far the most egregious case.


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