Tweaker Foot Switch Help

  • Thread starter Thread starter MagnumHandy
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MagnumHandy

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This is my first post here... so my apologies in advance for any breach of etiquette.

I'm trying to help out a buddy who has a Tweaker 40 combo... His "channel" switch won't change the channels, but the "effects loop" switch is working. I don't have the amp here... and am wondering what would be the best way to diagnose the issue. I'd rather not cut the cord/plug if I don't have to.

I'm leaning towards it being the switch itself. I have a voltmeter... is there a way I can tell the "channel" switch is bad using one? I could just swap the switches if I had the amp here.

Thanks in advance!!
 
Hi MagnumHandy,

I wonder if the the foot switch plug is pushed all the way into the amp. It's a "double click" feel when pushed in all the way (tip, ring, sleeve). Fairly easy for the plug to not be inserted all the way.

Does the light work on the foot switch when the channel switch is pushed?

With the foot switch unplugged from amp, does the button on the amp front panel work to switch channels? If so, that points to the foot switch as the problem. If not, that indicates a problem within the amp.

You can open the foot switch box and check continuity of each switch with an ohmmeter (foot switch unplugged from amp).
 
shimmilou":15hhtnvv said:
Hi MagnumHandy,

I wonder if the the foot switch plug is pushed all the way into the amp. It's a "double click" feel when pushed in all the way (tip, ring, sleeve). Fairly easy for the plug to not be inserted all the way.

Does the light work on the foot switch when the channel switch is pushed?

With the foot switch unplugged from amp, does the button on the amp front panel work to switch channels? If so, that points to the foot switch as the problem. If not, that indicates a problem within the amp.

You can open the foot switch box and check continuity of each switch with an ohmmeter (foot switch unplugged from amp).
Click to expand...

Hi there shimmilou,

Thanks for the reply. I took the foot switch to the local GC, and tried it on their Tweaker 40.. same result. I don't get a light at all... made sure it was plugged in all the way.. and that I didn't goof up and put it into the ext. cab. socket.

Honestly, I'm not sure exactly what i'm doing when checking continuity.

This is what I did... I put the black probe on the sleeve, the red probe to the ring, and was able to get a reading when I clicked the effects loop switch. I did the same thing except put the red probe to the plug tip... clicked the channel selector switch a couple times and got nothing.

I didn't see and obvious breaks in the wires/solder inside the foot switch, so I swapped the two switches, soldering the switch that controls the effects loop to the wires that the channel selector switch was connected to, and vice versa. I was able to get a reading on the VM connected to the ring & sleeve... so I am guessing that rules out the channel selector switch (right?).

So I figured it MUST be in the plug or cable. Again I swapped the two switches back to their original location... and then I stripped the plug and tested for continuity using the wires... still... same result as before: Reading from the ground and "effects loop" wire, and none from the "channel selector" wire & ground. I did click both switches while testing.

So... I am now thinking there MUST be a break somewhere in the cable, in-between the channel selector switch and the other end...

Am I doing something wrong here??
Or is this process of elimination on the right track?
Do I test continuity with both probes on parts of the plug (sleeve, ring, tip)?

Thanks in advance for anyone who can shed some light here.
 
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