Powering Your Pedals

[turiguiliano]

I was browsing the FAQ for a thread about this, but it seems that the power-related threads there are either dedicated for custom PSU makers or yung regulated-unregulated discussion lang.

So this is basically a thread about voltages, current draw, regulated/unregulated and how they all contribute to powering your pedals properly.

TBH, tinutukan ko lang tong issue na to after my Vox Cooltron got busted recently Para di na ulit mangyari sa ibang pedals in the future... Eto, magsaliksik na tayo. Hehehe. 

Gusto ko lang malaman how a regulated PSU for pedals (kahit yung mga ginagawa ng custom makers natin dito) gets to satisfy all the power needs for the different pedals out there, because most of them seem to have different requirements.

• May mga switches ba sa bawat saksakan ng PSU so that you can choose the correct "setting"?
• Do you have to talk with a custom PSU maker first about what pedals you use before he could figure out how to customize a PSU specifically for you?
• Do the power requirements for pedals (voltage, mA, polarity, etc?) have to be followed exactly/strictly. Fatal ba para sa pedal kung di masunod lahat yun ng eksakto?
• Lahat ba ng pedals DC power ang requirement?
• Why do I see pedals with a 9.6V power requirement? I'm used to seeing 9/12/18/24V only...
• General power-related DOs and DON'Ts para tumagal ang buhay ng pedal?

1. Locally made custom power supplies can probably have those depending on the builder/manufacturer. It seems hard but there's a big possibility it can be done. And most likely a bit more expensive.

2. Yes. What helps is that you do your research. Study at what you have now and think about what you want in the near future let's say your GAS list for the next 365 days.

3. No. It varies. Per effect/manufacturer. Again, research. Google is my best friend.

4. I see those too. Can't really answer that. But a 9V power supply will work well with it.

5. Check my posts above.

[r_chino18]

China wasn't as famous then as they are now. LOL. You probably got a china made AVR with Japanese supervision. EPIC.

This thread is fun.

Perhaps.. but it gets the job done well.. i like..  still doesn't have paint chips nor rust too.. casing is very thick and sturdy..

[rukero]

Is the Modtone Power Plant also a good alternative for PP2+?  Spec-wise it seems to be the closest.  If only the 230V PP2+ is readily available, I wouldn't even think of other PSU to power my pedals.  Sana meron diyan magdala ng PP2+ (yung 230V ha) dito  

[r_chino18]

Is the Modtone Power Plant also a good alternative for PP2+?  Spec-wise it seems to be the closest.  If only the 230V PP2+ is readily available, I wouldn't even think of other PSU to power my pedals.  Sana meron diyan magdala ng PP2+ (yung 230V ha) dito  

Turi.

[turiguiliano]

Is the Modtone Power Plant also a good alternative for PP2+?  Spec-wise it seems to be the closest.  If only the 230V PP2+ is readily available, I wouldn't even think of other PSU to power my pedals.  Sana meron diyan magdala ng PP2+ (yung 230V ha) dito  

Turi.

what he said. 

[voidmain]

May mga switches ba sa bawat saksakan ng PSU so that you can choose the correct "setting"?

By setting do you mean mA's or voltages? Sag switches/knobs are pretty good, kaso hindi naman requirement sa akin yun e. High end stuff usually have these though. Kaso kung sa mA's ang usapan, depende na yan sa overall rating ng PSU mo.

Do you have to talk with a custom PSU maker first about what pedals you use before he could figure out how to customize a PSU specifically for you?

Not really, except pag may special pedal needs ako. Like 18v or 12v pedals or a 110v AC out or an AC out.

Do the power requirements for pedals (voltage, mA, polarity, etc?) have to be followed exactly/strictly. Fatal ba para sa pedal kung di masunod lahat yun ng eksakto?

Voltage - Just make sure to power it near or below the said voltage requirement
mA - Nah. Especailly for drives. Yung mga 300mA na requirement ng Boss pedals are actually false. Madalas less than 50mA lang tong mga to. And some pedals will run at less than 10mA. Delays and digital stuff take up a lot of mA's. Just make sure that the total amount of current you have on your PSU will not be less than the total current draw of your pedals.
Polarity - Yep. Run it backwards and you risk damaging your pedal or PSU or both.

Lahat ba ng pedals DC power ang requirement?
Why do I see pedals with a 9.6V power requirement? I'm used to seeing 9/12/18/24V only...
General power-related DOs and DON'Ts para tumagal ang buhay ng pedal?

Nope. Some stuff are AC. Best read the specs before plugging anything in.

Why do I see pedals with a 9.6V power requirement? I'm used to seeing 9/12/18/24V only...
General power-related DOs and DON'Ts para tumagal ang buhay ng pedal?

Bwiset na EHX yan... Electro Harmonix likes using weird voltages para kailangan mo yung PSU nila... Though medyo ok naman since palagi nilang sinasama yung PSU sa pedal kung may weird na requirement siya.

General power-related DOs and DON'Ts para tumagal ang buhay ng pedal?

Remove batteries from pedals powered through a PSU. Don't really know if this is an issue, kaso ayoko namang mag-bleed yung battery sa loob ng pedal ko and cause damage to anything. Might as well play safe.
Cover your unused daisy chain plugs.
Keep the PSU or anything with a transformer away from wah pedals or anything which uses an inductor. Mahahalata mo yun kapag nilapit mo yung PSU mo sa wah pedal na naka-on.
Use different colors for different voltages. Learned to do this the hard way... Toasted one of my pedals using the 18v on a 9v pedal.

[curlicue]

Thanks sa replies. Very informative. Ngayon ko lang nalaman na ganito pala gumagana ang PSU's:



Meaning each output is only capable of delivering a certain maximum current, tapos ikaw na ang bahala umareglo (by using more than 1 output) if your pedal needs more

Akala ko up until now, pag sinabi kunwari na 1000mA ang kayang iprovide ng isang PSU, that means pwede ka magsaksak nalang ng kahit-anuanong pedals basta tama ang voltage tapos bahala na sila sa hatian ng current draw basta hindi lalagpas ng 1000mA...

Do all PSUs work like what's shown in the image above (which was taken from the PP2+ website btw)? Including emil_murillo's Pedalmax and yahoo!'s Power Arc? Or meron din na gumagana the way I initially understood it?

[bazgrol0413]

mag one spot na. turi is just a pm away. 

[voidmain]

Thanks sa replies. Very informative. Ngayon ko lang nalaman na ganito pala gumagana ang PSU's:



Meaning each output is only capable of delivering a certain maximum current, tapos ikaw na ang bahala umareglo (by using more than 1 output) if your pedal needs more

Akala ko up until now, pag sinabi kunwari na 1000mA ang kayang iprovide ng isang PSU, that means pwede ka magsaksak nalang ng kahit-anuanong pedals basta tama ang voltage tapos bahala na sila sa hatian ng current draw basta hindi lalagpas ng 1000mA...

Do all PSUs work like what's shown in the image above (which was taken from the PP2+ website btw)? Including emil_murillo's Pedalmax and yahoo!'s Power Arc? Or meron din na gumagana the way I initially understood it?

This is only good for those with isolated outputs (Voodoo Lab, BBE). Visual Sound, Godlyk, Artec, Dunlop and all the local PSU's don't work this way. Tama yung una mong pagkaka-intindi for the non-isolated stuff.

[yahoo!]

here's a simple answer.

all boutique pedals = expensive PSU

behringer,boston,boss,zoom,digitech (and other crap pedals) = goes to my el cheapo PSU 

[rukero]

Useful info here:
http://www.beavisaudio.com/techpages/PoweringPedals/index.htm

[aya13allen]

parang gusto ko tuloy ng pedal power 2 

[r_chino18]

parang gusto ko tuloy ng pedal power 2 

who doesn't?

hehe.. gusto ko rin..   

[kune_km]

it also helps if you use an AVR. 

i do this with my guitar amp and pedals /PSU's ever since. even with my roland/korg keyboards.

just to be sure. you can never trust the voltage that are coming from your convenient outlets now a days. especially with the very efficient electric supplies from meralco and other independent power producers  . our local electric power supplies really fluctuates from time to time. im not an electrical oriented guy, but if you really love your gears, at least use some common equipments that you think might help taking care of it.

[aya13allen]

who doesn't?

hehe.. gusto ko rin..   

mahal kasi e 

[r_chino18]

mahal kasi e 

yun lang talaga.. but you get what you pay for.. right now ang gamit ko lang ay GT-2.. so i think i won't use pa a PSU na mas mahal dun.. to think na yung lang din naman pedal ko ngayon.. 

[aya13allen]

yun lang talaga.. but you get what you pay for.. right now ang gamit ko lang ay GT-2.. so i think i won't use pa a PSU na mas mahal dun.. to think na yung lang din naman pedal ko ngayon.. 

maganda kasi dun, isolated sya, pero my EMI filter din yung kay max diba? di naman maingay?

[yahoo!]

maganda kasi dun, isolated sya, pero my EMI filter din yung kay max diba? di naman maingay?

yup ok talaga specs yun pp2. pero kung may technical know how ka sa electronic pwede mong lagyan yun regular psu ng EMI filter. it save some cash.  

[shodawmoon]

Dude, the way Emil of Pedalmax does his creations is overkill. In a very good way. It's cheap. Built like a tank. And it will really protect your pedals.

AGAIN, protect your pedals AND pwoer supply (custom or not). Buy AND USE and avr where ever you go. Vilman sells em vheap from 299 PESOS. 500w. Great EPIC deal.

Villman? as in the PC/gadget store? thanks for the tip!

[aya13allen]

yup ok talaga specs yun pp2. pero kung may technical know how ka sa electronic pwede mong lagyan yun regular psu ng EMI filter. it save some cash.  

yun ang problema sakin, la ako alam sa electronic  ..

[aHeartThatNeverFade]

I want a pp2 but for now pedalmax muna...hehe.safe din naman pedals ko with it.