Voltage question

[67Mopar]

Re: Voltage question

I can't answer specifics about what might have happened to your pedal, what kind of power supply were you using that put out 13V? Still wouldn't expect that to kill it, I"m thinking something else may have been going on with the pedal(?).

It was a generic 9VDC wall-wart. I don't recall the brand, but it was non-regulated. It's in the trash, so I'd have to did through a ton of filth to get to it.

I figured it out! Being a non-regulated supply, the DC output from the wall-wart would have increased with wall voltage. This explains the 11.3VDC reading from the wall-wart. Orlando area output gets as high as 127VAC during the day. I use a Tenma Variac and bucking transformers to keep the output level in-check for most of my gear. I am certain that I plugged the wall-wart (no variac) into the KLON during peak hours. I powered the La Grange at around 2:00AM using the same non-regulated supply. Wall voltage at this time would have been approximately 120VAC; bringing the wall-wart output down to its 9VDC spec. I should have checked the output with my meter before plugging it into anything. Live and learn...

I don't use a gang-box from my bucking transformer. My Ampeg GVT15 is the only piece of gear that goes into that unit. I plugged the wall-wart directly into the wall socket (to power the KLON) without thinking. Big mistake! I should have plugged the Ampeg and wall-wart into a power strip, then plugged the power strip into the bucking transformer... Hopefully my mishap will keep others from making the same dumbass mistake.

[jeremy]

Re: Voltage question

ive never heard of people blowing up klons, but i guess if you blew up a $2000 pedal cause you cheaped out on the power supply i might keep that to myself

[Darg1911]

Re: Voltage question

It was a generic 9VDC wall-wart. I don't recall the brand, but it was non-regulated. It's in the trash, so I'd have to did through a ton of filth to get to it.

I figured it out! Being a non-regulated supply, the DC output from the wall-wart would have increased with wall voltage. This explains the 11.3VDC reading from the wall-wart. Orlando area output gets as high as 127VAC during the day. I use a Tenma Variac and bucking transformers to keep the output level in-check for most of my gear. I am certain that I plugged the wall-wart (no variac) into the KLON during peak hours. I powered the La Grange at around 2:00AM using the same non-regulated supply. Wall voltage at this time would have been approximately 120VAC; bringing the wall-wart output down to 9VDC. I should have checked the output with my meter before plugging it into anything. Live and learn...

A non regulated supply's voltage will drop compared to the no load voltage when loaded down with a pedal. But, most pedals draw so little current that the voltage will still be above the nominal voltage rating of the supply. And, if the supply is rated for, example, 9 volts dc and 1 amp, I dont think it will come all the way down to the 9 volts unless the load is at or near the full 1 amp rating of the supply. Good reason why the wall warts that are designed for pedals and made by reputable companies are regulated supplies.

[67Mopar]

Re: Voltage question

ive never heard of people blowing up klons, but i guess if you blew up a $2000 pedal cause you cheaped out on the power supply i might keep that to myself

It isn't a real KLON Centaur. It's a Ceriatone Centura. Sounds identical to the original KLON. I only paid $200.00 for it, but that's still a lot of money. Well, it is to me anyway.

[67Mopar]

Re: Voltage question

A non regulated supply's voltage will drop compared to the no load voltage when loaded down with a pedal. But, most pedals draw so little current that the voltage will still be above the nominal voltage rating of the supply. And, if the supply is rated for, example, 9 volts dc and 1 amp, I dont think it will come all the way down to the 9 volts unless the load is at or near the full 1 amp rating of the supply. Good reason why the wall warts that are designed for pedals and made by reputable companies are regulated supplies.

Pure laziness on my part. Would have taken less than 2 minutes to ensure it was properly protected. Even after telling Nik @ Ceriatone what I did, he offered to fix it for free! It was my fault, so I told him that I would buy the parts and fix it myself. If there's something else wrong, I'll send it to Nik. I'm getting 9VDC from the right side of the zener (0VDC from the left), so a simple swap of the charge pump should do the trick.

[devastone]

Re: Voltage question

Good luck with the fix, hopefully that takes care of it!

[Hank-]

Re: Voltage question

It was a generic 9VDC wall-wart. I don't recall the brand, but it was non-regulated. It's in the trash, so I'd have to did through a ton of filth to get to it.

I figured it out! Being a non-regulated supply, the DC output from the wall-wart would have increased with wall voltage. This explains the 11.3VDC reading from the wall-wart. Orlando area output gets as high as 127VAC during the day. I use a Tenma Variac and bucking transformers to keep the output level in-check for most of my gear. I am certain that I plugged the wall-wart (no variac) into the KLON during peak hours. I powered the La Grange at around 2:00AM using the same non-regulated supply. Wall voltage at this time would have been approximately 120VAC; bringing the wall-wart output down to its 9VDC spec. I should have checked the output with my meter before plugging it into anything. Live and learn...

I don't use a gang-box from my bucking transformer. My Ampeg GVT15 is the only piece of gear that goes into that unit. I plugged the wall-wart directly into the wall socket (to power the KLON) without thinking. Big mistake! I should have plugged the Ampeg and wall-wart into a power strip, then plugged the power strip into the bucking transformer... Hopefully my mishap will keep others from making the same dumbass mistake.

Actually that trashed one was mostly likely an smps type power supply, those are the common ones these that most appliances/gadgets use. The voltage drops to the stated rating once a unit draws cureent through these. The ac voltage going up in the wall outlet wont affect their output voltage. They just need decent current draw to stabilize the output voltage. If you have to get these ones, then get a 12V one & make a diy linear regulation box using a lm7809 ic, that will let ya use these cheaper adapters with ease. I've made a few myself, doesnt need to be too fancy either.

[67Mopar]

Re: Voltage question

Actually that trashed one was mostly likely an smps type power supply, those are the common ones these that most appliances/gadgets use. The voltage drops to the stated rating once a unit draws cureent through these. The ac voltage going up in the wall outlet wont affect their output voltage. They just need decent current draw to stabilize the output voltage. If you have to get these ones, then get a 12V one & make a diy linear regulation box using a lm7809 ic, that will let ya use these cheaper adapters with ease. I've made a few myself, doesnt need to be too fancy either.

Thanks! If excessive voltage didn't cause the failure, could reversed polarity have caused it? I'm wondering if I may have inadvertently used the pigtail to my TS808 on the KLON?

[67Mopar]

Re: Voltage question

Fixed! The charge pump was glued down so it took a little work to get it to break free, but it's working perfectly.

[Darg1911]

Re: Voltage question

Thanks! If excessive voltage didn't cause the failure, could reversed polarity have caused it? I'm wondering if I may have inadvertently used the pigtail to my TS808 on the KLON?

Since the "standard" for pedals is center-negative, it's very possible as most other electronics that use a wall wart are center-positive. So, a generic wall wart type power adapter that isnt designed specifically for powering pedals is likely to be center-positive.

I've bought a good number of regulated "wall warts" that were center-positive and flipped the plug before using them. Most of those I bought back when it was easier to find decent, linear supplies. Today, most of the wall warts are switching supplies. Even Fulltone has discontinued their linear supplies (they were great ... nice and quiet) and gone to switching.

[67Mopar]

Re: Voltage question

Since the "standard" for pedals is center-negative, it's very possible as most other electronics that use a wall wart are center-positive. So, a generic wall wart type power adapter that isnt designed specifically for powering pedals is likely to be center-positive.

I've bought a good number of regulated "wall warts" that were center-positive and flipped the plug before using them. Most of those I bought back when it was easier to find decent, linear supplies. Today, most of the wall warts are switching supplies. Even Fulltone has discontinued their linear supplies (they were great ... nice and quiet) and gone to switching.

The wall-wart I was using was quite old. I reversed the polarity to center neg. some years back, which is why I came to the conclusion that it was a voltage issue. Had I reversed the polarity using the wrong pigtail, I would expect a lot more damage than just the charge pump. I don't know exactly what happened, but I'm sticking with using my Voodoo supplies from now on. I should have dug it out of the trash, then checked the output with my variac.

[PFDarkside]

Re: Voltage question

Does the Centura use a BOSS style barrel connection? Isn’t a Klon a 1/8”?

[67Mopar]

Re: Voltage question

Does the Centura use a BOSS style barrel connection? Isn’t a Klon a 1/8”?

Sure does. Yes, 1/8" male end. Comes with a reverse polarity adapter for use with "standard" DC power supply.

[devastone]

Re: Voltage question

I'm guessing "standard" means guitar effect style center negative power supplies.

[67Mopar]

Re: Voltage question

Correct.