How to Wire Tap Tempo Box?

[planethood]

I have a Liquid Foot Pro midi footcontroller that can accept an external tap tempo box to use in one of the expression ports. I am in the process of making my own footswitch, but I am confused about how to wire it. Here are the details:

The requirements for the footswitch are that I use a double pole-double throw, momentary footswitch (DPDT). I must also use a connector that is a stereo (TRS) jack.

According to the manual, I am supposed to wire the switch so that when it is not being pressed, the wiring should be tip/ring. When the switch is being pressed, the connection should be tip/sleeve. The information for this is provided in the manual on page 26, which is found here:
http://www.famcmusic.com/downloads/LiquidFoot_PRO_v190.pdf

I purchased a Carling 316-b-pp footswitch (http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=80) and Neutrik NYS215 jack http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=773 from Big Bear Electronics to put in my box.

So, I have two questions:
1.) Do I have the correct footswitch and jacks to use?
2.) How do I wire these together now?

THANKS!!!

 

[Youngpedals]

The jack you selected will work, but its PCB mount and might be tricky to solder to reliably. You may want a lugged jack where the terminals have eyelets that you can solder to:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=87

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=90

Looks like you bought a puch-button switch (latching), but you will need a Normally-Open (NO) momentary switch. The fact that its momentary will be specified. Here is a switch that a lot of people use for external tap controllers:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=672

This switch only has two terminals, and its very easy to wire: one switch lug (doesn't matter which one) goes to the jack's tip lug, and the other to the sleeve lug. They do make momentary switches with six terminals like the one you posted about, but there is no requirement that it has to be that type. It will work, but you would only use the two terminals that form a NO-pair (if you can find them!).

And that controller MUST use a stereo cable to make the connection to your tap box. Inserting a mono cable shorts the sleeve and ring together, and the manual specifies that this will result in damage. For your external box, it looks like you can wire up your tap box like i describe above (one switch lug to tip, the other to sleeve), just make sure you use a stereo cable so the ring connection inside the midi controller simply floats, or doesn't make any connection at all.

Also, do you have an enclosure?

Good luck!

 

[planethood]

The jack you selected will work, but its PCB mount and might be tricky to solder to reliably. You may want a lugged jack where the terminals have eyelets that you can solder to:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=87

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=90

Looks like you bought a puch-button switch (latching), but you will need a Normally-Open (NO) momentary switch. The fact that its momentary will be specified. Here is a switch that a lot of people use for external tap controllers:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=672

This switch only has two terminals, and its very easy to wire: one switch lug (doesn't matter which one) goes to the jack's tip lug, and the other to the sleeve lug. They do make momentary switches with six terminals like the one you posted about, but there is no requirement that it has to be that type. It will work, but you would only use the two terminals that form a NO-pair (if you can find them!).

And that controller MUST use a stereo cable to make the connection to your tap box. Inserting a mono cable shorts the sleeve and ring together, and the manual specifies that this will result in damage. For your external box, it looks like you can wire up your tap box like i describe above (one switch lug to tip, the other to sleeve), just make sure you use a stereo cable so the ring connection inside the midi controller simply floats, or doesn't make any connection at all.

Also, do you have an enclosure?

Good luck!

Thank you for the very detailed response! You explained a lot!

I would prefer to have a DPDT momentary switch with three terminals to wire because the manual states that the "floating option" you describe is not recommended. I found some switches that should work, but I would prefer to find a Carling one (it isn't necessary, but I'm being a bit anal). Here is a switch I found on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/160459850207?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Would this work? Does Carling make a switch like this?

BTW...yes...I have an enclosure that I bought from Small Bear (http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=48). I am actually going to put two switches in the box and use expression ports #3 & 4 on the Liquid Foot. One button is going to be used for tap tempo and the other button is TBD. I already drilled the holes and spaced them as the exact same distance as they are spaced on the Liquid Foot.

 

[jhv3]

Planethood, the carling switch won't work for you but the "x wing" style you found on ebay will. Pair them with the either jack (your original choice or that suggested by Youngpedals) and you're good to go!

 

[planethood]

Planethood, the carling switch won't work for you but the "x wing" style you found on ebay will. Pair them with the either jack (your original choice or that suggested by Youngpedals) and you're good to go!

Great! How would I wire it up then?

BTW...I checked out your website. Very cool stuff. I probably could have just bought a dual tempo box from you and saved myself some hassle. I will have to keep an eye on your stuff in the future....

 

[Youngpedals]

The center lug (of the three lugs in a row on one side) is the "pole," and the outer two lugs are the "throws." One throw is Normally-open, the other is Normally-closed.

With the DPDT ("Double-Pole, Double-Throw) switch you posted from ebay, there are two sets of these lugs. Here is a SPDT (Single-Pole...) of the same style:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=27

You can see that this switch looks very similar, only one set of pins is missing. You can use either type, in fact, you won't use the other set of pins at all on the DPDT switch.

To wire, connect the center (pole) lug to the tip lug on the jack. Now, find a digital multi-meter, set it to measure resistance, and measure from lug to throw one at a time. The one that shorts to the pole lug (gives near-zero resistance reading) goes to the sleeve (according to the manual). The other goes to the ring.

 

[planethood]

the center lug (of the three lugs in a row on one side) is the "pole," and the outer two lugs are the "throws." one throw is normally-open, the other is normally-closed.

With the dpdt ("double-pole, double-throw) switch you posted from ebay, there are two sets of these lugs. Here is a spdt (single-pole...) of the same style:

http://www.smallbearelec.com/detail.bok?no=27

you can see that this switch looks very similar, only one set of pins is missing. You can use either type, in fact, you won't use the other set of pins at all on the dpdt switch.

To wire, connect the center (pole) lug to the tip lug on the jack. Now, find a digital multi-meter, set it to measure resistance, and measure from lug to throw one at a time. The one that shorts to the pole lug (gives near-zero resistance reading) goes to the sleeve (according to the manual). The other goes to the ring.

thank you!!!! Great instructions!!!