KingBollock Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 (edited) I tried this in the technical thread but had no luck, so I thought I try it in here.. This year I am planning on having a crack at building a pedalboard. I am obsessed with shiny things and would love to have some lighting inside the board, under the grate (want to use aluminium grating rather than the usual metal or wooden strips), and have been considering running El Wire/glow wire along the power cables. They aren't too bright and I thought it might look a bit Tron like, or, with the grating, like the floor of a space ship from a sci-fi movie or Red Dwarf. I have read that the power supply for the wire emits a high pitched sound, which, if that is the only problem, I am sure I can deal with, however my main worry is that the instrument cables might pick up interference because the wires run on AC. Does anyone know if that is the case? Has anyone tried it? I could shield the power supply but I can't shield the actual wire. Perhaps I could wrap the instrument cables in copper tape? If that turns out to be a rubbish idea, does anyone know if cold cathode ray tubing with cause interference? I could install UV ray tubes around the edges and paint the power cables with UV reactive paint maybe. They use this stuff in PCs so you'd think it would be ok... When wiring a pedalboard, is it best to run the power cables away from the instrument cables? I had been planning on bunching them all together but I am now thinking this might not be the best idea. This is the first time I have ever tried to put together a pedalboard so I am unsure how best to go about it. Edited May 16, 2014 by KingBollock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 There's been a few boards that's had lighting on/under/in them on here & I've not heard of any issues. Copper tape/shielding should be able to sort out any issues from it though. I had an issue with noise from one of my moog pedals. I took the sides off & shielded them & had no issues since. As for your UV idea, that would work. Haptix have taken it a step past their pedal board... http://haptix-music.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elephantgrey Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 There was [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/216382-pedalboard-led-strips/"]This[/url] thread a while ago on here about strips of LEDs that fit under the board and run off a 1spot(normal boss type supply). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 There is no problem running 9V DC cables close to audio signal cables but anything carrying AC has the potential (no pun intended) to be picked up by the audio. There is also the possibility of breakthrough of interference from your lighting power supply into your pedal PSU. I would concentrate on getting the audio right first, before you start pimping the board! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBollock Posted April 27, 2014 Author Share Posted April 27, 2014 To be honest, if it wasn't for trying to design something that looks cool then I probably wouldn't even bother. It's not like it'll even leave the house... Although, if certain medical stuff goes well, that prospect may change, which would be incredibly cool. The plan is to build a PSU, a switch pedal for my T-Max and a loop pedal first, so I've got an idea how big it has to be. It's all going to be done with birthday money, so I can't start it until after June, giving me far too much time to think about the design. Though the main points have been in my head for over a year. Like I said, I am obsesses with twinkly, sparkly things, so it has to have some kind of lighting. The plan isn't to flood it with light, just to illuminate the wiring. I am now thinking that low level black light LEDs might be the way to go, and paint the wiring with UV reactive paint, this would mean I could have different coloured wires running through it, though I am thinking that just painting the power wires a nice blue would be enough. It might seem a bit early to start asking questions but the more time I have to source what I need the better. Would this be a bad place to ask about the PSU? The plan is to find a nice quiet schematic and cannibalise a bunch of wall warts I have taking up drawer space. The intention is to have four main outputs, each with its own transformer and circuit if need be, the only link being the mains input. I have a heatsink for the voltage regulators, but it is one long one, is it a really bad idea to attach four regulators to one heatsink? They should have an inch each side of themselves and I am hoping to make it so that they don't even run hot enough to need it, but I thought it should be something I cleared up first. I could cut it up and add insulation between each section, but it won't look as nice... I even thought of adding thermostatically controlled mini fans to it, because I am cutting the heatsink from an old HDD cooling tray, it even has a temperature display, but I got thinking that that could only add noise. But it would look so cool... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorris Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Assuming the regulator tab is 0V then bolting them all directly to the heatsink will connect the 0Vs together and negate the ground loop breaking aspect of having separate transformers. You don't necessarily need to cut it up though- just use isolating kits / isolating thermal interface sheet to mount the regulators. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBollock Posted April 29, 2014 Author Share Posted April 29, 2014 (edited) Bugger. I had considered that and made a mental note to look it up, and promptly forgot... Turns out that it is Ground. Looks like I'll have to cut it up after all. Actually, I am thinking of doing a futuristic relic type thing to it, so I don't have to worry about having all clean lines after all. Now I need to find some way to glue the parts back together, with insulation in between, that won't mind getting a bit warm. Thank you for the reminder, very much appreciated. Edited April 29, 2014 by KingBollock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorris Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 But you don't have to cut the heatsink. Just need to isolate the regulators from the heatsink with insulating thermal interface sheet stuff and 'tophat insulators' if using screws. It's standard practice - my own electronics designs with MOSFET or IGBT isolate approx 400V like ths. Ask here or PM me if further advice needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBollock Posted April 30, 2014 Author Share Posted April 30, 2014 (edited) Ohh, nice one. Those top-hat insulators, I had been trying to think what I could make them from for when attaching the heatsink to the case. I found a kit on [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/TRANSISTOR-INSULATING-KITS-TO-220-PK10/dp/B00CSKXBA6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1398837635&sr=8-3&keywords=insulating+thermal+interface"]Amazon[/url], specifically for the TO-220, but with the postage it'd work out bloomin' expensive. I couldn't find anything at Maplins, but perhaps I wasn't using the correct search words. Edit: Found what I need at [url="http://www.cricklewoodelectronics.com/Cricklewood/product.php?productid=19462&cat=0&page=1"]Cricklewoods[/url] for a much better price. I have ordered stuff from there before. Unless you know where I can get a job lot of the top-hat thingumies and a sheet of the thermal stuff? Thank you so much for this help, it has been incredibly useful. Edited April 30, 2014 by KingBollock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorris Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Will send PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBollock Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 Decided to widen the scope of the topic as I have another question or two. Firstly, for now. How do people go about running guitar cables and mains cables to their pedalboards? I have seen people with mains extensions on their boards, and even with a pedalboard power supply you need to get AC power to it. I want to be able to run the pedalboard power from a rack mounted power strip, probably a Samson PB10, so that all my power comes from one place. I was hoping to be able to make an umbilical with the audio and mains cables bundled together, with a good, solid amount of shielding covering the audio cables by wrapping the audio cables together with copper or aluminium tape, which would be earthed, then running the mains cable along side and all wrapped up together with self amalgamating tape or something, but this isn't going to be enough is it? I was also considering a multi core audio cable, with four wires and a shield. There would be two audio cables, each using two of the core wires, and then attach the shield to ground at one end. I would use a suitable plug and socket at each end, perhaps even a PC monitor type which can be screwed into place for extra security, then have a box with the socket at each end, one on the pedalboard and one on the rack, to split the cables to go where they need to. I think this would be neat and simple to set up once built. I know I am over complicating things but I have too much time to think about this stuff and, to be honest, all the fun for me is in the designing and building, the more complicated the more fun, but I don't want to do it all and end up with something that is crap. Even with all the extra stuff I don't mind if it just works as well as a more simple setup, I just don't want it to be worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Here's what goes to & from my board... An extension cable with a 2 gang socket (one for the Moog LPF & one for the daisy wart that powers the rest). The audio lead and a CV control lead in a loom of 2 from my bass to the board, and the audio lead from the board to the bass. The loom from my bass goes down to the right rear of the board. The audio lead from the board to the amp goes from the rear, round the right & to the rig behind me. The mains goes to the rear just off of the board & heads either left or right to the nearest power socket. So far, I've not had any noticeable hum or buzz at any gigs, though when I was sitting at the mac recording a bassline last week, I had some buzzing in the background. My keys player said it may be due to something being too close to the mac. I'll find out on Monday, as I'm going to his studio to lay down some basslines. It depends on how many pedals your having & how good your wiring is. Shep spent a small fortune on getting his power & patch leads perfect (& I'm sure there's a few others on here that have done so too). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elephantgrey Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Shep has a few blogs about setting up a board ([url="http://sheponbass.co.uk/blog/?category=Signal+Chain+BASSics"]here[/url]) which you might find helpful. I think the first one explains about signal and power leads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBollock Posted June 20, 2014 Author Share Posted June 20, 2014 Thanks for the link to the Shep article, now my ideas have become even more complicated! I haven't started building the power supply yet because I don't want to start until I know how many pedals I need to power with it. Currently the idea is to have half of it - the transformers and bridge rectifiers - mounted in the back of my rack, and the second half - the resistor and capacitor filters and the voltage regulators - mounted on the pedalboard, all linked by a 5m D Sub cable. For the cable I want to use is 20 core scart cable. The plan is to have the transformers go down to 18 volts to transmit down the wires, then use the regulators at the other end to go down to 9v (and one 12v for the LEDs). This way it will be a shielded DC power cable alongside the audio cables. This is the cable I want to use: http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/20-way-overall-screened-scart-cable-priced-per-metre-xs44x Is this feasible? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomProddy Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 (edited) You could try Cold Cathodes (which I have in my PC - look nice and doesn't interfere with anything). There's a chance that they might interfere with the audio signal but there's no way to tell until you give it a go. Another option is to try LED strips. Cheap, reliable, easy to install, run DC and low-voltage so a good chance at less EMI. Edited June 28, 2014 by RandomProddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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