Is this Kill/Blower combo switch I came up with look correct

[mudtaco]

I decided I wanted to add a mini switch, but couldn't decide between a blower or a kill switch.

Which got me thinking, "what if I didn't have to choose?" So, I tried to come up with a combo switch that would do both.

If this works, it should be: right - standard volume & tone / center - kill switch / left - vol & tone bypass.

Does anyone see any issues with this? Thanks

[Yogi B]

Let me point you to the Combined blower (vol/tone bypass) and kill switch thread, in particular this diagram:

Jul 30, 2022 4:47:15 GMT -5 Yogi B said:

In your case the (white) pickup 'positive' wire is replaced with the output from your toggle switch, and the (grey) pickup 'negative' wire is the combination of all the pickups' grounds. Also, note that for this to function correctly the signal ground of the volume/tone (the connections to the terminals) must be separated from the shield ground (the connections to the casing).

[newey]

Nice, but it would be more useful IMO if the "kill" function was to one side or the other rather than in the center- easier to toggle the kill in/out that way. Better still, if a DPDT (On)-On-On could be used, i.e., with momentary actuation at one end. Such switches do exist but are rare (and therefore, I assume, pricey).

[stevewf]

Feb 27, 2023 6:06:10 GMT -5 newey said:

Nice, but it would be more useful IMO if the "kill" function was to one side or the other rather than in the center- easier to toggle the kill in/out that way. Better still, if a DPDT (On)-On-On could be used, i.e., with momentary actuation at one end. Such switches do exist but are rare (and therefore, I assume, pricey).

Here's one at Mouser for $13 at this time.

[mudtaco]

Thanks yall.
So, I think I got this squared away now. 
One thing you will notice is that there is now a Tone Styler in the mix. I recently found it in a box of parts and just had to use put it to use. It was always my plan, but I didn't want to muddy the waters with it before in the diagram. But it seems necessary to include here now.
Let me know what you think.

[mudtaco]

For some reason the image didn't post, even though I uploaded it and it showed that it had. I'll try again in a different way. Sorry bout that.

[sumgai]

muddy,


You do see the problem here, don't you? Currently, your drawing will not give you "Blower" because the Vol and Tone pots are still connected to the output jack - turn down either of them, and guess what happens....

Your Kill and Regular positions will work as intended, now all you need to do is somehow disrupt the signal flow between the Vol pot and the output jack in order to achieve a full-output condition.

HTH





sumgai

[mudtaco]

Yes, the hot from the volume is still connected to the output. But the hot going to the volume is being grounded out when the the switch is in the mid position. 

[sumgai]

Mar 4, 2023 23:32:23 GMT -5 mudtaco said:

Yes, the hot from the volume is still connected to the output. But the hot going to the volume is being grounded out when the the switch is in the mid position. 

True enough, but that's what I said earlier - that the Kill and Normal positions work as intended. It's only the Blower position that won't work like you want - as you turn down the volume, the first few degrees won't have any effect, but after that, things can get 'rough'. Ditto for the Tone pot, when the Vol pot is dimed. After the Vol pot is down a ways, rotating the Tone pot won't have any noticible effect.

The real deal here is this: if you want to switch between Blower and a reduced volume setting, then you're going to be in for a surprise - the Vol pot will still be in the circuit, only now it's a rheostat instead of a potentiometer. The difference is pretty large, and depending on the overall value of the pot, you may experience undesirable tonality degradation when switching back and forth.

In short, you need to disengage the Vol pot entirely from the output circuit, in order to have a full-blown Blower. To do this, you pretty much must institute a full-bypass circuit, of which there are plenty of examples here in our Schematics sub-forum (and elsewhere, to be sure). To start, you might also search with the term 'volume bypass', as well as 'blower switch', I'm pretty sure you'll end up with exactly what you need to attain your goals.

HTH




sumgai

[stevewf]

Time for steve to get some schooling.

Because as I see it, there's only one difference between yogib's and mudtaco's version, and that's the Tone Styler. That's what's got my concern regarding the blower setting, rather than the volume and tone pots. The Tone Styler could provide the signal (or parts of it) a path to ground regardless of the DPDT's position; but the vol & tone pots are offered no path to ground when the DPDT is in "blower" position. In other words, if I read creckly, the blower puts the vol&tone in parallel with the red wire.

Here's the way I see it:


So I need to learn how passive circuitry in parallel with a coil's output can affect the signal, and I'm worried that I'm in for some brain bending 

And back to the Tone Styler: surely most (if not all) of its positions undo the blower. If that's not intentional, the TS could be neutralized in the same manner as the vol&tone by connecting the TS's "-" minus to the green wire [of mud taco's drawing]... barring any brain bending.

[sumgai]

steve,


Your question about the Tone Styler's placement is on-point.  Indeed, if something is in parallel with the pots, it too must be completely disconnected from the output circuitry (usually the output jack).

Here we see that Yogi B's Blower mode is disconnecting the pot(s) from ground.  Where mudtaco went sideways is that he connected the Tone Styler directly to a permanent ground, and not to the implied ground that is disconnected when in Blower mode.  Removing the Styler's 'black' ground wire from the pot's back, and connecting it to Yogi's white 'ground' wire (on pin 3 of the Vol pot) will connect the Styler into the circuit in conformance with Yogi's intention.  Doing so means that the Styler will still be in parallel with the pots during normal operation, but now it will be out of the signal path when in Blower mode.

HTH




sumgai