Distitllate no sound, loose wire

[theneighbor]

I went to play my distillate after being away for a while, plugged in and got nothing. Came on the forum and read everything I could find regarding no sound and took another look. I replaced the battery and turned the knobs about 30 times each.

Didn't see anything touching the shielding paint. Then I noticed a grey wire (Green Arrow) loosely wrapped around one of the switch terminals (Red Arrow). It originates from the board (Black Arrow). I've done some IPC 620 Class III solder work in the past and can probably get this home, but I'm not sure where this guy belongs.

If anyone can provide some assistance, I would really like to be playing.

Thank you.

[edwardofhuncote]

Howdy Neighbor, and welcome back. 

There's a picture in my showcase thread showing the grey wire going to a terminal on the switch. It's the last picture down in the cluster.

http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=23259.0

Please consider this an idiot's advice; there are far more accomplished 'wire-nuts' on this board that can help you more. Hope you get that birdseye beauty up and playing soon!   

*one other salient point- that is the Q-switch... mine flicks UP to attenuate the Q, most I think flick DOWN, so it may be opposite on yours.

[edwardofhuncote]

I'll be glad to pop the hatch on my other Distillate if you need a better look. 

[theneighbor]

Thanks Edwardofhuncote, took a look at your photos and it appears to be the same that it was loosely wrapped around. I will take a closer look and do some troubleshooting later this evening with it. Also need to see what tools I have around for doing the repair, I'm really kicking myself for not shipping my spare metcal station here, its sitting in a box all packaged up and I never put it through the mail.

Thanks again.

[jwright9]

Is the 9v battery dead?

I imagine that was the first thing you checked, but just in case.

[theneighbor]

Jwright9, thank you for the suggestion. Yes, checking the battery was first on my action list.   I haven't had a chance to troubleshoot any further than the wire that is disconnected, but hope to as soon as time allows and have things resolved soon.

[JimmyJ]

Well, I don't know this particular circuit so confirmation from Mica would be best ... but ... comparing your pic with the one Gregory pointed to indicates that your loose grey wire is meant to be connected to the single pole switch terminal exactly where your red arrow is pointing.  Otherwise there is only one wire leading to that switch so, nothing passing through it...

Jimmy J

[theneighbor]

JimmyJ, I'm in complete agreement with you and have since reconnected said wire.

However, after reattaching it (Red Arrow), there was still the problem of no sound. I started to look everything over again and found that the volume was not functioning. I remember reading that if any section of the board comes into contact with the shielding, then it would short. I was able to find that a minor wiggle of the volume knob would bring sound back for a fraction of a second. I recall someone using a piece of card stock to keep their board from touching the side wall of a control cavity and thought that I might try something similar under the edge of the board (Black Arrow). Well, story told, it worked and everything is functional again. The card stock (Orange Arrow) will be a temporary fix, until I have time look everything over a little closer, but I'm back up, playing and very pleased.

[elwoodblue]

 

[JimmyJ]

Nicely done.  It's very tricky to troubleshoot TWO problems at the same time so we're glad to hear you've got some sound.  Again, I don't know this electronics package but it looks like the board is suspended between the two pots and that's what holds it all in place?  If that's the case, maybe there is meant to be a nut, or at least a lock nut, on the shaft of the pots inside the cavity.  That would lift the board just a bit away from the shielding.  Just a guess. 

Here's a picture of an antique potentiometer as an example.  Ha!

Jimmy J