Noise Problem With Pedalboard...Help!

[slo100]

I have a VoodooLabs pedal power with a CLYDE Wah, Tone Press, Choralflange, and Strobostomp. Everything was great until I bought I Digitech Whammy pedal which requires AC!

I tried plugging the wall wart into the convenience outlet on the Pedal Power and that introduced a stampede of noise when the wah is in use. The wah picks up a ferocious AC hum. Moving the pedal power to the other side of the board worked a little.

Does anyone make a power supply that powers regular DC pedals and also has a filtered/isolated AC out that will power a Whammy?

I don't know how Digitech expects these pedals to be incorporated onto
boards with an AC requirement.

Thanks in advance,

Bret

[jgcable]

Its a ground loop. You need a power strip that has a ground lift switch on it. Either that or you can use a loop switcher because they usually have ground lifts on them too.

[slo100]

I thought about that...

But a ground loop issue would appear regardless of if the effects were on or off. This noise comes on only when the wah is on. When the AC wall wart is unplugged it goes away.

I think I need a power supply with an AC and DC filtered supply.

[Cygnus X1]

I have a similar problem with my 9 volt wall wart, plugged into a grounded isobar. Any other suggestions, besides spending a bucketload of cash on a filtered power supply?

[jgcable]

But a ground loop issue would appear regardless of if the effects were on or off. This noise comes on only when the wah is on. When the AC wall wart is unplugged it goes away.

I think I need a power supply with an AC and DC filtered supply.

You need a ground switch on the strip you are pluggin the AC wall wart into. The reason the noise comes on when you turn on the wah is because the wah is amplifying the signal. Wah's do that.

[vondran]

Yes, it sounds like a classic ground loop problem. Try routing the cables and power lines differently around the pedal board. Also, make sure all signal cables are routed to one side of the Pedal Power/wall-wart. If one is routed around the other side, you create a great loop attenna with the wall wart transmitting 60 Hz in the middle.

[slo100]

I am thinking the wah is picking up the wall wart. I connected it to an extension cord and moved it all around and its proximity to the wah is definitely a factor.

So I moved the pedal power to the other side of the board from the wah, drilled holes in the board and ran all my power cables under the board and all the signal cables on top of the board. That seemed to help.

I found a power supply that has AC and DC taps. The AC side only has 500ma and I am not sure that is enough for the Whammy.

http://www.buyanalogman.com/product_p/t-rex%20fuel%20tank.htm

I wonder why the hell Digitech engineered this device with an AC power supply. I called them and they suggested extension cords. I said that's not really ideal for a gigging situation and they didn't seem to care. Maybe Tom Morello or Joe Satriani should take up the issue!

Thanks for the troubleshooting, guys!

Anyone have a T-Rex?

Bret

[slo100]

Whoa....here is a solution. Just found it.

http://www.pedalgear.net/page2/page7/page7.html

1500ma on AC! $300...ouch.