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jaymzHal
Silver Member
United Kingdom
297 Posts |
 Posted - 08/28/2008 : 13:19:45
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| Does anyone know what kind of footswitches are used for the Line 6 DL-4 delay pedal? They look like they could just be 3pdt footswitches but i can't be sure, the layout is so tightly packed that any replacement would need to be of the same dimensions because all the dials and switches are basically circuit mounted. I need to replace a preset select switch and the looper switch, would they both be the same or would the tap tempo be a momentary equivalent of a 3pdt? I'm not sure if the circuit measures the time the switch is depressed (like a hold function) or the time between consecutive taps (like a tap tempo). |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 08/28/2008 : 16:32:11
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Hi jaymzHal
I repaired my DL-4, which was part of a bulk buy from evilbay.
They look like the bypass switches you see in most pedals.
But are actually just fake chrome tops, with a spring actuator, that depress a 8mmx8mm square momentary push button switch.
All the switches are momentary & the same type.
They tops mechanically fail, they need a bit of Lube inside the back into the moving part.
These also fake tops, also come loose for some mysterious reason, only known to the designers, & the order of 9th OoLah of Assention in the 53rd dimension ... 
That is what happened to the DL4 that I have.
I ordered some spares from the local Line6 Distributor,
I had to use lots of Tech words & my business title, but was finally put through to a very reasonable In house Tech & logistics guy.
Who put a small dint in the credit card & shipped out the spares.
I noticed that the replacement fake actuator tops were of a slightly different design, that wouldn't so easily jam, come loose, & pop out.
Getting the DL4, or any of the 4 button stompers apart is for another thread. It's not too difficult, but just a bit tricky.
If you decide to go there, let me know & I will do a step by step, take apart for you.
My camera is not working at the moment, else I would upload some pics.
Is yours a current one, or one of the older designs?
The DL4's have horrendous reliability issues that Line6 won't acknowledge. 
Hope this helped.
Regards Dr. Bob
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Edited by - Dr. Bob on 08/28/2008 17:38:35 |
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jaymzHal
Silver Member
United Kingdom
297 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2008 : 22:00:00
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| Dr Bob you are a king among men. It's a rather old and shall we say well used DL-4 that I said I would fix for a friend. I will let you know when I attempt this task, I've just moved into a new flat and I haven't got any tools with me at all, so i will let you know when I've picked them up. I've heard that the dials are circuit mounted as well, so the tops need to be pulled off first, is that right? |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 08/30/2008 : 01:38:31
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quote:
Originally posted by jaymzHal
Dr Bob you are a king among men. It's a rather old and shall we say well used DL-4 that I said I would fix for a friend. I will let you know when I attempt this task, I've just moved into a new flat and I haven't got any tools with me at all, so i will let you know when I've picked them up. I've heard that the dials are circuit mounted as well, so the tops need to be pulled off first, is that right?
Hi jaymzHal
Correct 100% about the controls & Knobs.
Once you know the simple trick/s of getting them off, you will kick yourself.
I wrote Trick/s as in more than one, because I recently found out about another method.
I'm not sure how much trouble you'll have sourcing anything other than the switch top actuators.
If you are lucky, the bits fell off inside the pedal, so as your mate if he kept anything that fell off.
The pots are the 16mm types but have slightly different & longer tabs.
It might be worth calling or writing to Line6 () & telling them that the switches actuators fell off.
Go directly to the UK distributor, not the service agent.
Be aware, that from what I can remember, the rotary switches, as actually rotary encoders.
I have a few pics somewhere in my archive, of my unit when it was in bits, I'll see if I can find them.
Regards Dr. Bob |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 08/30/2008 : 18:29:14
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Hi jaymzHal & Guys
Here is a pic of the Actuator, used in all the Line6 4 switch stompers.
jaymzHal if you feel like PM me,
I can send you some text that I have collected over the years.
Regards Dr. Bob
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jaymzHal
Silver Member
United Kingdom
297 Posts |
Posted - 09/03/2008 : 12:25:39
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Thanks Dr Bob,
Did you have any luck finding the pictures? I will let you know when I attempt the fix, I will see my friend next week to pick up the pedal, I'm going back home for the weekend so will actually be able to pick up a few tools ;)
Does the fact the dials are rotary encoders rather than switches just mean that it is difficult to align the switchtop with the correct position?
I know a very very good source of all manner of electrical components so hopefully if anything is broke beyond repair I might be able to source it, and I can order from business suppliers via my university. |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 09/03/2008 : 15:40:31
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quote:
Originally posted by jaymzHal
Thanks Dr Bob,
Did you have any luck finding the pictures? I will let you know when I attempt the fix, I will see my friend next week to pick up the pedal, I'm going back home for the weekend so will actually be able to pick up a few tools ;)
Does the fact the dials are rotary encoders rather than switches just mean that it is difficult to align the switchtop with the correct position?
I know a very very good source of all manner of electrical components so hopefully if anything is broke beyond repair I might be able to source it, and I can order from business suppliers via my university.
Hi jaymzHal
The knobs have a mechanical key, for alignment,
It's been nearly 2 years since I had one apart.
Also Please check your PM.
Regards Dr. Bob |
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jaymzHal
Silver Member
United Kingdom
297 Posts |
Posted - 09/07/2008 : 13:58:09
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Thanks for the help Dr Bob, I think I will have to learn a lot by doing.
I've been AFK for a few days, went for a few days in the sun (where it predictably rained) and am now back home, and have picked up some of my tools. Hopefully I will do the fix some time this week and will of course let you know how it goes!
Also many thanks for the PM, I will reply to that also when I get the chance. For now though, Grand Prix time 
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2008 : 07:53:17
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Hi jaymzHal
I was unable to find any internal pics, of when I was repairing the DL4.
I might have just done some rough pencil sketches, of where things went.
Make sure you document where the battery wires are connected to the PCB, you will have to unsolder them at one end, to get the PCB out.
Please take some internal pics, of the one you are going to work on, when you have it apart.
Good luck
Regards Dr. Bob |
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jaymzHal
Silver Member
United Kingdom
297 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2008 : 18:34:52
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An update for anyone interested, especially Dr Bob:
I attempted the repair on the line 6 DL4 and took a few pictures. There were in fact 3 faulty switches - one that only worked half the time and 2 that didn't work at all. The one that only worked half the time was missing a small piece of plastic which sits within a spring that is depressed when you step on the pedal. The piece of plastic is what actually fully depresses the actuator, the spring merely prevents it from slamming into the board when you stamp on it. The other two faulty switches did not work at all. I tried to short them to confirm that it was merely the switches that were faulty and indeed, that was the case. However, I attempted to open them both up in order to fix them by bending a small metal disc inside that actually completes the circuit and "pops" the switch. This worked for one switch but not the other. With that in mind, I am looking at buying a replacement switch, and will look at acquiring one from the electronics group in my university department.
This is the actual pedal. Well used. I took the dials off without too much difficulty with a pair of needle nose pliers.
This is the back of the circuit board once the rear of the unit has been removed. Notice the wires going to the battery jacks.
The battery jacks themselves can actually be removed from the chassis, so there is no need to desolder them from the circuit, which is convenient.
The interior of the chassis, and the bottoms of the fake 3pdt switches.
The circuitboard itself. Notice the miniatures push switches which are actually what are being pressed by the fake switches.
Close up of the switches.
One of the removed switches and it's oh so important tiny piece of plastic. One of these had gone missing and due to this the switch did not work. I made a replacement with a small piece of plastic cut off an old ballpoint pen 
Interestingly the circuitboard is a general part used for the modulation, filter and delay pedals, but not for the distortion modeller.
The inner workings of one of the switches.
Anyway, I hope that was informative. If anyone wants anymore pictures I might be able to help but I didn't take many more. I gave the unit back to my friend because he needed it for a gig. At least now it has working tap tempo and he can select 2 out of 3 presets reliably! |
Edited by - jaymzHal on 09/23/2008 18:36:45 |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2008 : 09:50:48
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Hi jaymzHal
Excellent Post.
The green anodized finish.
Acts more like cheap paint on the Dl4, if you try to clean it with anything including a damp soft cloth.
But - The color really matches my Bad Monkey.
Mine didn't need to have the button switches replace or repaired.
I just had to replace a missing switch actuator, the bit that looks like the top off a stomp switch.
If you have stupid CPu related faults in the future, pull the PLCC Processor, the one in your pics with the sticker marked DL4 V1.5
Clean the pins VERY carefully, & replace the PLCC into it's socket.
This fixes a lot of stupid DL4 faults, but not power related faults.
Hey jaymzHal
I would be very interested to know, if the DL4 still works off the internal batteries.
A lot just seem to fail , & I haven't so far worked out, what the fault mechanism is related to...
Or what fails... too much SMD for my tired eyes.
Regards Dr. Bob
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 09/24/2008 : 11:13:17
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I can't really add too much to this apart from telling you of my own experience of line 6 switches.... i have the FBV shortboard for pod XT pro but i don't use it much anymore as the pod is really used as an amp sim for recording at home..when i was using it i never had any probs with the mechanical switches but the main thing that really annoyed me was the wah/volume switch...it's not like a normal switch like in crybaby etc...it's more of a momentary switch... what pissed me off the most was in the middle of a song on a clean sound for example,the wah would come on for no reason when the wah/volume pedal was set for volume even if you were nowhere near it.... ...not good i tried to re-calibrate according to line 6 instructions but to no avail.....doesn't happen all the time but enough to annoy me .......... |
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Line 6 footswitches
