Triple pedal broken

[andymay]

Hi all,

I've a new issue with my triple pedal where the right hand pedal no longer does anything, but the other 2 work fine. Plugging a regular pedal into the instrument (and switching pedal type in the menu obvs) restores sustaining power.

I've seen inside a triple pedal and it looks like a whole load of headache for someone as bad at soldering as me.

Based on my symptoms can anyone tell me where to look first?

cheers
Andy

[andymay]

The triple pedal has rubber contacts just like keybeds, which may require some cleaning

[andymay]

So more on this - in case anyone else has the same problem -

I plugged the pedal in again and it worked fine - for a while. Then I discovered the issue appeared to be orientation-sensitive!! i.e. if I held the pedal vertically it functioned normally, but in a horizontal plane the sustain pedal was permanently on. I could hear the pedal on-off sounds as I moved the unit around.

So I took it apart. (Side question - why is the base plate so heavy?) (side point 2- there's not much in there for £150 is there....)

Nothing obviously loose but further mucking around I have realised I can activate or deactivate the sustain pedal by rolling the cable between my fingers about 2 inches from the back of the pedal box. Surely that's not right?

So my new plan is to shorten the cable by a few inches and re-solder it to the board. Does that sound a good idea?

A

[maxpiano]

Looks like you found the problem and also the solution, well done.

On the side question 1, the weight helps to keep the pedalboard stable and still on the floor, lightweight pedals are more prone to move around...

[Bjosko]

So I took it apart. (Side question - why is the base plate so heavy?) (side point 2- there's not much in there for £150 is there....)

That is Swedish steel, therefore the high price.

[andymay]

I was all set to cut the wire but when I spliced the insulation open I luckily found the place inside where the inner shielding had a break in it.

Few minutes with the black sticky tape and I'm back in business.

I wish they'd make pedals (in general) with a jack socket on the back though so you could easily replace the cable if need be.

Anyway - score!!

A

[Ecaroh]

Hi all!

I searched old threads about Triple pedal (1st gen) and this came up.

I have two Triple pedals and both have had issues like OP: right one (sustain) does nothing while other two work fine. It’s always like this. It seems to me that there’s some special weakness with Triple pedal. Now my question is that has anybody managed to find out what’s causing this?

[Nordlicht]

I have two Triple pedals and both have had issues like OP: right one (sustain) does nothing while other two work fine. It’s always like this. It seems to me that there’s some special weakness with Triple pedal. Now my question is that has anybody managed to find out what’s causing this?

I assume it's simply because you typically use the sustain pedal most of the time.

Often it is just the spring that breaks due to mechanical wear and tear. I once got a used Triple Pedal with a broken sustain pedal spring. I just swapped the spring from the middle to the right and I had then a "Double Pedal" with pedal noise (for only 25 EUR!).

[Ecaroh]

I am not sure… I believe it must be something else. When sustain gets this issue I’ve never seen anything on the cable or felt anything with its spring. And it’s only pedal which does not last like others and knowing this I’ve tried to handle it very carefully. I am quite sure there’s some inner weakness but I haven’t managed to find out what it is. That’s why I posted my question: do you regognlze this issue and if yes have you managed to find a cause and fix?

[Ecaroh]

The pedals are simple switches, so my bet is on: the contacts (dirty or completely worn out), the cable (one of the wires is not fully conductive, but the other pedals work), the plug (de-soldered), or the board (e.g. the circuit tracks have oxidised).
I would:
Open the pedal, and make a test of the cable with a multimeter.
Clean the contacts, then check the with a multimeter the places where the contacts meet the cable while pressing and not pressing the pedal.
Inspect the tracks.
Other than that might be that the mechanism does not push the contacts well enough to close the circuit.