Any reason why this won't work?

[daz]

I'm sure it technically will work but no doubt it'll cause issues. TS-5 tube screamer, the plastic "bug" one. If i put a jack in it that is soldered to the momentary contacts and run a cable about 10 feet to a momentary footswitch on the floor, aside from switching it on and off which it should do, what would the negative consequences be? I have no idea how these switching circuits work and whether they contain signal or not so before i attempt it, should i just pass?

[Mick Bailey]

That should work fine. You could use screened cable (shield to GND side of switch) to reduce the chance of the cable acting as an antenna.

[daz]

really? Wow, I really thought there would be some sort of consequence but that's great. Thanks.

[Chuck H]

The Tube Screamers all switch following a lowered impedance input buffer so the added cable shouldn't have a significant affect. And I don't think the leads for momentary switching are even technically IN the signal path. More just connected to the signal path and not in series with it. But a long lead acting like an antenna on the FET gates could be a problem without shielding. Like Mick said, should work. But I have to ask...

Why do you want to do this? I immediately tried to conceptualize a situation where remote switching for a floor pedal would be be better than just putting it on the floor. I couldn't come up with anything.

[daz]

Because i don't want to have to have 2 long cables just to run one pedal and would rather it just be on the amp with a small patch cable. Plus if i wanna use a wall wart i won't have to run that out to it too. But i'm not even sure i will, i just asked to see if it's even doable before i decide whether to do it or not.

[Mick Bailey]

The switch toggling is done using BJTs that in turn switch the FETs. I don't know how sensitive this toggle (flip-flop) circuit would be to having an attached cable in the event of a spike coupling to the cable, so that was my thinking in using screened cable. I hadn't given any thought to the FETs that are in the signal path.

[Chuck H]

Ah. Ok, just replace FET for BJT above then. I did mean the switching transistors. It looks like the added lead would be hanging off the signal chain more like a kite tail rather than in series, right?

[Mick Bailey]

Yes. Just DC levels and out of the signal path.

[Chuck H]

Because i don't want to have to have 2 long cables just to run one pedal and would rather it just be on the amp with a small patch cable. Plus if i wanna use a wall wart i won't have to run that out to it too. But i'm not even sure i will, i just asked to see if it's even doable before i decide whether to do it or not.

For the wall wart it makes sense. Like anyone else that gigged I remember the wall wart power supply cord issue. In the end I was using rechargeable batteries. But then you have to make sure you have everything snuffy before going on stage to avoid potential problems. One more unwelcome thing I had to think about. Not to mention that some effects sound different with slightly different voltages (I think Tube Screamers are among them) and the rechargeables tended to the low-ish side.

[Enzo]

The switch triggers a flip flop made with two transistors. It just alternately toggles on then toggles off. Those transistors in turn control the gate voltages of a couple of JFETs which act as switches in the signal path. But remoting the switch doesn't come anywhere near the signal path. My only concern would be the long wire might be more susceptible to picking up a stray spike now and then, which would switch the thing on you. Like an amp with a faulty footswitch might change channels now and then at random. This switch really comes no closer to the signal path than the trem switch on an old Fender.

Posting a schematic might make it more clear.