# Bogner Pedals Switch Issue Resolution



## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

If anyone owns a Blue, Red, or Uberschall, then you may have run across this problem. I just received my 3rd in a trade knowing about the issue but also how to fix it. It's a cheap and easy fix if you can solder. Why Bogner have not addressed this I have no idea. Essentially when you press either switch there is a good chance that it will think you've pressed it twice and will cancel itself out. In other words one stomp turns it on and off again  Extremely frustrating on stage, not a big deal in your basement. Anyway the fix involves soldering a 0.1uF capacitor across each of the switches terminals. The cap has to be rated for a minimum of 25volts per Bogner. Here are a few pics. Hope it will help someone out there.



http://imgur.com/Yvt8s3b




http://imgur.com/SPqBx7m




http://imgur.com/bNIGOWH


Here's a blurb from Bogner on the issue. They are blaming the software. I've "tweaked" it a bit due to some english language issues.

_The software which switches the relays is sensitive to the switching action, the problem can be solved by soldering a 0.1uF capacitor over the the switch, this should solve it for good, a new switch might eventually do the same. These are Carling switches, the most expensive and the best available, the issue is the software. A capacitor should go over both switches, any type and anything over 25V will do it._

_We had somebody develop the software and it worked fine through the beta testing but it is sensitive to these mini currents, when the switch is pushed down and then let go there might be a tiny peak current and the software sees it as another action and turns the pedal back off, a double action so to speak._


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Thanks to JPFX for letting me know where to pick up the caps locally. I went for the smallest they had but there is room in there for something a bit bigger. Pedal works flawlessly now and sounds great.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Thanks for that.

I think it is worth noting that switch "quality" has many different parameters. One is certainly lifespan and MTBF (mean time between failures) type specs, and another is ruggedness. But switch "chatter" or immunity to "bounce" is another, that does not come hand in hand with other indicators of quality. So these may be very reliable and hardy switches, but if they make little micro-contacts or recontacts within the context of a single press of the plunger/actuator, software can treat it is identical to pressing then pressing again.

Firmware upgrades can likely address that, but there is the not-so-small matter of what to do about pedals already in use. Recalling a pedal to replace a chip can be far more costly and cumbersome than simply adding a component to change the sensed behaviour of the switch.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

mhammer said:


> Thanks for that.
> 
> I think it is worth noting that switch "quality" has many different parameters. One is certainly lifespan and MTBF (mean time between failures) type specs, and another is ruggedness. But switch "chatter" or immunity to "bounce" is another, that does not come hand in hand with other indicators of quality. So these may be very reliable and hardy switches, but if they make little micro-contacts or recontacts within the context of a single press of the plunger/actuator, software can treat it is identical to pressing then pressing again.
> 
> Firmware upgrades can likely address that, but there is the not-so-small matter of what to do about pedals already in use. Recalling a pedal to replace a chip can be far more costly and cumbersome than simply adding a component to change the sensed behaviour of the switch.


I bought my first Blue a couple of months after they were introduced and this issue came to light almost immediately on TGP and elsewhere. Bogner could have saved themselves some grief and a minor blow to their reputation, but they obviously aren't much worried about that


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

It reminds me of my Bogner Shiva footswitch conking out on stage a few light years ago.....It was stuck on the clean channel and I felt naked! I do recall my face feeling quite hot as well..


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