Tech 21 RK5 Kotzen Pedal repair

chilipeppermaniac

chilipeppermaniac

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Ok all you amp, pedal, electronics experts out there. I have mentioned in the past where I got this pedal after a friend who has issues, destroyed some stuff and this pedal incurred some collateral damage. The Aluminum housing, had the one end panel lost, the underside cover lost, and the housing itself got a crease bend in it and developed a twist. However, I was given the pedal, original box, instructions, power source, and essentially left to see if I could fix it.

There was no stuffing the PCB, control board, switches, jacks assembly back in, because of the body damage to the housing. SO, I used as careful a disassembly as possible to extract this 11.5 inch board from the damaged part. Tonight I was able to mostly straighten the bent part but need to get the twist out so the pedal can sit flat and the guts fit as they should.

I plugged the pedal in despite the one initial spot of damage I found, and to my surprise, everything lit up and appeared to work, except the function controlled by one switch. You will see the missing part in my pics. So basically, I need to ask the " switch" question, and In case anyone has any remote clue just HOW the heck Tech 21 gets these boards in their housings without jamming or breaking off knobs or jacks, or crackign the PCB clue me in. I will have to figure this one out if I am to complete the fix.

SO the switch question is. there are 5 switches. Reading left to right, is " Tap" On, On , On and Boost. The issue I have is the 1st ON, which is the 2nd button in the DLA section is missing the actuator bubble cap which attaches to the elactrical portion of the actual switch, and is the part the foot button presses on to engage or disengage this part of the circuit. ( This section deals with the Level, Repeats, Drift and Time controls in the DLA section) As you will see in the pic. The Tap part of the switch is intact on the left most switch, and the part that makes the ON switch work is missing. I am wondering, can I get a replacement switch and cannibalize it for that mechanical part and snap in onto the part still on the board? Or do I need to get one and totally remove the old switch and solder in a new one? If this is the case, I may need one of you guys to do it, or to get Tech 21 to fix it for me, The solder bits are super duper small on this PCB.

Kotzen 7_LI.jpg
 
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Thatbastarddon said:
Surface mounted components o_O they frighten me...
Click to expand...

I am hoping these switches can be gently de-capped of the circular part that seems to be mechanical and slips inside that cup area on the mounted part on the one on the right in the pic. Then have that mechanical part re installed on the one on the board, no soldering required.
 
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Thatbastarddon said:
Surface mounted components o_O they frighten me...
Click to expand...
Me too... :ohno:


chilipeppermaniac said:
I am hoping these switches can be gently de-capped of the circular part that seems to be mechanical and slips inside that cup area on the mounted part on the one on the right in the pic. Then have that mechanical part re installed on the one on the board, no soldering required.
Click to expand...
I don't quite understand all of this... :confused2:
 
Greg, Look at the pic I circled the 2 square switches. The left one has a white circle which is like a "blister that has some type of mechanical guts"
that are missing on the Black one in the right hand circled electrical part of the damaged switch. If my aging eyes do not lie to me, the circular blister is held on by like spring steel type cover,

1611851437724.png
 
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Thanks Chili! I wonder if Tech 21 can inform you of the exact switch used, or the specs of it?

My approach would be to replace the switch altogether. Using a fine point soldering tip with some thin desoldering braid, hit all the switches contact points till the switch comes off. Solder in the new one. There seems to be plenty of room to work with, so this should be easy to do... :fingersx:
 
Thanks Sysco. I was wondering about replacing it,, whether I needed one of those air systems or what. I also had planned to call Tech 21 and see if I can email pics to them, ask their repairs costs etc...

Just got off the phone. Repairs cost $45 plus parts and shipping. Questions like JUST HOW do you guys get the board in and out of the case when it is so tight to do so, and further particulars on the switch will be handled in email as the customer srvice guy sent me his contact info.
 
Bdon, I did some homework. I have a feel for the task. should be easy.

The hard part will be getting the PCB back into the case. The tricky stuff is it is like a sardine can, and trying to fit protrusions into holes on 2 different axes simultaneously and not break any of them off or crack the board or anything. BOY Tech21 must have some kinda black magic to get this tricky part done easily and repeatedly.
 
chilipeppermaniac said:
Bdon, I did some homework. I have a feel for the task. should be easy.

The hard part will be getting the PCB back into the case. The tricky stuff is it is like a sardine can, and trying to fit protrusions into holes on 2 different axes simultaneously and not break any of them off or crack the board or anything. BOY Tech21 must have some kinda black magic to get this tricky part done easily and repeatedly.
Click to expand...
Yep...I remember trying to get into my old Bassdriver DI. Not easy.
 
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