Getting Started with Building Pedals

[jugglindan]

Running a ground wire to every jack is partly insurance against intermittent or poor connections through the enclosure. It would keep support issues down. It's also a good idea on a PCB since you can't be sure that everyone will use a metal enclosure.

[Simon Barden]

But a non-metallic enclosure is a pretty good way of letting a lot of potential noise in. And out. Maybe less of an issue on a circuit with unity gain, but anything with a drive/boost function is asking for trouble.

Also, plastic enclosures simply aren't as robust as metal for foot pedals (unless they are very thick). If it's not designed for floor use, then that's less of an issue, but if you are stepping on it regularly, then I'd suggest that you really want a metal enclosure.

[jugglindan]

I agree with all of that, and wouldn't use plastic enclosures myself. Was just trying to list reasons why PCB/kit vendors put a separate ground lead for every component. Plus you only really save 1 wire anyway.

[Simon Barden]

Indeed. And one obviously has the choice of whether to run ground wires out to both jacks or not depending on the type of jack sockets used. Some people may use the plastic-bodied jack sockets, which are often used on pedals (especially with stereo or switched outputs where the increased switching functionality offered by them is utilised). In this instance, you'd certainly need to run ground wires to both jacks.

But I've had bought pedals where a ground lead was used to only one jack, the connection jacks became loose and/or the paint hadn't been cleared off the jack areas, and so performance became intermittent. I've sometimes run a ground wire myself between the two sockets to cure that.