Expression pedals not responding well in direct sunlight

Keith mcdermott

Keith mcdermott

Member
my Ax8 works perfectly at gigs and practice when out of direct sunlight. one pedal controls a volume block and the other a wah with auto engage. both become ultra sensitive and once i engage the wah i cant get it to turn off. If i reboot the wah comes up in the off position but the same issues persists. when the sun goes down the same gig, all is normal. is this a known issue with the AX8 itself or could it be the volume pedals or wires. A also notice my Mutron can have problem in the sun too? wanted to know if this is an AX8 thing..
 
What expression pedals are you using?

Aside from possibly the AX8 maybe overheating, I can't think of how this is possible unless you're using an expression pedal with a optical sensor.
 
Keith mcdermott said:
my Ax8 works perfectly at gigs and practice when out of direct sunlight. one pedal controls a volume block and the other a wah with auto engage. both become ultra sensitive and once i engage the wah i cant get it to turn off. If i reboot the wah comes up in the off position but the same issues persists. when the sun goes down the same gig, all is normal. is this a known issue with the AX8 itself or could it be the volume pedals or wires. A also notice my Mutron can have problem in the sun too? wanted to know if this is an AX8 thing..
Click to expand...

Never had an issue with mine and a Mission Expression Pedal and a Fractal Expression Pedal. . What kind of expression pedal are you using? (as Unix-guy just asked!)
 
Hi Keith,
As an experiment, throw a towel or t shirt over the expression pedal when this happens, and see if the problem disappears. If it does, the sunlight is messing with the optical sensor in the expression pedal, and you’ll need to gaffs tape all the holes in the unit letting light in.
Thanks
Pauly
 
pauly said:
Hi Keith,
As an experiment, throw a towel or t shirt over the expression pedal when this happens, and see if the problem disappears. If it does, the sunlight is messing with the optical sensor in the expression pedal, and you’ll need to gaffs tape all the holes in the unit letting light in.
Thanks
Pauly
Click to expand...

Exactly what he said, OR run a non-optical expression pedal and see if you still have issues. I'm assuming it's the Mutron and Expression Pedals and nothing to do with the AX8. Best of luck
 
Great response - thanks so much - i am using a MOOG expression pedal EP-3 https://www.musiciansfriend.com/acc...O3hH80t-fNczFqicOb-l7ly6sSRLzjPxoCqgcQAvD_BwE

I dont think this is an optical expression pedal but i really don't know. And sorry its a Qtron+ not a Mutron. I could not find any references to issues in the sun but i seems like some of you think there could be. problem only happens in direct sunlight. then i turn off the Ax-8 to disengage the wah but when i engage i cannot disengage. the rest of the AX8 seems to be working and sounding fine. TOWEL and Different EPs good ideas. i hope its not the AX8 as its summer and it seems we are going to be in the sun again soon. thanks again !!
 
Looking online I found one image of a Moog EP-3 gut shot.

I appears to have a standard potentiometer so I don't think it's optical.
 
Keith mcdermott said:
Great response - thanks so much - i am using a MOOG expression pedal EP-3 https://www.musiciansfriend.com/acc...O3hH80t-fNczFqicOb-l7ly6sSRLzjPxoCqgcQAvD_BwE

I dont think this is an optical expression pedal but i really don't know. And sorry its a Qtron+ not a Mutron. I could not find any references to issues in the sun but i seems like some of you think there could be. problem only happens in direct sunlight. then i turn off the Ax-8 to disengage the wah but when i engage i cannot disengage. the rest of the AX8 seems to be working and sounding fine. TOWEL and Different EPs good ideas. i hope its not the AX8 as its summer and it seems we are going to be in the sun again soon. thanks again !!
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear! Yea that EP and that Q-Tron+ are not optical , so there goes that theory. If BOTH expression pedals are acting up in your direct sun/heat AND they're both the exact same brand/model, I think I'd try to borrow /buy something else to see if that's it. .. . Also I live in VT , so our sun is basically upper 80's and humid, where last time I was in Las Vegas it was 119 and no humidity but that sun was extremely hot. Are you in a place like that? Good luck and I'm pretty curious as to what you figure out

Eric
 
yeah - i did some searching too and the pedals are not optical as you both say. I am going to try and simulate the problem sometime next week - we are not playing outside but maybe before i unload from the gig i can set up in my back yard in the sun. puzzling ! maybe these E pedals are not quality ones - they were pretty cheap. thanks if i figure it out - i will post that . thanks again this forum is great !!
 
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