<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Voltage (9v, 12v, 18v, 24v)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tip:<\/strong> Use a voltage doubler<\/a> to convert a 9-volt or 12-volt power output for use with 18-volt or 24-volt guitar pedals. If your power supply has 18 volts, you can use this converter<\/a> to bring it down to 9 volts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although 9-volt power is the most common, there are tons of pedals that require more. The important thing to remember is to only use the exact voltage specified by the pedal. Some pedals (overdrives in particular) are built to accept 9 volts or 18 volts. Changing from 9 to 18 volts can give you a little more headroom and may also change the tone, but this is by design. If your pedal does not specifically mention that it can operate on a different voltage, then make sure the voltage on your power supply matches what\u2019s on the pedal \u2014 or you could blow it up!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Examples of guitar pedal voltage requirements.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The next parameter is polarity. Most pedals require a power supply with negative<\/strong> (-) polarity, and they should only be powered by a power supply with a matching (negative) polarity. Using a positive<\/strong> (+) power supply with a negative<\/strong> (-) pedal could prevent it from powering on (if you\u2019re lucky) or (if you\u2019re unlucky) permanently damage the pedal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Most pedals and power supplies have a diagram showing the polarity. If the diagram on your pedal matches the power supply, you\u2019re good. If not, you\u2019ll need a polarity adapter<\/a> to reverse it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Examples of positive and negative guitar pedal polarity.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The last pedal power parameter is amperage (rate of the electrical current.) Your power supply must meet or exceed the pedal\u2019s amperage requirement, usually measured in milliamps (mA). Not doing so could cause irregular performance or even damage!<\/p>\n\n\n\n A milliamp meter<\/a> is useful to view the exact amperage draw of a pedal. This can prove important when configuring and assembling your pedalboard. If you are daisy-chaining pedals, the amperage ratings of each pedal are added together for one total amperage requirement. Failure to meet the total amperage requirement will underpower your pedals and possibly damage them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Examples of guitar pedal amperage requirements.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n In the battle for good pedal power, meeting the power requirements for your pedals is only half the battle. The other half is to provide a clean power source. Without clean power, you\u2019re likely to experience ground loops or interference \u2013and always at least opportune times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you hear humming, it\u2019s likely caused by a ground loop. Ground loops occur when a circuit has more than one path to ground. When engaged, the ground connection is added or removed; thus, the ground loop no longer has more than one path to ground, and the \u201chum sound\u201d should disappear. Long story short, this behavior will typically happen when you least expect it but is usually fixable with a bit of trial and error. If your pedal has a ground button or switch, try that first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your device does not have a ground switch, consider testing it by using a ground lift adapter (no ground plug). If the hum goes away, then you found the offending device. A ground lift adapter is an excellent way to find the problem, but they\u2019re not great for long-term use. Ebtech\u2019s Hum X<\/a> is a safer solution for removing and preventing ground loops.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Get rid of a ground loop in your system with the HumX<\/a>!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n You can fix some pedal power problems by switching to an isolated power supply. When pedals share the same power output, they can introduce unwanted noise and interference to the signal. This phenomenon is most common in daisy-chained pedals. Supplies like the Truetone 1 Spot<\/a> work great for sufficiently powering individual pedals (or multiple with an adapter<\/a>). While most of the time, you will not have an issue with daisy-chaining the power from one pedal to the next, some pedals may not function as designed if they receive power from a shared power supply. Some combinations of pedals can even introduce extra noise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pedalboard powered by an isolated power supply.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n If this issue is present on your pedalboard, an isolated power supply might be the best solution. The outputs on an isolated power supply operate independently from one another, helping to prevent unwanted interactions between pedals. In addition to providing reliable power for your pedals, they also frequently provide outputs for pedals rated at different amperages and voltages. This effectively prevents ground loops, interference, and other issues caused by having pedals daisy-chained together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you show up to a gig and you\u2019re suddenly getting a nasty hiss or buzz, you may be dealing with dirty power. Dirty power is any power source that, in addition to the power, also contains unwanted noise from other devices or components on the same circuit. The usual suspects are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best solution is prevention, and the best prevention is a power conditioner<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n A power conditioner\u2019s job is to provide clean power for your rig. Depending on the model, power conditioners can prevent electromagnetic and radio interference noise and provide surge protection, voltage regulation, and digital filtering. If you\u2019re a musician on the go, a quality power conditioner will protect your gear and give you the peace of mind you need to play your best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Positive (+) or Negative (-) polarity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Amperage (10mA, 500mA, 1.7A)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Preventing hum, noise, and ground loops<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Hum caused by ground loops<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Ground](\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2018\/03\/Ground-Loop-Solution-HumX-Adapter-300x228.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nIsolated Power Supplies for Pedal Boards<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Pedalboard](\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2018\/03\/Pedalboard-with-Isolated-Guitar-Pedal-Power-Supply-300x93.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nRemove Noise with Power Conditioners<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Power](\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2018\/03\/Power-Conditioners-from-Furman-and-SurgeX-1024x270.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n