COLOSSAL

A M P L I F I C A T I O N

5VDC REGULATED
POWER SUPPLY AND
RELAY BOARD

INSTALLATION
DOCUMENT
 WARNING! AMPLIFIERS CONTAIN LETHAL AC AND DC
OPERATING VOLTAGES. COLOSSAL AMPLIFICATION ASSUMES
NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR INJURY OR LOSS OF
LIFE WHICH MAY OCCUR AS THE RESULT OF MISUSE OF
THESE PRODUCTS.

HELLO AND THANK YOU FOR PURCHASING A SET OF COLOSSAL LOW VOLTAGE
REGULATED POWER SUPPLY AND RELAY BOARDS.

LIKE YOU, WE NEEDED A GOOD SET OF RELAY BOARDS AND A DEDICATED POWER
SUPPLY FOR OUR AMPLIFIERS AND OTHER PROJECTS AND DID NOT WANT TO
HASSLE ETCHING BOARDS OR CHASING DOWN PARTS EVERY TIME WE NEEDED TO
SWITCH SOMETHING. SO, WE CAME UP WITH THE REGULATED POWER SUPPLY AND
RELAY BOARDS TO SHARE WITH THE DIY AMP COMMUNITY.

WHILE THE MAJORITY OF BUILDERS ARE USING THESE IN DUMBLE STYLE DIY
AMPLIFIERS FOR THE TRADITIONAL PREAMP BOOST, MID BOOST, AND OVERDRIVE
SWITHING APPLICATIONS, THESE BOARDS CAN BE USED IN ANY AMPLIFIER BUILD.
WHETHER A FENDER DELUXE REVERB OR HOT RODDED MARSHALL PLEXI; IF YOU
NEED TO SWITCH SOMETHING EASILY, QUIETLY, AND RELIABLY, THESE WILL DO THE
JOB.

THIS DOCUMENT DESCRIBES BASIC INSTALLATION FOR A TYPICAL AMPLIFIER.

WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED A COUPLE OF PAGES SHOWING THE USE OF THE "GENERIC" 3
BUTTON FOOTSWITCH AVAILABLE THROUGH VARIOUS DIY AMPLIFIER PART
VENDORS SINCE THESE ARE POPULAR WITH THE DUMBLE CROWD.

WHILE INTENDED TO BE COMPREHENSIVE, THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT INCLUDE

SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS FOR THE USE OF THE POWER SUPPLY AND RELAY BOARDS
AND ASSUMES SOME KNOWLEDGE ON THE USER'S PART.

IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT ARE NOT ANSWERED HERE, PLEASE FEEL
FREE TO CONTACT US AT INFO@COLOSSALAMPS.COM OR BY PRIVATE MESSAGE
THROUGH THE AMPGARAGE FORUM AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO HELP YOU OUT.

BEST REGARDS,

DAVE
COLOSSAL AMPLIFICATION
WWW.COLOSSALAMPS.COM
 COLOSSAL
A M P L I F I C A T I O N

WIRING A 5-PIN 240° DIN JACK FOR THE "GENERIC" 3-BUTTON

FOOTSWITCH FOR USE WITH COLOSSAL 5VDC RELAY BOARDS

DETAIL OF 240° DIN PLUG

[LOOKING AT THE FRONT OF THE PLUG,

PINS FACING TOWARD THE VIEWER]

WIRING FROM PINS 1, 2, & 3 GO TO BOTH THE AMPLIFIER'S

FRONT OR REAR PANEL SWITCH (IF APPLICABLE) FOR THE
PART OF THE CIRCUIT BEING SWITCHED AND TO THE
ASSOCIATED RELAY(S)
GENERIC 3 BUTTON
FOOTSWITCH WITH 240°
5-PIN DIN PLUG

240° DIN PLUG MOUNTED ON

REAR OF AMPLIFIER CHASSIS
(CENTER TERMINAL IS UNUSED)
[LOOKING AT THE PLUG AS
MOUNTED ON THE CHASSIS]
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 COLOSSAL
A M P L I F I C A T I O N

REWIRING THE "GENERIC" 3 BUTTON FOOTSWITCH

1) REMOVE THE SIX SCREWS FROM THE BOTTOM PLATE. ONE MAY BE HIDDEN
UNDER THE QC STICKER.

2) DESOLDER AND REMOVE THE STOCK 1k RESISTORS BETWEEN TERMINALS 1

AND 2 ON EACH SWITCH.

THE COLOSSAL RELAY BOARD HAS A 150Ω CURRENT

LIMITING RESISTOR ON BOARD. THE FOOTSWITCH
LEDs CAN BE WIRED DIRECTLY TO THIS B+ VIA THEIR
RESPECITIVE PIN/WIRES. THE B+ IS 2V WITH THE 150Ω
RESISTOR. IF YOU NEED TO RUN A PANEL MOUNTED
LED, SIMPLY PARALLEL ANOTHER 150Ω RESISTOR
OVER THE OTHER TO HALVE THE CURRENT LIMITING
RESISTANCE. THERE ARE PADS ON THE RELAY
BOARD FOR THIS PURPOSE.

3) ENSURE THAT THE WIRING COLOR CODE MATCHES THE CONFIGURATION SHOWN
ABOVE. WIRES AND LED LEADS MAY NEED TO BE MOVED AND CONTINUITY
CHECKED WITH A MULTIMETER FOR CERTAINTY.

4) NOTE WHICH COLORED WIRE CORRESPONDS TO WHAT SWITCH SO THAT YOU

CAN CONNECT THE CORRECT RELAY TO THE ASSOCIATED DIN JACK PIN IN THE
AMPLIFIER.

5) NEATEN UP THE STOCK WIRING IN THE FOOTSWITCH AS DESIRED (SOME UNITS

ARE VERY SLOPPILY WIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER!)

PAGE 2
 COLOSSAL
A M P L I F I C A T I O N

INSTALLING THE 5VDC REGULATED POWER SUPPLY BOARD

1) PRINT THIS PAGE AND CUT OUT

TEMPLATE SHOWN TO THE RIGHT.

MAKE SURE YOUR PRINTER IS

SET TO SCALE = 100%.

2) PLACE THE TEMPLATE IN THE

AMPLIFER CHASSIS AND TAPE
DOWN IN DESIRED LOCATION.

3) DRILL HOLES AT THE

MOU N TIN G C EN TER S SH OWN
WITH CROSSHAIRS. USE A #36
OR 3.5mm BIT (0.140"= 9/64" BIT)

BE SURE THERE IS ROOM

TO COMFORTABLY BOLT
THE REGULATOR CHIP TO
THE CHASSIS!

1) BOLT THE POWER SUPPLY BOARD TO THE DESIRED LOCATION INSIDE THE
AMPLIFIER CHASSIS USING THE SUPPLIED HARDWARE.

2) BOLT THE REGULATOR CHIP TO THE CHASSIS USING THE SUPPLIED HARDWARE,
ENSURING THAT THE INSULATOR PAD (GREY) IS BETWEEN THE CHIP AND THE
CHASSIS. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN.

PAGE 3
 COLOSSAL
A M P L I F I C A T I O N

WIRING THE COLOSSAL 5VDC REGULATED

POWER SUPPLY BOARD
PARTS ARE RATED TO 25VDC. DO NOT EXCEED 12VAC INPUT. THIS IS SO THE
7805 REGULATOR DOES NOT HAVE TO DROP EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF
POWER (RESULTING IN WASTE HEAT).

IF THE AC SOURCE HAS A CENTERTAP, DO NOT CONNECT IT TO GROUND.

THE SOLE GROUND CONNECTION FOR THE ENTIRE CIRCUIT WILL BE MADE
ON THE RELAY SIDE (IF YOU ARE USING THE COLOSSAL RELAY BOARDS).

1) FROM YOUR DEDICATED POWER TRANSFORMER OR OTHER AC SOURCE,

SOLDER THE AC SECONDARY WIRES TO THE PADS MARKED +VAC IN AND
0VAC AS SHOWN BELOW. A DEDICATED TRANSFORMER WILL BE EASIEST,
BUT AN BE AN UNUSED WINDING FROM A POWER TRANSFORMER MAY
ALSO BE USED. IDEALLY, THE TRANSFORMER OR WINDING WILL BE FROM 6
TO 12VAC. IF A 5V RECTIFIER TUBE WINDING IS USED, IT WILL PROBABLY BE
SUFFICIENT AS IT WILL LIKELY RUN HIGHER THAN 5VAC WITH ALMOST NO
LOAD ON IT.

120VAC

0VAC

NOTE: THE AC SECONDARIES ARE SHOWN AS STRAIGHT

LINES FOR CLARITY. HOWEVER, IT IS GOOD PRACTICE TO
TWIST THESE WIRES TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF AC COUPLING
(60Hz HUM) INTO SENSITIVE CIRCUITS WHICH MAY BE NEARBY.
6 - 12VAC WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU TWIST YOUR SECONDARIES.
(6-0, 9-0, 12-0)

2) ENERGIZE YOUR TRANSFORMER. ALTHOUGH THE BOARD HAS BEEN

TESTED AND PASSED QUALITY CONTROL BEFORE SHIPPING YOU SHOULD
VERIFY THE BOARD'S OUTPUT USING YOUR AC VOLTAGE SOURCE.

USING YOUR DIGITAL MULTIMETER (SET TO VDC), MEASURE THE DC OUTPUT

ON THE PAD MARKED B+ OUT. YOU SHOULD GET 5.00VDC ± 0.1VDC.

6 - 12VAC

PAGE 4
 COLOSSAL
A M P L I F I C A T I O N

WIRING THE 5VDC REGULATED

POWER SUPPLY AND RELAY BOARDS
NOW THAT YOU HAVE INSTALLED YOUR RELAY POWER SUPPLY BOARD,
TRANSFORMER OR AC VOLTAGE SOURCE, AND TESTED THE BOARD'S DC OUTPUT, IT
IS TIME TO INSTALL YOUR RELAY BOARD(S).

1) TO CONNECT THE RELAY POWER SUPPLY BOARD TO YOUR RELAY BOARD(S),

MAKE A TWISTED PAIR OF 20-22g WIRE TO THE APPROPRIATE LENGTH. ALTHOUGH
NOT CRITICAL, A COLOR CODED PAIR SUCH AS RED (5VDC) AND BLACK (0V/
GROUND) IS USEFUL.

2) SOLDER THE RED WIRE IN YOUR TWISTED PAIR TO THE PAD MARKED B+ OUT.
SOLDER THE BLACK WIRE TO THE PAD MARKED GRND.

3) AS YOU DID WITH YOUR POWER SUPPLY BOARD, LOCATE AND MOUNT YOUR
RELAY BOARD(S). ONCE THEY ARE IN PLACE, ROUTE THE TWISTED PAIR OF WIRES
OVER FROM THE POWER SUPPLY BOARD TO THE RELAY BOARD NEAREST THE
POWER SUPPLY.

4) SOLDER THE RED WIRE FROM THE TWISTED PAIR TO THE PAD MARKED B+.
SOLDER THE BLACK WIRE TO THE PAD MARKED GROUND.

FROM AC
TRANSFORMER

5) IF APPLICABLE, MOUNT AND CONNECT OTHER RELAY BOARDS IN SERIES AS

SHOWN BELOW. UP TO 1A OF CURRENT AT 5VDC CAN BE SUPPLIED FROM THE
COLOSSAL POWER SUPPLY BOARD.

NOTE: THERE WILL BE ONLY ONE GROUND CONNECTION. THIS SHOULD BE

MADE FROM THE PAD MARKED GROUND ON THE LAST RELAY. IF APPLICABLE,
THE SINGLE GROUND POINT SHOULD BE MADE FROM THE DIN JACK (SEE PAGE
1) TO GROUND ON THE CHASSIS. PAGE 5
 COLOSSAL
A M P L I F I C A T I O N

WIRING THE RELAY BOARD FOR

PANEL MOUNT SWITCHING
NOW THAT YOU HAVE INSTALLED YOUR RELAY POWER SUPPLY BOARD,
TRANSFORMER OR AC VOLTAGE SOURCE, AND YOUR RELAY BOARD(S), IT IS TIME TO
CONNECT A MEANS OF SWITCHING THE RELAYS ON AND OFF.

THE RELAYS ARE DPDT, SO TWO THINGS MAY BE SWITCHED FROM ONE BOARD.
SOME CLEVER AND COMPLEX ARRANGEMENTS AND CIRCUIT CHANGES ARE
POSSIBLE WITH A LITTLE CREATIVITY. TYPICAL APPLICATIONS INCLUDE TONE STACK
SWITCHING, CHANNEL SWITCHING, REVERB OR EFFECTS LOOP ON/OFF, AND MASTER
VOLUME SELECTION, TO NAME JUST A FEW.

THE RELAYS CAN BE CONTROLLED VIA A SIMPLE PANEL MOUNT TOGGLE SWITCH
AND/OR WITH AN EXTERNAL FOOTSWITCH VIA A DIN OR OTHER JACK.
NOTE: WHEN THE RELAY IS ENERGIZED (LED ON), THE COM (COMMON) AND
NO (NORMALLY OPEN) PADS ARE CONNECTED. WHEN THE RELAY IS OFF
(LED OFF), THE COM AND NC (NORMALLY CLOSED) PADS ARE CONNECTED.
CONNECTED CONNECTED

CONNECTED CONNECTED

RELAY OFF STATE RELAY ON STATE

1) TO SWITCH THE RELAY ON AND OFF A SIMPLE SPST ON/OFF SWITCH CAN BE USED.
TWO PADS WILL BE USED. IF A DIN JACK AND FOOTSWITCH WILL BE USED, AN
ADDITIONAL PAD WILL BE USED ON EACH RELAY. THIS IS SHOWN BELOW.

PANEL MOUNTED
ON/OFF SWITCH
RELAY CONTROL
NOTE: ONE GROUND CONNECTION IS
MA D E FOR TH E EN TIR E POWER
SUPPLY AND RELAY BOARD CIRCUIT! PANEL MOUNTED ON/OFF SWITCH
AND DIN JACK/FOOTSWITCH RELAY
CONTROL (SEE PAGE 1)
PAGE 6
 PAGE 6

COLOSSAL
A M P L I F I C A T I O N

ADDING A PANEL MOUNT LED INDICATOR

THE RELAY BOARD HAS AN ON-BOARD LED TO HELP THE BUILDER SEE WHICH
STATE THE RELAY IS IN WHEN WORKING INSIDE THE AMPLIFIER OR OTHER PROJECT.
IF A PANEL-MOUNTED LED IS DESIRED SO THAT THE USER CAN SEE WHEN THE
CIRCUIT BEING SWITCHED IS ACTIVE, SUCH AS FOR A CHANNEL SELECTION SWITCH,
AN ADDITIONAL LED CAN BE ADDED TO AND POWERED FROM THE BOARD.

THE RELAY BOARD HAS A 150Ω CURRENT LIMITING RESISTOR WHICH DRIVES THE
ON-BOARD LED AT 2V. TO ADD A SECOND LED, AN ADDITIONAL 150Ω RESISTOR (1/4W
OR GREATER) CAN BE PARALLELED WITH THE FIRST AS SHOWN BELOW.

150Ω
150Ω

ADD AN ADDITONAL 150Ω

CURRENT LIMITING RESISTOR
IN PARALLEL WITH THE ON-
BOARD RESISTOR (75Ω TOTAL) PANEL MOUNT
SWITCH
TO R U N TWO 2 V LED S IN (RELAY ON/OFF)
PARALLEL

PANEL MOUNT
2V RED LED
INDICATOR

PAGE 7