PUNE INSTITUTE OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY, PUNE - 411043

AY: 2022-23 Class: S.E.

Subject: Electronic Skill Development
Department(lab) Date&ofTelecommunication
of Electronics Performance: Engg.
Roll No. Batch:
Experiment No.

Title : Study of different type of test equipment for testing and fault finding of electronic circuits.

Aims:

● To understand fault finding of electronic circuit with the help of test equipment.

● To understand testing and fault finding of Printed Circuit Board.

1. Fault Finding

By adopting a systematic approach to fault finding you will eventually discover where the
problem lies. Fault finding can be quick and easy or a case of time, effort and perseverance.
Before test and measurement the engineer should know the node voltages and current at each
node in case of analog circuits. In case of digital circuit the engineer should know the logic of
circuit. The Fault finding techniques that can try as mentioned below

1. Check that all components are in the correct position and orientation.
2. Check that there are no short circuits (excessively high current drain on the power supply
may indicate shorts).
3. Examine the PCB for solder splashes across pads/tracks and stray component leads/wires.
4. Carry out some basic electrical tests to ensure power is reaching all parts of the circuit.
5. Check all components are functioning correctly. Has overheating during soldering
damaged any components? IC's and transistors are particularly susceptible.
6. Remove and test suspect components using appropriate test equipment. Alternatively,
substitute dubious components with tried and tested ones.
7. Make a thorough check of circuit voltages/currents/signals using appropriate test
equipment.
8. Where kits are connected to other equipment check for compatibility problems by testing
on alternative equipment.
9. Never measure the resistance value using DMM, when resistance in a circuit. DMM may
show wrong reading

1.1 Analog circuit testing

When testing a particular transistor circuit, a multimeter can be used to determine if the voltages
around the circuit are correct. To test and fault find a particular transistor circuit, it is necessary
to have an idea what the steady voltages should be. The circuit below is a typical basic transistor
circuit and current and voltages.

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 PUNE INSTITUTE OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY, PUNE - 411043

Department of Electronics & Telecommunication Engg.

The circuit shows several of the points where the voltage can be measured in a circuit. Most of
them are measured with respect to ground. All the measurements can be made relative to ground.
This is the easiest way for voltage measurement because the "common" or negative probe
connected to a suitable ground point.

Test the transistor in a circuit

Step 1: (Base to Emitter)

Connect the positive lead from the multimeter to the to the BASE (B) of the transistor. Connect
the negative meter lead to the EMITTER (E) of the transistor. For an good NPN transistor, the
meter should show a voltage drop between 0.45V and 1.2V.

Step 2: (Base to Collector)

Keep the postitive lead on the BASE (B) and place the negative lead to the COLLECTOR (C).

For an good NPN transistor, the meter should show a voltage drop between 0.45V and 1.

2. Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Fault Finding and Trouble Shooting

For the majority of electrical boards, the name “printed circuit board” is used, or “PCB” for
short. In the past, PCBs were manufactured through a complex process that consisted of detailed
wiring on specific points. During this process, the circuits were left exposed and hence
vulnerable to damage. It was only with the development of safer, more advanced design methods
that the process reached the standards of security that are used in PCB manufacturing today.

The following four components are present on most of today’s printed circuit boards — copper,
fiberglass substrate, silkscreen and solder mask. In the earlier years of the technology, PCBs
consisted of one layer. By contrast, contemporary PCBs consist of multiple layers, which are
necessary to accommodate today’s complex circuitry.

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 PUNE INSTITUTE OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY, PUNE - 411043

Department of Electronics & Telecommunication Engg.

In newer PCBs, numerous high-pitch parts are included but not identified on the boards.
Consequently, the methods required to troubleshoot and repair today’s PCBs is more
complicated than ever. On circuit boards of the 1980s and ’90s, it was possible to perform repairs
with the use of automatic testing tools, which simply do not work on today’s PCBs.

2.1Troubleshooting on Old PCBs

On older printed circuit boards, the techniques used for troubleshooting were performed in a
variety of ways, including the following:

● Inspection of the solder joints

● Identification of the problem
● Troubleshooting of specific parts
● Inspection of the integrated circuits
● Consultation of the software manual
● Inspection with a microscope
● Tests of the functionality

2.3 How to Diagnose Problems with a PCB

Before you actually go about with repair work on a printed circuit board, you must first pinpoint
the root of the problem. Diagnostic work on a faulty PCB is carried out in the following stages:

i) Identify the problem with the use of a VI instrument. The alternating voltage is used
to test the unidentified pin count.
ii) The next step is to identify the location of the problem. This requires examinations at
a microscopic level to find the troubled elements.

How to Analyze the Results of PCB Diagnostics?

The components in an electrical circuit are arranged in one of the following three combinations
mixed, parallel or series. Since it is usually impossible to pinpoint the signature, the easiest way
to approach an analysis is to compare the faulty PCB with a functional one of the same make.
This way, you can see the common signatures.

To compare signatures, you must examine the similarities between all defective printed circuit
boards and then contrast those to the PCBs that are free of problems. With each component, the
current, inductance, resistance and voltage of each component needs to be computed and
contrasted to each signature of the faulty printed circuit board to determine what is wrong with
the latter.
Conclusion:

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 PUNE INSTITUTE OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY, PUNE - 411043

Department of Electronics & Telecommunication Engg.

We used various testing equipments to understand and find various faults in electric circuits and
analysed PCB and found ways to diagnose problems on PCB. We found various factors to
troubleshoot faults and errors. We also found how to test the transistors in a circuit of various
configurations.

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