How To Scan For Bad Components/Section Before You Start To Repair

For every electronics repairer especially the beginners, I’m sure you will be very excited to
start troubleshooting when you have learned all those know how electronics repair
methods. After you know what is the complaint of the equipment, you are eager to
immediately open the dead set and apply the techniques that you have acquired to
troubleshoot and hopefully could find the fault. You begin to remove the cover, turn on
solder gun, have all your meters ready as seems like you are going for a war! In actual fact
of troubleshooting, it is not necessary have to be in that way because many faults can be
identified even before you turn on the solder gun! Do you believe that with the help of your
senses like vision, hearing, smell, touch (except taste) or even your common sense, you can
easily locate the cause of the problem? Let me explain more in details
Darken Area

With your eyes you can scan for darken areas in the board. There must be a reason why the
board has turned into darker area. The reason is because one or more components have
failed (mostly shorted) in that area and this had caused the component to run extra hot
thus changing the color of the board. Many times I had found components that is either
leaky or completely shorted in the darken area and those components are usually
semiconductors like transistors, diodes and ICs. Check also for corresponding component
like e-caps that had caused the semiconductors to go shorted. Even if there is a slight
change in the board color, I would check the components in the area too. However there is
an exception because a low quality board may have many darken areas too.

Again you must use your common sense because if the complaint is color missing, would
you concentrate checking on the power supply primary section? The more you work on a
board, the easier you will know if the darken area have bad components in it or not.

Bulging In Electrolytic Capacitors

I guess I would not explain more about this component. It is so easy to detect if this cap is
good or bad. As a rule of thumb, just directly replace all electrolytic capacitors that you
found to be bulged especially on the top of the capacitor. Many times a bulged capacitor can
be tested good even using good meters but fail when under load. So the best is to replace
the bulged caps and retest the set.

In some cases, the electrolytic capacitors sleeve could change color and this also indicate
that the capacitor already went through some stress and need to be replaced.
Bulging In Non Polarity Capacitors

The explanation above same goes to non polarity capacitors. If there is a bulge on top or at
the side of the capacitor, just direct replace the component and retest. Usually if the Non
polarity capacitor have problem, it would cause the corresponding components to fail too.
Take a look at the case of LCD Monitors for example, if you found that the tuning capacitor
in the high voltage transformer have problem, the transistors that have connection with the
non polarity capacitor usually will go shorted.
Change In Resistor Color

If the resistor is the normal small wattage ¼ to 1 watt carbon film resistor then do not
expect it to run hot and change color. A bigger resistor like the 2 watt can be running hot
but not too hot till it change the color at the body. If you see a resistor color that is usually
darker than normal then check that resistor and if possible directly replace it even though
it is tested good. You would not know that this particular resistor may cause intermittent
fault to the equipment.

A Burnt Coil

This is where the vision and the smell senses come into action. You could easily locate a
burnt coil and it will be in black color but you can’t see it if the coil internal winding have
burnt. That means the outlook winding could still look shiny but the internal loop already
burnt. You can smell it. A burnt coil usually happen in a bigger size coil like the B+ coil and
not those small coils along the lines of the SMPS output.
Some coils may have a sleeve covering it and if the sleeve torn or change in color then
suspect that the coil may have problem.

Dry joints in the connectors

Dry joints in the connector area could cause the wires/cables to loose and it could create
intermittent problem. While turning on the machine, you can use your hand or a screw
driver that have plastic shaft to wiggle the wires/cables to check if there is any loose
connection. Even after you have repair an equipment you are encourage to apply fresh
solder onto this point to avoid future call back. It is quite common that you can find dry
joints on the connector points.
Missing Part Number in Semiconductors

Diodes, Transistors and ICs (mainly power ICs) that is shorted could cause the part number
that is printed on its body to fade away. The part number may not look as clear as before
and sometimes you could notice the board where the components legs are fitted into the
holes have changed color. You may also use your finger to touch on these semiconductors
to check if it too hot to be touched. Make sure you have discharge first the big capacitor
before placing your finger on those semiconductors. Some power IC could have burnt mark
under it so you may need to check on this too.

Decayed Glue

I have mentioned it many times in my previous article about the problem that the decayed
glue can cause. It can cause intermittent and solid problem thus if you see those glue
please remove and clean the board.
Thin and Thick Boards

If you are a seasoned electronic repairer I’m sure you have come across different type of
boards in electronic equipment. I pay attention particularly on those boards that is thin and
fragile. Why? because those boards can easily crack and give all sorts of problem from
intermittent to solid problems. You may miss a hairline crack on those circuit lines if you
did not use a magnifier glass to see it in a close range. A hairline crack is one of the
toughest problems to tackle because in our mind we always assume the circuit lines are
good and did not break.

Make Sure The Board Is Clean

Not every board that come in for repair is clean. Most of the time you will notice dust and
you have to make sure that the board did not have any residue of coke or coffee in it. Since
these drinks are acidic it can easily create havoc in the circuit board like causing
components pins to rust and create a conductive path between two nearby components.

Hairline Crack In Components.

Hairline crack can be happened to any components (except electrolytic capacitors and coils)
and it is easily noticeable in a bigger component like the Fylback transformer. A tiny crack
in the flyback can cause arcing. For smaller components you have to use a magnifier glass
(preferably at least X 10 range) to see it. Don’t be surprised I have seen tiny crack and
pinhole in power ICs and diode.