To be able to test electronic components accurately is essential to identifying faults for any electronic repairer. Top quality electronic testing equipment is therefore much sought after.
If you are involved in electronic repairs, professionally or just as a hobby, you will know just how much time good equipment saves you. Normally, however, this type of equipment to test electronic components can be relatively expensive, especially for do it yourself enthusiasts and people thinking about starting a small or part-time business.
What many people are unaware of is just how easy it is to make your own gear and multimeter to test electronic components to the standards of top of the range brands, but at a fraction of the cost. All you need is the necessary know-how.
There are some guides available to show beginners how to test electronic components and how to repair electronic devices and appliances. You should be looking for the following things when evaluating such a guide.
Good electronic test guides should include the following:
First, check the author’s credentials. Does he perform professional electronic repairs? Is he an electronics testing instructor? Do his instructions appear to be easy to follow and well laid out? Does he offer a guarantee if you are not fully satisfied with his manual? Does he identify being able to test electronic components with electronic repair? He should be aware that repairs are straightforward if you have the correct equipment to identify problems. And is his manual reasonably priced?
Secondly, make sure any guide not only explains how to make your own testing equipment but also explains which equipment to use for particular jobs, how you actually employ that equipment, what to test for and in what sequence. It’s all very well to have superior testing equipment to hand but if there is no methodology to follow in testing, you will just be wasting your time.
Without doubt, working out how to test electronic components can become quite complex. Much like wiring a house or office, without proper plans to work from, even the experts can become confused. If your systems of fault identification aren’t clear and easy to follow, frustration and disaster lie ahead. So, make sure any guide includes easily comprehensible diagrams and descriptions.
Ensure your guide does not just cover the basics. Part of the reason for making your own kit to test electronic components is to give yourself an advantage over other electronics testers. Most equipment that is declared unrepairable is, in fact, eminently repairable. Normally the tester simply has not been able to identify the problem; if he could identify the fault, it is not usually beyond repair.
Ensure any manual also covers testing for faults and shorts using an analogue meter and how to make such a meter. It will prove to be invaluable in cases where a digital meter has its inherent shortcomings.
So, to reiterate, superior testing equipment is essential, but no less important is having foolproof plans of testing to work through so the fault is not missed. The order of testing is important in the sense of saving time by testing for the most common faults first and so on. A good guide should also include a comprehensive troubleshooting section.
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