
If it is damaged or charred, it is likely bad. One way is to look at the physical condition of the transistor. There are a few ways to tell if a transistor is bad. If the transistor is failing, its resistance will be high in one direction and low in the other. When a transistor works well, the resistance is low both ways. The transistor in a PNP transistor should have a higher resistance in the emitter-to-collector (or collector-to-base) direction than in the collector-to-base direction. There is also the possibility that other electronic components, such as resistor, will have an impact on the transistor’s readings. infinity should be seen in one direction around 600 and in the other direction around 400. Look closely at the reading and reverse the leads as soon as possible. You can control the meter by touching one lead to the base lead and the collector lead to the meter. To determine whether replacing the transistors in faulty electronics will correct the problem, perform a test on them. Transistors are an important part of a circuit and failure of these devices will result in a malfunction. The electronic transistor is made up of two diodes. The voltage between the collector and the base should be higher than the voltage between the emitter and the base. Another way is to measure the voltage between the collector and the base, and between the emitter and the base. If the transistor is good, the resistance should be low. One way is to use an ohmmeter to measure the resistance between the collector and the emitter. There are a few ways to test a transistor on an amp. Transistors are frequently unable to operate normally for a period of time rather than over time. To begin, a positive lead from the meter should be connected to the collector terminal. The transistor’s base terminal and positive lead must be connected. To test a transistor’s functionality, you must connect it to the diode setting on your multi-meter. Make a list of the type of transistor, its location, and the identity of its terminal. A diode test function is typically included with digital multi-meters and can be used to test a transistor. If either of these values is outside of the expected range, the transistor is likely defective and should be replaced.Īn electronic transistor can be used within a circuit to create a switch or amplifier. This value should be in the range of 10 to 20 volts. Next, measure the voltage between the drain and source terminals. This value should be in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 volts. Then, using a multimeter set to the voltage (AC or DC) setting, measure the voltage between the gate and source terminals. To do this, first identify the gate, source, and drain terminals. The most common way to test a FET is to measure the gate-source and drain-source voltages. However, they are also more difficult to test. FETs are typically more robust than BJTs and can handle higher voltages and currents.

FETs are used in the power amp section of the amplifier, and are responsible for providing the final amplification of the signal before it is sent to the speakers. If any of these values are outside of the expected range, the transistor is likely defective and should be replaced. This value should be somewhere in between the collector-emitter and base- emitter resistance values. Finally, measure the resistance between the collector and base terminals. This value should be much higher than the collector-emitter resistance, typically in the range of several hundred ohms. Next, measure the resistance between the base and emitter terminals.

This should be a low resistance value, typically in the range of a few ohms. Then, using a multimeter set to the resistance (ohms) setting, measure the resistance between the collector and emitter terminals. To test a BJT, first identify the collector, base, and emitter terminals. They are responsible for amplifying the signal from the guitar’s pickups, and can be found in the preamp and power amp sections of the amplifier. BJTs are the most common type of transistor used in guitar amplifiers. Each type of transistor has its own unique set of characteristics, and thus its own set of tests that need to be performed in order to determine if it is functioning properly. There are two main types of transistors used in guitar amplifiers: bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) and field-effect transistors (FETs). When testing a transistor in a guitar amplifier, it is important to first identify the type of transistor being used.
