1

+Vs 1
_Vs
Rc Rb1 Rc
Rb1
Sig. O/P
Cc Cc Sig. O/P
Cb Cb
Rb2
Sig.I/P Rb2 Re Ce Sig.I/P
Re Ce
1 1

_Vs +Vs
NPN Transistor PNP Transistor
Amplifier Amplifier
_Vs
1
+Vs 1

Rc Rb1 Rc
Rb1 Cc Cc
Sig. O/P
+ VC - Sig. O/P
- VC +
+
Cb VB + Cb - -
VE VB VE
- Ce Rb2 Ce
Rb2 Re - Sig.I/P
+ +
Sig.I/P 1 Re
voltage measurement _Vs voltage measurement +Vs
NPN Transistor PNP Transistor
Amplifier Amplifier

Master key for transistor circuit fault- finding -

If you do not know transistor working fully even than you can find the fault in the circuit easily only by
measuring the
three voltages of the transistor only . First inject the signal as required by the circuit ( e.g. audio , radio
frequency
signal from signal generator or injector ) from which transistor’s collector signal reaches to out put , but not
from the
input the circuit between these two points is not working . so measure the three voltages as shown in the
diagram and
compare them with normal voltages given in the circuit diagram of the machine and get the faulty component
from the
faults given below -

1- Rb1 open – in this fault - Vb , Ve will be 0 and Vc will be hi . sig . will go from collector , but not from base .
2- Rb2 open – in this fault – Vb and Ve will be hi , Vc will be lo , in high power circuits damage to Rc , Re , Tr
and power supply circuit . if circuit is equipped with protection circuit system may auto shut
down or stand by .
3- Re open – in this fault all three voltages will be hi from normal , sig . will go from collector but not from
base . no other damage is done .
4- Rc open - in this fault – Vb and Ve will be approximately normal and Vc will be close to 0 . sig . from
collector will pass but it will not pass from base . No other damage is done .
5- Cb open – when base capacitor is open than sign. From base passes but not from in terminal of Cb . All
voltages are normal .
6 – Cb short – when Cb is short or leaky than , check the circuit connected at in terminal of Cb if it is giving
forward supply than this transistor will be damaged , if reverse supply than only circuit will not
work . ( forward - + voltage on p Base or – voltage on n base . reverse of this for reverse bias .
7- Cc open – when Cc is open signal from the collector is not passed but it passes from the out terminal of Cc .
 All voltages are normal .
8- Cc short – in this fault check the circuit on the out terminal of Cc . consider it Cb for that circuit .
9- Ce open – when Ce is open , only signal will be weak , all voltages will be normal .due to – feed back.
10- Ce short - if Ce is short it will directly pass emitter current to ground , resulting in over current in the
transistor . tr will over heat , signal will distort , Vc ,Vb , Ve all three will be low . in hi power
circuits transistor , Rc and power circuit may be damaged . circuits with protection circuit may
auto shut off or go to st- by mode . Donot force to start circuit manually .
Transistor faults – there are five main faults of transistor
1-Base to emitter open – when transistor is open from base to emitter diode than sig . from collector will pass but
not from base . Vb and Vc will be hi and Ve will be 0 . No other damage is done .
2- Base to emitter short – in this fault Vb = Ve and Vc will be hi . signal will pass only from collector . no other
damage is done .
3- Base to collector open – in this fault of transistor – Vc will be hi , but Vb and Ve will be approximately normal .
sig will pass only from collector . No other damage is done .
4- Base to collector short – in this fault Vc=Vb=Ve ,in high power circuits Rc ,Re and supply may get damaged .
If circuit is equipped with protection circuit than it may auto shut down or go in st-by
5- Collector to emitter short – in this fault Vc=Ve , in high power circuits Rc ,Re and supply may get damaged .
If circuit is equipped with protection circuit than it may auto shut down or go in st-by
These rules are not absolute , they must be modified according to circuit . You must have normal voltage for this
purpose always keep record of normal voltages .