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HANDBOOK OF PRACTICAL
SOLID-STATE TROUBLESHOOTING
By John D. Lenk
This unique volume is .a straightfor
ward and very practical guide to
pinpointing both circuit and compon
ent failures that occur in today's
sophisticated solid-state and digital
electronic equipment.
The first chapter introduces funda
mental troubleshooting theory and
provides the framework for learning
step-by-step servicing procedures.
Coverage includes servicing and
repair of basic solid-state circuits as
well as specific equipment and sys
tems, use of test equipment, and the
use of handtools.
HANDBOOK OF PRACTICAL
SOLID-STATE TROUBLESHOOTING
bridges the gap between theory and
practice in a self-contained presenta
tion that assumes only basic knowl
edge of semi-conductors and related
testing devices.
AMONG THE FEATURES
• Achieves excellent balance between
the theory behind successful trouble
shooting and practical servicing.
(continued on back /lap)
,,
I
Handbook of
PRACTICAL
SOLID-STATE
TROUBLESHOOTING
PRENTICE-HALL SERIES IN ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY
DR. IRVING L. Kosow, editor
CHARLES M. THOMSON, JOSEPH J. GERSHON AND JOSEPH A. LABOK
consulting editors
PRENTICE-HALL INTERNATIONAL, INC., London
PRENTICE-HALL OF AUSTRALIA, PTY. LTD., Sydney
PRENTICE-HALL OF CANADA LTD., Toronto
PRENTICE-HALL OF INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED, New Delhi
PRENTICE-HALL OF JAPAN, INC., Tokyo
Handbook of
PRACTICAL
SOLID-ST A TE
TROUBLESHOOTING
JOHN D. LENK
Prentice-Hall, Inc .. Englewood Cliffs, N. J.
This book is dedicated lo my wife Irene
whose encouragement has made the book possible.
© 1971 by
PRENTICE-HALL, INC.
Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 07632
All rights reserved. No part of this
book may be reproduced in any form
or by any means without permission
in writing from the publisher.
10 9 8
ISBN: 0-13-380642-1
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 75- 167631
Printed in the United States of America
PREFACE
The practical techniques for troubleshooting solid-state equip
ment are quite different from those where vacuum tubes are used.
Likewise, the troubleshooting techniques for digital circuits are different
from those of linear circuits.
While it is true that the time-proven, basic methods of electronic trouble
shooting (determining symptoms, localizing faulty circuits, isolating com
ponents, etc.) are good for all types of electronic devices, a series of practical
troubleshooting techniques can be applied to solid-state and digital circuits.
Old-time radio and TV servicemen rely heavily on tube replacement as a
troubleshooting method. It is generally assumed that most radio and TV
troubles are the result of tube failure, and can be corrected by replacement.
This assumption is definitely not true for solid-state equipment. Transistors
are difficult to replace. Integrated circuits are even more difficult. Trouble
must be isolated to a specific component or module before any attempt at
replacement can be made.
Likewise, the logic circuits used in digital equipment (computers, numerical
control, telemetry, etc.) are simple-when analyzed by themselves. But when
hundreds or thousands of circuits are interconnected, as they are in the
simplest of computers, the massive network can be an "electronic nightmare"
unless a specific troubleshooting approach is used.
The purpose of this book is to fill the gap between the theory of solid-state
and digital circuits, and the practical how-to of troubleshooting. The book
is not just another review of semiconductor theory nor an over-simplified
introduction to theoretical troubleshooting, but a technician-level book on
how to pinpoint circuit and component faults. The book is written primarily
for working technicians and field service engineers, but will prove an invalu
able guide to the student technician who is about to face the realistic world of
everyday troubleshooting.
V
vi Preface
Chapter l is devoted to basic troubleshooting techniques (evaluation of
symptoms, fault isolation, etc.), with special emphasis on solid-state and
digital circuits. Chapter 2 describes the use of test equipment and hand tools
associated with solid-state troubleshooting. This is particularly important
since solid-state circuit faults are best located by analyzing test results
(oscilloscope waveforms, voltage and resistance measurements, response to
input signals, etc.). Illogical transistor circuit voltages, or abnormal wave
forms, can often pinpoint solid-state circuit problems. Chapter 2 also covers
construction of solid-state and integrated circuit (IC) equipment, as it relates
to special troubleshooting and service problems (removal of IC packages,
why IC equipment is serviced on a "system" basis, etc.). This discussion
solves one of the problems faced by many technicians- the high density of
solid-state construction, and the modular concepts of digital equipment.
Chapters 3 and 4 are devoted entirely to digital equipment. Chapter 3
introduces the reader to digital circuits, describing how to read logic dia
grams. Chapter 4 covers those troubleshooting techniques that apply
specifically to digital circuits.
Chapter 5 covers troubleshooting for basic circuits that often appear in
laboratory and industrial equipments. Chapter 6 is devoted entirely to solid
state television.
It is assumed that the reader is already familiar with solid-state basics at
a level found in the author's Practical Semiconductor Databook (Prentice
Hall, Inc., 1970). It is further assumed that the reader has a knowledge of
basic test equipment at a level found in the author's Handbook of Electronic
Test Equipment (Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1971). However, no direct reference to
either of these books is necessary to understand and use the Handbook of
Practical Solid-State Troubleshooting.
The author has received much help from a number of manufacturers and
instructors. He wishes to thank them all, and is especially indebted to those
at Hewlett-Packard, Textronix, Sencore, and Xerox Data Systems for their
very special help. The author also strongly recommends Electronic Trouble
shooting, prepared by the staff of Philco Technical Institute and published
by Prentice-Hall, as an excellent introduction to theoretical troubleshooting.
J.D.L.
