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CHAPTER 2
COMPONENT TESTING
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this chapter, you will be able to do the following:
1. Explain the importance of testing individual electronic components.
2. Identify the various methods of testing electron tubes.
3. Identify the various methods of testing semiconductors.
4. Identify the various methods of testing integrated circuits.
5. Identify the various types of testing batteries and their characteristics.
6. Identify the various methods of testing rf attenuators and resistive loads.
7. Identify the various methods of testing fiber-optic devices.
INTRODUCTION TO COMPONENT TESTING
It is imperative that you be able to troubleshoot an equipment failure to the component level. In the
majority of cases, Navy technicians are expected to troubleshoot and identify faulty components. This
chapter, "Component Testing," will acquaint you with alternative methods of testing various components
and their parameters. A quick glance at the Navy’s mission and concept of operation explains why we, in
most cases, must be able to troubleshoot to the faulty component level. A ship must be a self-sustaining
unit when deployed. Storage space is a primary consideration on most ships and a limiting factor for
storage of bulky items or electronic modules as ready spares. Therefore, it is practical to store only
individual components common to a great number of equipment types. This of course, limits the larger
replacement modules available to you during troubleshooting.
Q-1.
Why are most ships limited in their ability to stock replacement modules for repair of electronic
equipment?
TESTING ELECTRON TUBES
In equipment that uses vacuum tubes, faulty tubes are responsible for more than 50% of all electronic
equipment failures. As a result, testing of electronic tubes is important to you. You can determine the
condition of a tube by substituting an identical tube known to be good for the questionable one. However,
indiscriminate substitution of tubes is to be avoided for at least the following two reasons: (1) detuning of
circuits may result and (2) a tube may not operate properly in a high-frequency circuit even though it
performs well in a low-frequency circuit. Therefore, your knowledge of tube-testing devices and their
limitations, as well as correct interpretation of the test results obtained, is indispensable for accurate and
rapid maintenance.
