Simple Transistor Tester

Simple Transistor Tester

With LED or Piezo Buzzer indicator
This handy transistor tester allows you to quickly test the function of an NPN/PNP By Hans-Norbert
transistor, JFET or (V)MOSFET and identify the correct leads. Gerbig (Germany)

A three-legged transistor or FET gives a total of
six possible connection configurations—but only
one will be correct. This small circuit provides
a simple and unambiguous identification of the
correct configuration and also makes a functional
test of the device at the same time. The tester
circuit itself contains a transistor which together
with the transistor-under-test (TUT) forms a mul-
tivibrator circuit. The tester has five sockets close
together identified with the labels:
E/S – B/G – C/D – E/S – B/G
This allows the following device to be tested using
these configurations:
• Bipolar Transistors: EBC / BCE / CEB, and
reversed: BEC / ECB / CBE.
• Unipolar Transistors (FETs): SGD / GDS /
DSG, and reversed: GSD / SDG / DGS.
The multivibrator oscillates and flashes the high-ef-
a piezo buzzer in place of the LED indicator. The
value of the frequency determining capacitor has
been reduced compared to its value in Figure 1
so that the oscillation frequency is audible. A low
buzz indicates that the transistor is correctly con-
figured and working, no sound indicates the test
transistor is either wrongly configured or dead.
The push button makes it easy to switch the unit
on and test the transistor at the same time once
it has been connected. The complete circuit will
easily fit on a small piece of prototyping perf-
board, power is supplied by a 9 V PP3 battery.
(130421)
S2
LED1
R3 R2
6000mcd
220k
10k

R1

ficiency LED (Figure 1) when the test transistor

27k

is correctly connected. The LED may also flash E/S C1 C3

UB = 9V
when the E and C leads are switched, but the R5
4u7 4u7
B/G 16V 16V
flash rate will be faster. This reflects the fact that
270k

T1
some types of transistor will operate with their C/D C2

emitter and collector leads switched although their PNP+ R4 22u

E/S S1 16V BC550
performance characteristics will not be the same E/S
10k

as a correctly configured device. When testing B/G NPN–

Junction-FETs (JFETs) with symmetrical source Figure 1.
130421 - 11

and drain construction it is only possible to iden- Version using an LED.

tify the gate lead with any degree of confidence,
the source and drain leads are interchangeable. S2

The load resistance of the transistor-under-test is

configured as a voltage divider network at half the
R3 R2 R1 BZ1
supply voltage via resistors R3/R4. This allows a
220k
10k

47k

simple switch (S1) to change from N(PN) to P(NP).

E/S C1
A flashing LED indicates correct orientation; when UB = 9V
R5
the LED doesn’t light or lights continuously the con- B/G 10n
270k

figuration is wrong or the device is FUBR or dead. C2

T1
C/D
Don’t rule out the possibility that the device you are
PNP+ R4 47n
testing may not be a transistor, it could, for exam- E/S S1 BC550
E/S
10k

ple, be a voltage regulator, thyristor or triac etc. Figure 2.

B/G NPN–
Version using a Piezo
130421 - 12
Version 2 of the tester shown in Figure 2 uses buzzer.

www.elektor-magazine.com | July & August 2014 | 71