Page 1 Copyright 2005 Huntron, Inc. All rights reserved. Huntron, Tracker, ProTrack, Sig Assist and Huntron Access are registered trademarks of Huntron, Inc. All other names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. This document may not be copied in whole or in part, or otherwise reproduced except as specifically permitted under U.S.
Page 2 HUNTRON INSTRUMENTS, INC. LIMITED WARRANTY !""" !""" # $% & !""" & !""" & & CONTACTING HUNTRON To obtain information about service, accessories and other products, contact: Huntron, Inc. 15720 Main Street, Suite #100 Mill Creek, WA 98012 In North America, call 800-426-9265 or worldwide 425-743-3171.
Page 3: Table Of Contents
Horizontal Axis ...................... 3-4 Vertical Axis ......................3-6 Basic Analog Signatures - Open And Short............3-8 Four Basic Component Signatures ............... 3-10 Tracker 4000 Factory Range Group ..............3-11 Range Editing......................3-12 Range Group Editing .................... 3-16 3-10 Range Feature: STAR And MaxV................. 3-18...
Page 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 5 TESTING DISCRETE SEMICONDUCTORS PAGE Diodes ........................5-1 Transistors ......................5-14 Solid State Switching Components ............... 5-29 SECTION 6 TESTING INTEGRATED CIRCUITS Digital Integrated Circuits ..................6-1 Analog Circuits ...................... 6-12 Low Voltage ......................6-19 SECTION 7 THEORY OF OPERATION Introduction ......................
Page 5 Tracker 4000 CRT Display Horizontal Axis And Graticule Lines ......3-4 Tracker 4000 CRT Display With Open Test Terminals ........3-5 Tracker 4000 CRT Display With Vertical Axis And Graticule Lines ...... 3-6 Tracker 4000 CRT Display With Short Circuit Signature ........3-7 "OPEN"...
Page 6 Range Parameters Changes And Affects On Inductive Signatures ..... 4-26 4-33 Main Menu Screen....................4-28 4-34 Tracker 4000 With Probes To A Mechanical Switch - SPST Type....... 4-29 4-35 Signatures Of A Keyboard Pushbutton Conductive Elastomer Switch ....4-30 4-36 Tracker 4000 With Test Leads Connected To Relay's Coil ........
Page 7 NPN And PNP Bipolar Transistors' Equivalent Circuits ........5-16 5-22 Main Menu Screen....................5-17 5-23 Tracker 4000 Connected To The Collector And Base Leads Of A Transistor..5-17 5-24 Signature Of A Diode And Collector-Base Of A Transistor........5-18 5-25 Signature Of A Diode And Emitter-Base Of A Transistor ........
Page 8 Signatures Of A 7805 Voltage Regulator By SGS Thomson ........ 6-17 6-19 Signatures Of A 7805 Voltage Regulator By Motorola.......... 6-17 6-20 Tracker 4000 With Test Probes To A 20 Pin Surface Mount IC......6-19 6-21 Main Menu Screen With SMT Range Group ............6-20 6-22 Signatures Of A Low Voltage IC (74LVQ45 Type)..........
Page 9 Tracker 4000 Horizontal Sensitivities..............2-7 Tracker 4000 Test Ranges ................... 2-14 Tracker 4000 Factory Range Group ..............2-16 Tracker 4000 Factory Range Group (Default) ............3-11 Tracker 4000's STAR Feature ................3-19 Tracker 4000 Minimum And Maximum Capacitor Values ........4-18 USER'S MANUAL...
Page 10 Notes: USER'S MANUAL viii...
Page 11: Introduction And Specifications Page
1-1. INTRODUCTION The Tracker 4000 is one of the most advanced troubleshooting tools developed to date. It provides maximum test flexibility and control while keeping its operation easy to use. Huntron's unique power-off testing challenges the belief that functional component testing is the most effective test method for isolating and determining failures.
Page 12 • Look at replacement components before they are installed in circuitry to reduce the risk of installing defective ones. Huntron’s Tracker 4000 graphically displays the analog signature when connected to two terminals of a component for visual interpretation. ASA may be universally applied...
Page 13: Specifications
INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS 1-3. SPECIFICATIONS The specifications for the Tracker 4000 are listed in Table 1-1. Table 1-1. Tracker 4000 Specifications ELECTRICAL Test Signal: Sine wave Open Circuit Voltage (V 24 peak voltage selections: 200 mV, 400 mV, 600 mV, 800 mV...
Page 14 INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS Table 1-1. Tracker 4000 Specifications (continued) ELECTRICAL (continued): Displays: monochrome, 2.8” (7 cm) diagonal full graphic, 128 x 64 pixels Power Requirements: Line Voltage 90 V AC to 250 V AC Frequency 47 Hz to 63 Hz Power 45 Watts max.
Page 15: Safety Considerations
INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS 1-4. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS Safety Terms and Symbols Terms in this Manual. These terms may appear in this manual: WARNING Warning statements identify conditions or practices that could result in injury or loss of life. CAUTION Caution statements identify conditions or practices that could result in damage to this product or other property.
Page 16 INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS Ground the Instrument. Before any other connection is made, the instrument must be connected to a protective earth conductor via the three-wire power cable. The power plug shall be inserted only into a grounded outlet. Do not defeat the protective action by using an extension cord without a grounded connector.
Page 17 Fuse Replacement: Line Fuse tray The power entry module on the Tracker 4000 includes the power switch (0 = OFF, 1 = ON), power cord connector, and a removable tray which holds the line fuse. Some trays also have a spare fuse.
Page 18: Accessories
This is handy when performing comparision troubleshooting using two test probes. The footswitch plugs into a jack located on the back panel jack of the Tracker 4000. USER'S MANUAL...
Page 19: Contacting Huntron
1-8. WEEE and RoHS Status We, at Huntron are aware of the recycling needs for Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) and Restriction of certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and are co-operating with systems established, worldwide for the collecting and recycling of our products.
Page 20 INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS Notes: USER'S MANUAL 1-10...
Page 21: A Quick Tour
SECTION 2 A QUICK TOUR 2-1. INTRODUCTION The Huntron Tracker 4000, shown in figure 2-1, is a versatile troubleshooting tool having the following features: • Backlit Graphic LCD with contrast control • LED indicators for currently active functions • Over 6,000 possible ranges (V •...
Page 22 All voltage sources in boards and systems must be in a power-off condition when using the Tracker 4000. Electronic protection is connected in series with the channel A and B test terminals. Accidental contact of the test leads to active voltage sources, for example, line voltage, powered-up boards or systems, charged high voltage capacitors, etc., may cause the circuit protection to trip.
Page 23 _______________________________________________________________________________USING YOUR TRACKER 4000 This page is intentionally blank. USER'S MANUAL...
Page 24: Front Panel
2-2. FRONT PANEL The front panel of the Tracker 4000 is designed to ease access to its many features. All buttons are momentary action type and most have adjacent LED indicators to show which functions are active. Refer to figure 2-2 and table 2-1 for a detailed description of each item on the front panel.
Page 25 Menu (↵) Button screens. Selection Buttons Buttons used to select LCD menu items. LCD Display Displays the Tracker 4000 menus and Help. Selection Buttons Buttons used to select LCD menu items. Esc/Auto Button Used to exit a menu screen or discard changes.
Page 26: Back Panel
BACK PANEL Secondary controls and connectors are on the back panel. Refer to figure 2-3 and table 2-2 for a detailed description of each item on the back panel Figure 2-3. Tracker 4000 Panel. Table 2-2. Back Panel Items. Item...
Page 27: Crt Display
This feature may be useful for advanced analog signature analysis users in determining the forward and reverse voltages of semiconductor junction of solid state components. Table 2-3 lists the horizontal sensitivities for the Tracker 4000 Factory range group (default). Table 2-3. Tracker 4000 Horizontal Sensitivities.
Page 28: Lcd Display
2-5. LCD DISPLAY The Tracker 4000 contains a graphic LCD to serve as a simple intuitive user interface. This LCD screen displays various menus, help information, labels for soft buttons and special annunciator symbols that access the multitude of features of the Tracker 4000.
Page 29: Initial Setups
INITIAL SETUPS POWER ON Turn the power on to your Tracker 4000 using the power switch located on the rear panel. The LCD screen will momentarily display the power on screen with information on the firmware version and the unit's internal serial number. Next the power on diagnostics and initialization will run and when finished, the Tracker 4000‘s LCD screen...
Page 30 Main menu screen press the Menu button to get to the Menu 1 screen. Press Display to display the CRT adjustment menu screen. Figure 2-8. Tracker 4000 CRT Adjustment Menu Screen. Press Intensity and rotate the encoder to adjust the CRT trace to a comfortable brightness level.
Page 31 Press CRTVert and rotate the encoder to adjust until the trace is even within the vertical axis. Encoder Figure 2-9. Tracker 4000 CRT Vertical Trace Adjustment. Press CRTHorz and use the encoder to adjust until the trace is centered in between the horizontal end marks of the graticule.
Page 32: Menu Selection
2-7. MENU SELECTION The Tracker 4000 has two primary menu selection screens, Main and Menu 1. Press the Menu button to toggle between these two menu screens. From these two primary menu screens, you can have direct access to a wealth of Tracker 4000 capabilities.
Page 33: Ranges
(i.e., caps across diodes in power supplies, semiconductor manufacturing differences). This is a very powerful feature of the Tracker 4000 and it is the first instrument of its kind to incorporate this kind of flexibility. Table 2-4 lists the Tracker 4000 ranges.
Page 34 When selecting a test range, the goal is to obtain the best or most descriptive display of the component's analog signature. The Tracker 4000 enables you to do this by allowing you to change any one of these parameters. The V...
Page 35: Range Groups
2-9. RANGE GROUPS Because the Tracker 4000 can produce a vast number of test ranges, the ranges are organized in groups of four in order to make this powerful feature quick and easy to use. When used properly, the range and group settings can be a powerful tool in quickly finding the good and faulty components from the wide range of electronics in use today.
Page 36: Range Voltage Selection
2-11. RANGE FREQUENCY SELECTION The Tracker 4000 has 40 test signal frequencies: 20 Hz to 190 Hz in 10 Hz steps, 200 Hz to 1.9 kHz in 100 Hz steps, and 2 kHz to 5 kHz in 1 kHz steps. To change the frequency press the Hz button and turn the encoder to select.
Page 37: Channel Selection
_______________________________________________________________________________USING YOUR TRACKER 4000 2-13. CHANNEL SELECTION There are two test signal channels in the Tracker 4000, Channel A and Channel B. Located directly below the Tracker 4000's CRT are four dedicated buttons, Alt, A, B and A+B to select what channel(s) will be displayed on the CRT.
Page 38 _______________________________________________________________________________USING YOUR TRACKER 4000 The Tracker 4000 also allows the user to view channel A and channel B at the same time by using the A+B mode. Push the A+B button (below the CRT) to view both channel A and channel B simultaneously on the CRT.
Page 39: Pulse Generator
Tracker 4000's channels to the component's other two terminals. The pulse generator has dual tracking outputs (G1 and G2) so that you can visually compare the analog signatures of two of these three terminal components by using the Alt or A+B mode.
Page 40 _______________________________________________________________________________USING YOUR TRACKER 4000 Notes: USER'S MANUAL 2-20...
Page 41: Using Your Tracker 4000
INTRODUCTION Electronic troubleshooting is a skilled art, based largely on logical deduction, experience and intuition. The Huntron Tracker 4000 uses Analog Signature Analysis or ASA to take full advantage of a technician's skills. ASA is the examination of the current verses voltage characteristic of a component under power-off conditions for the purpose of troubleshooting.
Page 42: Basics Of Asa - How It Works
BASICS OF ASA - HOW IT WORKS Here's how ASA and power-off testing works: The Tracker 4000 outputs a precision current-limited AC sine wave signal to a component and displays the resulting current flow, voltage drop and any phase shift on its CRT.
Page 43 . When using ASA for troubleshooting, the objective is to select the range that will display the most descriptive analog signature information. The Tracker 4000 can readily accomplish this by changing the proper range parameter. The V or source voltage of the test signal can be used to enhance or disregard semiconductor switching and avalanche characteristics.
Page 44: Horizontal Axis
= 10 V peak, each division is approximately 2.5 V. You can use these graticule marks to get a rough estimate of the voltage drop across the component under test R Figure 3-3. Tracker 4000 CRT Display Horizontal Axis And Graticule Lines. USER'S MANUAL...
Page 45 Turn on the Tracker 4000 and observe the CRT display. With nothing connected to its = ∞). test terminals, the CRT trace is a horizontal line (that is, R Figure 3-4.
Page 46: Vertical Axis
R , so there is no horizontal component in the analog signature. This short circuit signature is a vertical line trace on the CRT display. Figure 3-5. Tracker 4000 CRT Display With Vertical Axis And Graticule Lines. USER'S MANUAL...
Page 47 USING YOUR TRACKER 4000 Connect the red microprobe to the output channel A jack on the Tracker 4000 and the black microprobe to the Common jack. Touch and hold the probes together and observe the analog signature on the CRT.
Page 48: Basic Analog Signatures - Open And Short
In the following figures, the upper screen represents the Tracker 4000's CRT and the lower screen is a graphical plot of the sine wave test signal at the output terminal showing its current and voltage relationship.
Page 49 USING YOUR TRACKER 4000 Figure 3-9. "SHORT" Analog Signature On CRT Display (Vertical Line). Figure 3-10. Test Signal (Short Circuit) With Current And Voltage Waveforms. Maximum Current And Minimum Voltage USER'S MANUAL...
Page 50 All analog signatures are a composite of one or more of the four basic component signatures which are: resistance, capacitance, inductance and semiconductor. Each one of these basic components responds differently to Tracker 4000's test signal, so recognizing these four basic unique signatures on the CRT display are one of the keys to successful ASA troubleshooting.
Page 51: Tracker 4000 Factory Range Group
3-7. TRACKER 4000 FACTORY RANGE GROUP The Tracker 4000 is set up so that the ranges are organized in permanent and user selectable groups, with four ranges per group. The Tracker 4000 has four permanent preconfigured ranges called the Factory group. This range group is the power-on default group and is shown in table 3-1.
Page 52: Range Editing
3-8. RANGE EDITING Once an effective range setting is determined, the Tracker 4000 allows you to save it. The Tracker 4000 features include editing and storing of 100 user definable ranges. To customize a range, press the Menu button from the Main menu and go to the Menu1 screen.
Page 53 USING YOUR TRACKER 4000 Note: If the current range is a Factory preprogrammed range, then pressing the [range] button will display a user-defined range [R 100 ]. If you wish give this custom range a unique name, press the Name button to go to the RangeEdit Name screen.
Page 54 A user range group could consist of four ranges that each has different test frequencies. The Tracker 4000 also can operate like a Model 2000 so that a user range can be a fixed voltage and resistance combination without defining the frequency parameter.
Page 55 For example, if the R100 user range's frequency = *-* and the current frequency = 60 Hz, then when R100 is selected, the Tracker 4000's frequency remains set to 60 Hz. If the current frequency is changed using the encoder in the Main menu, then R100 will follow the current frequency.
Page 56: Range Group Editing
3-9. RANGE GROUP EDITING Tracker 4000's test ranges are organized in groups of four so this feature is quick and easy to use. When used properly, the range and group settings can be a powerful tool in quickly finding the good and faulty components from the wide range of electronics in use today.
Page 57 USING YOUR TRACKER 4000 Press the Name button to get to the Group Name screen and edit "Group01" to "FastLogic" using the encoder to select each character and the arrow buttons ← ← ← ← and → → → →...
Page 58: Range Feature: Star And Maxv
USING YOUR TRACKER 4000 3-10. RANGE FEATURE: STAR AND MAXV Two advanced and exclusive features of the Tracker 4000's ASA are the Smart Tracker Active Range (STAR) and the MaxV (Maximum Voltage) feature. Both these features prevent components from being inadvertently exposed to possibly excessive test signals (for example, 20 Volts and 10 ohms).
Page 59 Table 3-2. Tracker 4000’s STAR Feature. The MaxV feature is an additional ASA safeguard allows you to globally limit the Tracker 4000's test signal voltage. This feature is primarily intended for test applications that may have voltage sensitive components and will prevent unintentional overvoltage conditions.
Page 60 USING YOUR TRACKER 4000 To activate MaxV, press the Prefs button on the Menu1 screen. Figure 3-24. Prefs Screen With Advanced Selection. Then, press the Advanced button to display the Advanced menu screen. At the Advanced menu screen, press the MaxV button and use the encoder to select the desired voltage.
Page 61: Testing Passive Components
As you go through the following section, make a mental note on the relationship between the Tracker 4000's test range parameters: voltage, resistance and frequency. Turn power on to your Tracker 4000. Put the red test lead in the A jack, and the black test lead in the Common jack.
Page 62 ___________________________________________________________________________TESTING PASSIVE COMPONENTS Figure 4-2. Tracker 4000 Main Menu Screen With Factory Defaults. To display the analog signature of a resistor: 1. Press the LOW range button Factory Group) in the Main Menu screen. 2. The yellow LED will be on next to the LOW range once activated.
Page 63 ___________________________________________________________________________TESTING PASSIVE COMPONENTS Below are four analog signatures of different resistors, 150, 1.5 k, 15 k and 150 k ohms in each of the four Factory Default Ranges. Note how the slope or angle of each analog signature changes with each resistor's value. 150 Ω...
Page 64 The resistance value will change to 50 Ω. Turn the encoder to change the value of R Observe the signatures for a 150 ohm resistor in the figure below as R varies. Note how these resistor signatures respond to changing Tracker 4000's internal resistance. = 50 Ω = 200 Ω...
Page 65 (10V button) V the yellow range LED is extinguished. This tells you that this is not the LOW (factory group) fixed range any more. The Tracker 4000 also changes the R value from 54Ω to 50Ω.
Page 66 ___________________________________________________________________________TESTING PASSIVE COMPONENTS UNDERSTANDING RESISTIVE SIGNATURES The Tracker 4000’s signature is a visual representation of Ohm’s Law in the circuit under test. The amount of voltage applied to the circuit is shown along the horizontal axis, and the resultant current is shown along the vertical axis. The signature is a straight line because the relationship between voltage and current in a purely resistive circuit is linear.
Page 67 (F ), and source resistance (R A pure resistance across the test terminals will cause the trace on the Tracker 4000 CRT to rotate in a counter clockwise direction around its center axis from horizontal open circuit position (high value resistance) to a vertical short circuit (low value resistance).
Page 68 ___________________________________________________________________________TESTING PASSIVE COMPONENTS SHORTS AND OPENS, RESISTOR FAULTS Two of the most common faults that occur in electronic components and circuits are shorts and opens. A short circuit is typically a 0 Ω to 10 Ω low resistive path between two points in a component or circuit that normally would have a higher resistance between them.
Page 69 • The Tracker 4000's ability to determine the approximate fault resistance value greatly enhances the troubleshooting capability if the correct value is known. • The Tracker 4000's CRT is a real time display and using the Tracker 4000 for testing noisy or dirty potentiometer (variable resistors) is an excellent application.
Page 70 ___________________________________________________________________________TESTING PASSIVE COMPONENTS Figure 4-11. Using Tracker 4000 To Test A Potentiometer. • The Tracker 4000 can be used to adjust a potentiometer in circuit to an approximate operational setting. This application requires a known good board. Adjust each potentiometer on the board under repair to match the settings on a known good operational board.
Page 71 ) of the test signal • The internal resistance (R ) of the Tracker 4000 Turn power on to your Tracker 4000. Plug the red test microprobe in the A jack, and the black test clip lead in the Common jack. USER'S MANUAL...
Page 72 2. The yellow LED will be on next to the LOW range once activated. 3. Place or clip a test lead on the opposite ends of a resistor and observe the signature on the Tracker 4000 CRT display. Figure 4-15. Tracker 4000 With Test Probes Connected To A Capacitor. USER'S MANUAL 4-12...
Page 73 ___________________________________________________________________________TESTING PASSIVE COMPONENTS THE SIGNATURES OF DIFFERENT CAPACITORS IN LOW RANGE The figure below shows analog signatures for four different value capacitors, 1000 µf, 100 µf, 10 µf and 1µf. The Tracker 4000 LOW range is selected. 1000 µF 100 µF 10 µF...
Page 74 ___________________________________________________________________________TESTING PASSIVE COMPONENTS ) ON THE SIGNATURE OF A 10 µ µ µ µ F CAPACITOR AFFECT OF FREQUENCY (F = 20 Hz. = 60 Hz. = 500 Hz. = 5 kHz. Figure 4-17. Signatures Of A 10 µF Capacitor At Different Frequencies. LOW Range (Factory Group) Note that as the test signal frequency increases, the 10 µF capacitor's signature changes from a horizontal elliptical pattern to a vertical elliptical pattern.
Page 75 Figure 4-20. Signatures Of A 1µF Capacitor At Different Internal Resistances. MED1 Range (Factory Group) As the Tracker 4000's internal resistance R decreased, the capacitor's signature changes from a horizontal elliptical pattern to a vertical elliptical pattern. In ASA, a large internal resistance value results in a capacitor signature that looks similar to an open circuit.
Page 76 UNDERSTANDING CAPACITOR ANALOG SIGNATURES Figure 4-21. Tracker Core Circuit Block Diagram With A Capacitor. The Tracker 4000 CRT displays as a response to its test signal, an analog signature that represents the relationship between voltage, current and resistance of a component.
Page 77 ___________________________________________________________________________TESTING PASSIVE COMPONENTS • Changing source resistance R : As the resistance is changed from 1 k Ω to 100 k Ω , the following occurs: − X of the capacitor is not affected − V increases so current decreases proportionately −...
Page 78 ___________________________________________________________________________TESTING PASSIVE COMPONENTS Table 4-1 shows the Tracker 4000's limits for the minimum and maximum capacitance values it can handle. Table 4-1. Tracker 4000 Minimum And Maximum Capacitor Values. = 20 Hz. = 5 kHz 100 k Ω 0.01 µ F - 1 µ F 10 pF - 0.01 µ...
Page 79 This can be thought of as a resistance in parallel with the capacitance when observing its analog signature. The following examples show what some capacitor leakage problems may look like on the Tracker 4000 display. Normal Capacitor Leaky Capacitor Figure 4-23.
Page 80 APPLICATIONS • The Tracker 4000 can locate defective capacitors in or out of circuit. The ranges cover 10 pF to 20,000 µ F. • When analyzing a capacitor's signature, adjust the Tracker 4000's R...
Page 81 • The internal resistance ( R ) of the Tracker 4000 Turn power on to your Tracker 4000. Plug the red test microprobe in the A jack, and the black test clip lead in the Common jack. Figure 4-25. Main Menu Screen.
Page 82 2. The yellow LED will be on next to the LOW range once activated. 3. Place or clip each test lead on the opposite ends of an inductor and observe the signature on the ProTrack CRT display. igure 4-26. Tracker 4000 With Probes To An Inductor. USER'S MANUAL 4-22...
Page 83 ___________________________________________________________________________TESTING PASSIVE COMPONENTS THE SIGNATURES OF DIFFERENT INDUCTORS IN LOW RANGE The figure below shows analog signatures for four different value inductors, 12,000 µH, 1200 µH, 120 µH and 12 µH in LOW range. 12000 µH 1200 µH 120 µH 12 µH Figure 4-27.
Page 84 Note that the signature changes from a horizontal to a vertical position as the Tracker 4000's internal resistance R increases. This means the inductor's resistance can be analyzed by by matching it with the Tracker 4000's test signal resistance. USER'S MANUAL 4-24...
Page 85 UNDERSTANDING INDUCTIVE SIGNATURES Figure 4-31. Tracker Core Circuit Block Diagram With An Inductor. The Tracker 4000's block diagram shows an inductor between the test terminals. The current is represented by the vertical axis and is derived as a series current that flows through Tracker 4000’s internal resistance, R...
Page 86 • Inductors display elliptical signatures similar to capacitors. Since the inductor also exhibits resistance, due to its construction, the ellipse may be distorted. • As the Tracker 4000 test signal’s frequency is increased, the ellipse signature becomes flatter. This response is opposite to that of a capacitor.
Page 87 • Another simple test for a speaker or microphone is to apply the Tracker 4000 signal in LOW range to the device input leads and listen for the 60 Hz tone or audible hum.
Page 88 A mechanical switch has two states: it is either open or closed. When open, no current can flow; when closed, it acts as a short and allows current to flow. The Tracker 4000 can test the switching function of mechanically activated switches easily. Unlike the...
Page 89 3. Place or clip each test lead to the switch leads and observe its signature on the Tracker 4000 CRT display. 4. Turn the switch to its on or off position. Figure 4-34. Tracker 4000 With Probes To A Mechanical Switch - SPST Type. USER'S MANUAL 4-29...
Page 90 You can also connect the Tracker 4000’s pulse generator to the magnetic coil and while at the same time connecting the Tracker’s test signal to the relay contacts to test the relay’s switching action directly.
Page 91 4. Connect the black test lead from Tracker 4000’s COMMON terminal to one side the relay coil (normally, the minus lead). 5. Connect the red test lead from Tracker 4000’s TEST terminal to the other side of the relay coil (normally, the plus lead).
Page 92 4. Connect the black test lead from Tracker 4000’s COMMON terminal to one side of the relay switch contact. 5. Connect the red test lead from Tracker 4000’s TEST terminal to the other side of the relay switch contact. 6. Press Pulse button on the Tracker 4000.
Page 93 This will effectively double the drive current available to the device. REVIEW • The Tracker 4000 can test switches in real time. This makes an excellent test for microswitches, power switches, control switches, pressure and heat sensor switches.
Page 94 ___________________________________________________________________________TESTING PASSIVE COMPONENTS Notes: USER'S MANUAL 4-34...
Page 95: Testing Discrete Semiconductors Page
SECTION 5 TESTING DISCRETE SEMICONDUCTORS 5-1. DIODES The most basic type of solid state semiconductor component is the diode. Diodes are formed by creating a junction between p-type and n-type semiconductor material. The PN junction gives diodes and semiconductor components polarity characteristics that allow them to conduct current when an external voltage is applied.
Page 96 2. Press the LOW range button (Factory Group) in the Main Menu screen. 3. The yellow LED will be on next to the LOW range once activated. 4. Place or clip the red test lead from the Tracker 4000's A test terminal to anode lead of the diode.
Page 97 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS Figure 5-4. Tracker 4000 With Probes To A Diode. = 10 Volts = 3 Volts Figure 5-5. Signature Of A 1N914 Type Silicon Diode. LOW Range, R = 54 = 60 Hz Ω The diode signatures are similar to each other. In LOW range, the test signal voltage is 10 V .
Page 98 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS AFFECTS OF FREQUENCY (F ) ON THE DIODE SIGNATURE With the LOW range (factory group) selected and the test signal frequency of 60 Hz, the signature of the diode is shown on the left figure below. Changing only the test signal frequency to 5 kHz displays the signature on the right.
Page 99 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS AFFECTS OF INTERNAL RESISTANCE (R ) ON THE DIODE SIGNATURE Changing Tracker 4000's internal resistance R moves the vertical knee portion of the diode's analog signature. As R increases, the knee of the signature moves inward toward the origin. R controls the current that's flowing through the diode so the forward diode voltage changes in response to the current change.
Page 100 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS UNDERSTANDING DIODE SIGNATURES Figure 5-8 reviews the Tracker 4000's three range parameters and how they affect the diode signature. How Tracker Parameter Changes affect Diode Signatures Figure 5-8. Range Parameters Changes and Affects On Diode Signatures. USER'S MANUAL...
Page 101 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS THE COMPOSITE DIODE SIGNATURE A composite analog signature is a combination of several components connected together in an electronic circuit. Up to this point, we have been showing you what the basic component signatures look like out of circuit. In the real world of electronics troubleshooting, components are connected together in a circuit and when testing with ASA, the signatures are a composite that may appear quite complex.
Page 102 The signature on the right shows only the resistor signature because the test signal voltage is below the diode's turn on level. Again, when multiple components are connected together, it's important to realize that the Tracker 4000 has the ability to selectively display the signature of a single component.
Page 103 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS DIODE FAILURES Diodes can fail in a number of ways, and each type of failure will cause the signature to change. The defective diodes often appear as open and short signatures. Two other types of flaws are internal resistance and leakage. INTERNAL RESISTANCE FLAW IN A DIODE Figure 5-13.
Page 104 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS INTERNAL LEAKAGE FLAW IN A DIODE Figure 5-15. Defective Diode Model With An Internal Leakage Resistance. MED1 MED2 Figure 5-16. Signature Of A Diode With Internal Leakage Flaw. 1N914 Diode With A 10 k Ω Resistor In Parallel Notice that in LOW range there does not seem to be any problem, but that in both medium ranges, you can see the diode conducting when it should be acting like an open.
Page 105 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS ZENER DIODES Normal switching and signal diodes conduct when forward biased only. When reverse biased, they act as opens unless they are operated outside design limits. If this condition occurs then so much voltage is applied that they break down and can no longer prevent current flow.
Page 106 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS Figure 5-18. Single Zener Diode And 2 Zener Diodes In Series. Single 1N5239B Zener Diode 2 Zener Diodes in Series, 1N5239B Figure 5-19. Signature Of A Single Zener Diode And 2 Zener Diodes In Series. MED2 Range (Factory Group) Since each horizontal division on the CRT graticule (in MED2 range) is approximately 5 Volts, from the signature on the left you can estimate that this is about a 9 volt zener diode.
Page 107 • Look for the zener effect when checking voltage regulators such as the 7805 type. This can help determine an unknown or faulty device. • The Tracker 4000 can be used to test and determine the four pin connections on a bridge rectifier, (AC1, AC2, + and -).
Page 108: Transistors
__________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS 5-2. TRANSISTORS A bipolar transistor is a three layer device. There are two basic types. A PNP transistor has a layer of n-type silicon material sandwiched between two layers of p-type material. An NPN transistor has a layer of p-type silicon material sandwiched between two layers of n-type material.
Page 109 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS IMPORTANT NOTE Use of this instrument may alter the current gain (h or ß) of a bipolar transistor whenever the emitter is tested. Either the base-emitter or collector-emitter test circuits satisfy this criterion. While heating of the device due to the current produced by the instrument may cause a temporary change in h (most noticeable in the low range), a permanent shift in h...
Page 110 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR SIGNATURES In order to better understand the signatures that transistors create on the Tracker 4000, we can model these devices in terms of equivalent diode circuits. These are shown in figure 5-21. These figures show that the collector-based junction analog signature looks similar to a diode signature, and the emitter-base junction signature looks similar to a zener diode signature.
Page 111 2. Press the MED2 range button (Factory Group) in the Main Menu Screen. 3. The yellow LED will be on next to the MED2 range once activated. 4. Place or clip the red test lead from the Tracker 4000's A test terminal to collector lead of the transistor.
Page 112 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS Diode 1N914 PNP Transistor 2N3906 NPN Transistor PN2222A Figure 5-24. Signature Of A Diode And Collector-Base Of A Transistor. MED1 Range (Factory Default) Notice that the collector-base signature of a NPN transistor is identical to the signature of diode.
Page 113 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS PNP Transistor - 2N3906 NPN Transistor - PN2222A Figure 5-26. Signature Of The Collector-Emitter Of A PNP And NPN Transistor. MED1 Range (Factory Default), Emitter To Common You can see that the collector-emitter signature of a PNP transistor looks like a forward biased diode with the knee at approximately +7 Volts.
Page 114 Sometimes, we need to identify unknown transistors. We may need to replace one in a circuit for which we do not have a schematic. The Tracker 4000 makes this a relatively simple procedure because each type of junction has a characteristic signature. This makes it possible to identify each of the terminals and the polarity of the transistor.
Page 115 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS Do the following: 1. Probe pin 1 with the red probe and pin 2 with the black probe. 1. Identify the signature. Figure 5-28. Signature Of Pins 1 And 2 Of An Unknown Transistor. 2. This looks like a collector-base signature. What you do not know yet is which pin is the collector and which pin is the base.
Page 116 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS 1. Now that you know that pin 2 of the unknown transistor is the collector. Place the black probe to the base on pin 1 and move the red probe to the emitter on pin 3. A base to emitter signature will be displayed.
Page 117 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS DARLINGTON BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR SIGNATURES The Darlington transistor is basically two transistors paired together in a special configuration. The emitter of the first transistor is connected to the base of the second transistor. The collectors of both transistors are connected together. The base of the first transistor serves as the external base lead and the emitter of the second transistor serves as the external emitter lead.
Page 118 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS USING THE PULSE GENERATOR TO TEST TRANSISTOR OPERATION Figure 5-33 shows the test circuit for an NPN transistor using the pulse generator to drive the base. The constant current signature produced is similar to that produced by a transistor curve tracer except that only one curve is shown instead of a family of curves.
Page 119 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS Figure 5-34 shows the test setup for a PNP transistor. As for the NPN transistor, this signature will be the result of the collector-base junction of the transistor. Figure 5-34. Pulse Generator Test Circuit For A PNP Transistor. USER'S MANUAL 5-25...
Page 120 1. Setup the test circuit shown in figure 5-33 or 5-34 depending on what type of bipolar transistor you wish to test. 2. Connect the blue grabber test lead from G1 on the Tracker 4000 to the transistor's base lead.
Page 121 1. Look at the transistor's signature change as the duty cycle changes. The figure above shows these signatures as dotted lines. This composite signature shows multiple operating states as the base stimulus varies. The transistor is actually being switched on and off by the Tracker 4000. USER'S MANUAL 5-27...
Page 122 • The Tracker 4000 can be used to determine the type of transistor; bipolar, Darlington, FET, etc. • The Tracker 4000 can be used to identify the polarity of a transistor (PNP or NPN). • The Tracker 4000 can be used to determine the base, collector and emitter on an unknown transistor.
Page 123: Solid State Switching Components
1. Press the MED2 range button (Factory Group) in the Main Menu screen. 2. The yellow LED will be on next to the MED2 range once activated. 3. Place or clip the red test lead from the Tracker 4000's A test terminal to collector lead of the component.
Page 124 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS 4. Place or clip the black test lead from the Tracker 4000's Common terminal to emitter lead of the component. Figure 5-39. Tracker 4000 With Test Probes To A Phototransistor. No Light With Light Figure 5-40. Signatures Of An NPN Phototransistor - MRD3056 Type.
Page 125 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS OPTOCOUPLER DYNAMIC TESTING The Tracker 4000’s pulse generator can perform a dynamic test of optocouplers. Apply the pulse generator's output to the control input of a switching device and connect Tracker 4000's test leads across the component's switch terminals. Observe the optocoupler's signature for on and off states.
Page 126 2. Connect the black test lead or easy grabber from Tracker 4000's Common test terminal to the transistor emitter lead and the diode cathode lead of the optocoupler. 3. Connect the red test lead or easy grabber from Tracker 4000's A test terminal to the transistor collector lead.
Page 127 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS 1. Set the pulse generator controls to DC) Mode with the + LED illuminated. 2. Press the VDC button and rotate the encoder to 0.0 VDC. 3. Rotate the encoder clockwise to approximately 2.0 V. Figure 5-44. Signatures Of An Optocoupler - 4N33 Type MED1 (Factory Group) USER'S MANUAL 5-33...
Page 128 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS SCRS AND TRIACS A SCR and triac are semiconductor components that are used in switching applications. A SCR (silicon controlled rectifier) is used for DC switching circuits. A triac is used for AC switching circuits. This section will demonstrate how to dynamically test these components.
Page 129 1. Press the MED2 range button (Factory Group) in the Main Menu screen. 2. The yellow LED will be on next to the MED2 range once activated. 3. Place or clip the red test probe from the Tracker 4000's A test terminal to gate lead (G) of the component.
Page 130 __________________________________________________________________________TESTING DISCRETE COMPONENTS 2. Observe the gate-anode signature of the SCR. 3. Move the black test probe from the SCR's anode lead to cathode lead (K) of the component. 4. Observe the gate-cathode signature of the SCR. 5. Place the red test probe to the SCR's anode lead and the black test probe to the SCR's cathode lead.
Page 131 4. Connect the blue easy grabber from Tracker 4000's pulse generator G1 output terminal to the component's gate lead. 5. Connect the red test probe from Tracker 4000's A test terminal to the SCR's anode lead. 6. Connect the black test probe from Tracker 4000's Common test terminal to the SCR's cathode lead.
Page 132 The TRIAC is a device designed to switch an AC current with either positive or negative gate control pulses. Figure 5-51. Diagram And Symbol Of A TRIAC. The next section demonstrates how to dynamically test a triac with the Tracker 4000's pulse generator. USER'S MANUAL...
Page 133 4. Connect the blue easy grabber from Tracker 4000's pulse generator G1 output terminal to the gate lead on the component. 5. Connect the red test probe from Tracker 4000's A test terminal to the triac's MT2 lead. 6. Connect the black test probe from Tracker 4000's Common test terminal to the triac's MT1 lead.
Page 134 APPLYING WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED • The Tracker 4000 can also dynamically test optocouplers and phototransistors. These components are commonly found in isolation and switching circuits. Their operation can slowly deteriorate making them intermittent. This type of problem is extremely difficult to troubleshoot.
Page 135: Testing Integrated Circuits
14 to over 200, although quite often many pins share quite similar signatures. This can make troubleshooting easier by giving us an easy-to-find signature to use as a comparison. In this section, it is important to understand how the Tracker 4000 and ASA respond to these circuits.
Page 136 ___________________________________________________________________________TESTING INTEGRATED CIRCUITS DIGITAL INTEGRATED CIRCUIT SIGNATURES Before we examine the analog signatures of an IC, let's study the block diagram of a 74LS245 octal bi-directional bus buffer to introduce some basic concepts. This IC is a member of the low power Schottky transistor-transistor logic family (LSTTL). Examine the block diagram for this chip below.
Page 137 IC's ground pin. For this example, the ground pin of the 74LS245 is pin 10. 8. Use the red test lead from the Tracker 4000's A test terminal. Probe each pin of the IC and view its signature on Tracker 4000's CRT display. For this example, pins 2 to 9 and 11 to 18 are all buffer circuits so they will have identical signatures.
Page 138 ___________________________________________________________________________TESTING INTEGRATED CIRCUITS Buffer pins - TTL3 range Enable pins - TTL3 range Power pin - TTL1 range Figure 6-3. Signatures of A Digital IC, 74LS245. TTL Group, Ground Pin To Test Common Compare these signatures with other signatures of discrete components such as transistors and diodes.
Page 139 ___________________________________________________________________________TESTING INTEGRATED CIRCUITS Pin 1 input - TTL3 range Pin 2 output - TTL3 range Pin 14 power - TTL1 range Figure 6-5. Signatures Of A 7404 Hex Inverter. TTL Group Pin 1 input - TTL3 range Pin 2 output - TTL3 range Pin 14 power - TTL1 range Figure 6-6.
Page 140 Do the following to display the analog signatures of a digital IC: Figure 6-8. Main Menu Screen With MOS Range Group. 1. Turn power on to your Tracker 4000. 2. Press the Menu button followed by the GroupEdit button to display the GroupEdit Menu screen.
Page 141 IC's ground pin. For this example, the ground pin of the 74HC14 is pin 7. 8. Use the red test lead from the Tracker 4000's A test terminal and probe each pin of the IC. For this example, pins 1, 3, 5, 9, 11, and 13 are all input buffer circuits so they will have identical signatures.
Page 142 ___________________________________________________________________________TESTING INTEGRATED CIRCUITS CMOS COMPONENTS AND TEST SIGNAL FREQUENCY F CMOS logic circuits inherently have a significant amount of internal capacitance. This junction capacitance is visible in the CMOS signatures when using the Tracker 4000. Capacitance in CMOS circuitry may be emphasized or de-emphasized by changing the frequency of the test signal.
Page 143 Comparison testing is a very powerful and effective test strategy when troubleshooting digital logic using ASA. The Tracker 4000's Alt and Both features makes this technique quick and simple. Instead of having to remember the specific signatures of a good component, all that's needed is to have a reference component or board along side the one that's suspect.
Page 144 Common terminal to both reference and suspect IC or boards ground pin. 8. Place or clip the black test lead from the Tracker 4000's B test terminal to the suspect IC's pin. For this example, start with pin 1 of the suspect IC.
Page 145 The channel switching has two operating modes A+B and Alt. APPLYING WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED • Testing for faulty IC’s is one of the more common uses for the Tracker 4000. A technician can compare IC’s in or out of circuit. USER'S MANUAL...
Page 146: Analog Circuits
ICs. OP AMPS Frequently, each pin of an op amp creates a different signature on the Tracker 4000. This signature is the result of the internal design of the chip and both the internal and external circuit elements connected to it. This type of analog component typically has many internal junctions connected to each pin and each pin may also be connected to numerous external components.
Page 147 IC's ground or a power supply pin. For this example, the negative power supply pin of the 741 is pin 4 and the positive power supply is pin 8. 6. Use the red test lead from the Tracker 4000's A test terminal and probe each pin of the IC.
Page 148 ___________________________________________________________________________TESTING INTEGRATED CIRCUITS 7. Observe that the signature of each of the op amp's pins are unique. Pin 2 -Input Pin 3 +Input Pin 6 Output Figure 6-15. Signatures Of An Op Amp (741 Type) In LOW Range. Factory Group, Common to Pin 4 Pin 2 -Input Pin 3 +Input Pin 6 Output...
Page 149 The op amp has three main terminals; + input, - input and output. An alternative way to perform ASA on the op amp is to connect Tracker 4000's Common terminal to the op amp's output while making a comparison with the red test probe to the “ + ” and then the “...
Page 150 ___________________________________________________________________________TESTING INTEGRATED CIRCUITS LINEAR VOLTAGE REGULATORS Voltage regulators are commonly found in many electronic assemblies. One of the most popular integrated circuit of this type is the three terminal device like the 7805, a +5 volt DC regulator. The next figure shows the schematic and pin layout of the 7805 regulator. Different manufacturers implement their products with different topologies and manufacturing processes.
Page 151 ___________________________________________________________________________TESTING INTEGRATED CIRCUITS Input - TTL2 range Output pin - TTL2 range Figure 6-18. Signatures Of A 7805 Voltage Regulator By SGS Thomson. Factory Group, Ground Pin To Common Input - TTL2 range Output pin - TTL2 range Figure 6-19. Signatures Of A 7805 Voltage Regulator By Motorola. Factory Group, Ground Pin To Common USER'S MANUAL 6-17...
Page 152 The channel switching has two operating modes A+B and Alt. APPLYING WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED • Testing for faulty IC’s is one of the more common uses for the Tracker 4000. A technician can compare IC’s in or out of circuit. USER'S MANUAL...
Page 153: Low Voltage
As a result of these changes, the analog signatures of the LV logic family are different from the conventional HC logic family. The Tracker 4000 has the built-in "SMT" test range group which has been optimized for this LV logic. SMT is an abbreviation for surface mount technology and refers to the physical IC package type in which the LV logic family is commonly available.
Page 154 IC's ground pin. For this example, the ground pin of the 74LVQ245 is pin 10. 8. Use the red test lead from the Tracker 4000's A test terminal and probe each pin of the IC. For this example, pins 2 to 9 and 11 to 18 are all buffer circuits so they will have identical signatures.
Page 155 • The IC signatures resemble regular and zener diode signatures. • There are many causes for IC failures and the Tracker 4000 can display its "health" as resistive leakage, an open or a short. • Functionally identical pins on a single IC out-of-circuit will display the same signature.
Page 156 The channel switching has two operating modes A+B and Alt. APPLYING WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED • Testing for faulty IC’s is one of the more common uses for the Tracker 4000. A technician can compare IC’s in or out of circuit. USER'S MANUAL...
Page 157: Theory Of Operation
THEORY OF OPERATION 7-1. INTRODUCTION This section describes the basic operation of Tracker 4000. First a general overview of operation is provided, followed by descriptions of the major sections of the unit's circuitry and functions. The information in this section is not intended to be used as a repair guide or servicing instructions.
Page 158: Front Panel Block
7-3. FRONT PANEL BLOCK The buttons on the Tracker 4000's front panel are of the conductive rubber type. They are scanned and multiplexed by the digital control logic. The encoder is a precision electro-opto unit with 128 steps and it's also connected to the digital control logic. The LCD is a 128 by 64 dot graphic STN panel with a LED backlight.
Page 159: Track Output Block
A and channel B. 7-8. SINE WAVE GENERATOR BLOCK The Tracker 4000 has dual sine wave generators to implement to channel A and channel B test signals. Each sine wave source consists of a digitally programmable IC for precisely setting the frequency for each channel's test signal.
Page 160: Power Supply Block
___________________________________________________________________________________THEORY OF OPERATION 7-9. POWER SUPPLY BLOCK The Tracker 4000 uses a universal input switching power supply for operation. The switching power supply connects to the external AC line (mains) through an input module containing an on/off switch and line fuse. This switching power supply has triple output voltages that are connected to internal assemblies.
Page 161: Maintenance
To avoid instrument damage, never apply solvents to the instrument. Should the Tracker 4000 case require cleaning, wipe the instrument with a cloth that is lightly dampened with water or mild detergent solution. The instrument requires no lubrication.
Page 162 __________________________________________________________________________________________MAINTENANCE Notes: USER'S MANUAL...

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