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NATIONAL METROLOGY INSTITUTE- BASIC ELECTRONICS

Training Course
Addis Ababa

Laboratory exercise 3

Testing of Diode and Transistor using

Digital Multimeter

Participant: Data:

Instructor: Grade:
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EXPERIMENT NO. 3
How to test diode and transistor using Digital Multimeter

OBJECTIVE:-
- How to test Transistor and Diode using digital multimeter
- To get more familiar with the basic electronic instrument, handling and usage
of digital Multimeter
- To identify type , lag or pins of transistors and diodes

INTRODUCTION:-
A diode is a two-terminal electronic component that conducts primarily in one
direction (asymmetric conductance); it has low (ideally zero) resistance to the
flow of current in one direction, and high (ideally infinite) resistance in the other.
A semiconductor diode, the most common type today, is a crystalline piece of
semiconductor material with a p–n junction connected to two electrical terminals
diodes are fabricated from semi-conducting material germanium (0.3 volt) and
silicon diode (0.7 volt). They can be encased in glass, metal or a plastic housing.
They have two leads: cathode (k) and an anode (A). The most important property
of all diodes is their resistance is very low in one direction and very large in the
opposite direction. When a diode is measured with a multimeter and it reads a
low value of ohms, this is not really the resistance of the diode. It represents the
voltage drop across the junction of the diode. This means a multimeter can only
be used to detect if the junction is not damaged, If the reading is low in one
direction and very high in the other direction.
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Fig .1:- (a) Diode P-N junction (b) Diode schematic symbol (c) Diode real
component appearance

A Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) is a three-terminal semiconductor device this

terminals are called the emitter, the base, and the collector. The device is made
up three “layers” of p-type and n-type semiconductor material. BJTs consist of a
thin base layer (either P- or N-type) sandwiched between two layers of the
opposite type today, some transistors are packaged individually, but many more
are found embedded in integrated circuits.
Transistors are active components and are found everywhere in electronic
circuits. They are used as amplifiers and switching devices. As amplifiers, they are
used in high and low frequency stages, oscillators, modulators, detectors and in
any circuit needing to perform a function. In digital circuits they are used as
switches. A bipolar transistor consists of a three-layer “sandwich” of doped
(extrinsic) semiconductor materials, either P-N-P or N-P-N shown in Figure below.
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Fig .2, BJT transistor:- (a) PNP schematic symbol, (b) physical layout (c) NPN
symbol, (d) layout.

APPARATUS AND COMPONENT

- Diodes, 1N400 and 1N41448
- Transistors, 2N35323, 2N2222 and 2N1711
- DMM
- Bread board

Task: - 1

How to test a diode with a multimeter

Digital multimeters can test diodes using one of two methods:

1. Diode Test mode: almost always the best approach.

2. Resistance mode: typically used only if a multimeter is not equipped with a
Diode Test mode.

Diode Test mode: - measuring the voltage drop across the diode when it is
forward-biased. A forward-biased diode acts as a closed switch, permitting
current to flow. Resistance Test mode: - Does not always indicate whether a diode
is good or bad.
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The Diode Test procedure is conducted as follows:-

1. Turn the dial (rotary switch) to Diode Test mode ( ). It may share a
space on the dial with another function.
2. Connect the test leads to the diode. Record the measurement on the table
below.
3. Reverse the test leads. Record the measurement displayed.

The resistance mode procedure is conducted as follows:-

1. Turn the dial to Resistance mode (Ω). It may share a space on the dial with
another function.
2. Connect the test leads to the diode after it has been removed from the
circuit. Record the measurement displayed.
3. Reverse the test leads. Record the measurement displayed.

No. Forward Bias Forward Reverse Bias Reverse Diode types

Voltage resistance Voltage resistance
1N4006

1N41 48

Task: - 2
How to test a transistor with a multimeter

1 2 3
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The Transistor Test procedure is conducted as follows:-

To test a bipolar transistor with a digital multimeter, do the following
measurements using the diode test mode:
 Connect the red (positive) lead to the pin of the transistor. Connect the black
(negative) lead to the other pin read a junction drop voltage and record on the
table.
 Leave the red meter lead on the pin and move the black meter lead to the other
pin read a junction drop voltage and record on the table.
 Reverse the meter leads and repeat the test.
 Leave the black meter lead on the pin and move the red lead to the other pin –
read a junction drop voltage and record on the table.

Steps to identify the NPN or PNP type transistor:-

1. Keep the Multimeter in the Diode mode.

2. Keep the positive probe to the center pin -2 of the transistor.
3. Touch the negative probe to the pin-1. You will see some voltage in the
multimeter.
4. Similarly touch the negative probe to the pin-3 with respect to the pin-
2. You will see some voltage in the multimeter.
5. Keep the positive probe to the pin-1 of the transistor.
6. Touch the negative probe to the center pin -2. You will see some voltage in
the multimeter.
7. Similarly touch the negative probe to the center pin-2 with respect to the
pin-3. You will see some voltage in the multimeter.

According to your measuring result fill the table below and give a conclusion

Transistor pins Forward Reverse type

1 2 3 voltage voltage
2N1711
2N5323
2N2222