[Eric Adams]

Help! Does anyone know where I can get my B&K E200D signal generator repaired. It is solid state and I think that is what is keeping people away.
It worked really good until it quit. No output on any frequency.
I have the manual including schematic and troubleshooting guide.
I found someone in Canada to look at it but shipping one way would be $54.00.

Thanks,

[morzh]

Eric,

what is wrong with getting an oldie but goodie tube or maybe transistor generator?
I am a professional in both the field of electronics troubleshooting and the field of electronics design, but I would never go for solid state unless it was soooooooo cheap that losing it would be unnoticeable. They will not give you the schematic and there may be proprietory chips, CPLDs, microprocessors with code I have no idea how to fix.....
I never buy equipment I cannot fix myself.

basically what I am afraid of, the repair alone, without shipping, may run you more or at least be comparable to the cost of a new unit. No one really repairs those unless they are under warranty.
What are they, 200-300 bucks?

[Eric Adams]

I have the manual including schematic and troubleshooting guide.

[morzh]

Well, does it use chips and what kind? Any micros? Does the digital part (interface/display) work and no signal, or nothing works at all?

[Eric Adams]

No chips or micros all components including a few transistors are on circuit boards. The power light goes on. The moduation meter operates as well as the crystal calibrator. The carrier strength meter is dead and there is no output. I know nothing about solid state circuits. H**l, I'm not even comfortable with tubes yet!

[morzh]

Can you post the schematic? Or a link to it?

[Eric Adams]

Sure. Here it is: http://www.freeinfostuff.com/E200D/E-200D.htm This gives a lot of info.

[morzh]

OK.

Do you know how to check a transistor?

If not, here's how:

1. Take an ANALOG Ohmmeter.
2. Set it to Ohms, x1 range.
3.
For an NPN transistor:
Put a positive lead to the base, and touch the emitter and collector with the negative. It should conduct. Reverse the leads. Do the same. There should be no conductivity at all. Any conductivity means leakage and the transistor is bad.
For a PNP transistor: same procedure, only leads are reversed. Negative to the base conducts, positive - does not.
4. For any transistor: put one lead to emitter and another to collector. There should be no conductivity. Reverse leads, same thing.

Transistors rarely lose their H21E (Beta) so as long as the integrity test above is good, your transistor is good.

Now that you know that:

Take your schematic, and start checking transistors starting from Q3 and back.


Question: do you have a scope?

PS> Eric, I can guide you through it, but you need to have a basic equipment. A scope would make it easy.

[BrendaAnnD]

Don't forget to have him check from emitter to collector, too. I've had more than enough E-C shorts while the B-E and B-C seemed fine.

[Eric Adams]

OK Morzh, I don't have an analog meter. DVM can't be used? I should have a scope in the next few day. It's way from Arizona. I'm willing to try.

[morzh]

Brenda,

If you read my post one more time you will seed that the #4 is exactly that.

[morzh]

Eric

Yes you can check it with a DMM but I find it a PITB.

Put the DMM to "diode" check. When checking B-E/B-C where the analog meter shows condutivity you will see about "0.7V". In the opposite direction you won't see anything.

Same goes for the E-C check, you should not see any serious conductivity (maybe some megohms).
You can start doing that before the scope arrives.

[Arran]

Also don't forget that if the transistor doesn't conduct in either direction B-C or E-B it could be open, that happens a lot especially with the older solid state stuff.
Regards
Arran

[Eric Adams]

Thanks Guys,
I'll check it out and let you know.

[Eric Adams]

I checked the transistors. Three failed Q2, Q3 & Q10. Should I order new ones or do you think I should wait for the scope?