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7 parts are printed CL. 36 printed with a similar-looking code.

7 parts are printed CL

Not sure which one you have?

Answer up to 4 quick questions and these 7 parts are ranked, with a meter test that settles it. It works on a dead part too.

  • BZT52-C15SOD-123Zener diode, 2 pins, Nexperia
    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOD-123
    Pins
    2
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range for the forward check, part lifted, red probe on the anode. A bench supply for the Zener voltage.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse on the diode range. Its Zener voltage shows only on a supply: feed it through a resistor that sets about 5 mA, cathode to positive, read quickly, and it should hold near its rated voltage.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • Open both ways, forward too: failed open.
    • Holds well off its rated voltage on the supply test: drifted.
    • A soft knee, or a voltage that creeps on the supply test: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A meter's diode range stops at about 2 to 3 V, so almost every Zener reads open in reverse on it, good or bad; a 3 V meter may just show a 2.4 or 2.7 V part. Above about 3 V the meter cannot tell a Zener from a plain diode.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor BZT52-C15, opens in a new tab
  • SN74LVC1G57DRYSONLogic gate, 6 pins, Texas Instruments
    What it is
    Logic gate
    Maker
    Texas Instruments
    Package
    SON
    Pins
    6
    Details
    Configurable Multiple-Function Gate
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Voltage with the board powered; ohms from each pin to ground with it off.

    Working, it reads

    Supply pin at its voltage and the output doing what the datasheet says. Readings between pins depend on the part.

    Dead, it reads

    • A pin near 0 Ω to ground or to the supply pin where an identical part does not read that: failed short.
    • Supply present, output stuck: failed, or its load has.
    On the board:
    A pin shorted to ground on the board can be anything on that net. Lift the pin to be sure.
    Compare:
    The surest reference is the same IC on a working board, measured pin by pin.
    Watch for:
    Its protection diodes can read like junctions between pins, even like a transistor. That proves nothing either way.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor SN74LVC1G57DRY, opens in a new tab
  • SN74LVC1G57DSFSONLogic gate, 6 pins, Texas Instruments
    What it is
    Logic gate
    Maker
    Texas Instruments
    Package
    SON
    Pins
    6
    Details
    Configurable Multiple-Function Gate
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Voltage with the board powered; ohms from each pin to ground with it off.

    Working, it reads

    Supply pin at its voltage and the output doing what the datasheet says. Readings between pins depend on the part.

    Dead, it reads

    • A pin near 0 Ω to ground or to the supply pin where an identical part does not read that: failed short.
    • Supply present, output stuck: failed, or its load has.
    On the board:
    A pin shorted to ground on the board can be anything on that net. Lift the pin to be sure.
    Compare:
    The surest reference is the same IC on a working board, measured pin by pin.
    Watch for:
    Its protection diodes can read like junctions between pins, even like a transistor. That proves nothing either way.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor SN74LVC1G57DSF, opens in a new tab
  • 4 more parts have no package on record
    • AOZ6683CIDC-DC converter, Alpha & Omega Semiconductor
      What it is
      DC-DC converter
      Maker
      Alpha & Omega Semiconductor
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      Not recorded
      Details
      Synchronous buck regulator
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Voltage with the board powered; ohms from each pin to ground with it off.

      Working, it reads

      Supply pin at its voltage and the output doing what the datasheet says. Readings between pins depend on the part.

      Dead, it reads

      • A pin near 0 Ω to ground or to the supply pin where an identical part does not read that: failed short.
      • Supply present, output stuck: failed, or its load has.
      On the board:
      A pin shorted to ground on the board can be anything on that net. Lift the pin to be sure.
      Compare:
      The surest reference is the same IC on a working board, measured pin by pin.
      Watch for:
      Its protection diodes can read like junctions between pins, even like a transistor. That proves nothing either way.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor AOZ6683CI, opens in a new tab
    • LP5907SNX-3.1LDO regulator, 4 pins, Texas Instruments
      What it is
      LDO regulator
      Maker
      Texas Instruments
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      4
      Details
      250mA, Low-Noise, Low-IQ LDO
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Voltage, board powered, black probe on ground. Then ohms with the power off.

      Working, it reads

      Input pin at the supply, output pin at its rated voltage, and the enable pin high if it has one.

      Dead, it reads

      • Output equal to the input: the pass element has shorted. Everything after it may have taken the full input.
      • Input present, enable high, no output: failed open, or holding itself off into a shorted load. Power off and measure output to ground.
      • Power off, input to output near 0 Ω: shorted.
      On the board:
      An output at 0 V is often a shorted load with the regulator in current limit. Lift the output pin: if the short stays on the board, the regulator may be fine.
      Compare:
      The same regulator on another rail or another board shows the right voltages and the right resistances.
      Watch for:
      Makers put input, output and ground on different pins in the same package, so take them from this part's datasheet. Diode or ohms readings between its pins say little; check it powered.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor LP5907SNX-3.1, opens in a new tab
    • LP5907SNX3LDO regulator, 4 pins, Texas Instruments
      What it is
      LDO regulator
      Maker
      Texas Instruments
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      4
      Details
      250mA, Low-Noise, Low-IQ LDO
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Voltage, board powered, black probe on ground. Then ohms with the power off.

      Working, it reads

      Input pin at the supply, output pin at its rated voltage, and the enable pin high if it has one.

      Dead, it reads

      • Output equal to the input: the pass element has shorted. Everything after it may have taken the full input.
      • Input present, enable high, no output: failed open, or holding itself off into a shorted load. Power off and measure output to ground.
      • Power off, input to output near 0 Ω: shorted.
      On the board:
      An output at 0 V is often a shorted load with the regulator in current limit. Lift the output pin: if the short stays on the board, the regulator may be fine.
      Compare:
      The same regulator on another rail or another board shows the right voltages and the right resistances.
      Watch for:
      Makers put input, output and ground on different pins in the same package, so take them from this part's datasheet. Diode or ohms readings between its pins say little; check it powered.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor LP5907SNX3, opens in a new tab
    • LP5907SNX3.1NOPBG4LDO regulator, 4 pins, Texas Instruments
      What it is
      LDO regulator
      Maker
      Texas Instruments
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      4
      Details
      250mA, Low-Noise, Low-IQ LDO
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Voltage, board powered, black probe on ground. Then ohms with the power off.

      Working, it reads

      Input pin at the supply, output pin at its rated voltage, and the enable pin high if it has one.

      Dead, it reads

      • Output equal to the input: the pass element has shorted. Everything after it may have taken the full input.
      • Input present, enable high, no output: failed open, or holding itself off into a shorted load. Power off and measure output to ground.
      • Power off, input to output near 0 Ω: shorted.
      On the board:
      An output at 0 V is often a shorted load with the regulator in current limit. Lift the output pin: if the short stays on the board, the regulator may be fine.
      Compare:
      The same regulator on another rail or another board shows the right voltages and the right resistances.
      Watch for:
      Makers put input, output and ground on different pins in the same package, so take them from this part's datasheet. Diode or ohms readings between its pins say little; check it powered.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor LP5907SNX3.1NOPBG4, opens in a new tab
36 more parts are printed with a code easy to misread as CL

Printed with a code easy to misread

One character differs, and it is one that is easy to confuse under a lamp. The odd one out is marked on each.

  • 1PS79SB30printed G1SOD-523Schottky diode, 2 pins, Nexperia

    Printed G1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Schottky diode
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOD-523
    Pins
    2
    Details
    40 V, 0.2 A Schottky barrier diode
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range, part lifted or one leg off the pad. Red probe on the anode.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.15 to 0.45 V anode to cathode, roughly half a silicon diode, and open the other way.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • A reading the wrong way round as well: leaky.
    • Open both ways: failed open.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A large Schottky can read about 0.1 V forward and beep like a short, and leaks a little the wrong way when good, more when warm. It is shorted only if it reads the same both ways. Measure it cold, beside an identical cold one.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor 1PS79SB30, opens in a new tab
  • BAS516printed 61SOD-523Switching diode, 2 pins, JSCJ

    Printed 61 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Switching diode
    Maker
    JSCJ
    Package
    SOD-523
    Pins
    2
    Details
    Switching diode, 75 V, 250 mA
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range, part lifted or one leg off the pad. Red probe on the anode.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.5 to 0.8 V anode to cathode, and open the other way. Small switching diodes read about 0.6 to 0.7 V; large rectifiers can read a little lower.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • Open both ways: failed open.
    • A reading the wrong way round as well: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A three-pin body can hold two diodes. With a common pin they read two junctions from that pin, just like a transistor; in series they read two drops end to end. Test each pair the datasheet names.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor BAS516, opens in a new tab
  • BZD27C68Pprinted G1SOD-123FZener diode, 2 pins, Vishay

    Printed G1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Vishay
    Package
    SOD-123F
    Pins
    2
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range for the forward check, part lifted, red probe on the anode. A bench supply for the Zener voltage.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse on the diode range. Its Zener voltage shows only on a supply: feed it through a resistor that sets about 5 mA, cathode to positive, read quickly, and it should hold near its rated voltage.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • Open both ways, forward too: failed open.
    • Holds well off its rated voltage on the supply test: drifted.
    • A soft knee, or a voltage that creeps on the supply test: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A meter's diode range stops at about 2 to 3 V, so almost every Zener reads open in reverse on it, good or bad; a 3 V meter may just show a 2.4 or 2.7 V part. Above about 3 V the meter cannot tell a Zener from a plain diode.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor BZD27C68P, opens in a new tab
  • BZT52-C2V4printed C1SOD-123Zener diode, 2 pins, Nexperia

    Printed C1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOD-123
    Pins
    2
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range for the forward check, part lifted, red probe on the anode. A bench supply for the Zener voltage.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse on the diode range. Its Zener voltage shows only on a supply: feed it through a resistor that sets about 5 mA, cathode to positive, read quickly, and it should hold near its rated voltage.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • Open both ways, forward too: failed open.
    • Holds well off its rated voltage on the supply test: drifted.
    • A soft knee, or a voltage that creeps on the supply test: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A meter's diode range stops at about 2 to 3 V, so almost every Zener reads open in reverse on it, good or bad; a 3 V meter may just show a 2.4 or 2.7 V part. Above about 3 V the meter cannot tell a Zener from a plain diode.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor BZT52-C2V4, opens in a new tab
  • BZT52H-A4V7printed G1SOD-123FZener diode, 2 pins, Nexperia

    Printed G1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOD-123F
    Pins
    2
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range for the forward check, part lifted, red probe on the anode. A bench supply for the Zener voltage.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse on the diode range. Its Zener voltage shows only on a supply: feed it through a resistor that sets about 5 mA, cathode to positive, read quickly, and it should hold near its rated voltage.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • Open both ways, forward too: failed open.
    • Holds well off its rated voltage on the supply test: drifted.
    • A soft knee, or a voltage that creeps on the supply test: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A meter's diode range stops at about 2 to 3 V, so almost every Zener reads open in reverse on it, good or bad; a 3 V meter may just show a 2.4 or 2.7 V part. Above about 3 V the meter cannot tell a Zener from a plain diode.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor BZT52H-A4V7, opens in a new tab
  • BZT52H-A30printed GLSOD-123FZener diode, 2 pins, Nexperia

    Printed GL on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOD-123F
    Pins
    2
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range for the forward check, part lifted, red probe on the anode. A bench supply for the Zener voltage.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse on the diode range. Its Zener voltage shows only on a supply: feed it through a resistor that sets about 5 mA, cathode to positive, read quickly, and it should hold near its rated voltage.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • Open both ways, forward too: failed open.
    • Holds well off its rated voltage on the supply test: drifted.
    • A soft knee, or a voltage that creeps on the supply test: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A meter's diode range stops at about 2 to 3 V, so almost every Zener reads open in reverse on it, good or bad; a 3 V meter may just show a 2.4 or 2.7 V part. Above about 3 V the meter cannot tell a Zener from a plain diode.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor BZT52H-A30, opens in a new tab
  • BZT52H-C47printed C1SOD-123FZener diode, 2 pins, Nexperia

    Printed C1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOD-123F
    Pins
    2
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range for the forward check, part lifted, red probe on the anode. A bench supply for the Zener voltage.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse on the diode range. Its Zener voltage shows only on a supply: feed it through a resistor that sets about 5 mA, cathode to positive, read quickly, and it should hold near its rated voltage.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • Open both ways, forward too: failed open.
    • Holds well off its rated voltage on the supply test: drifted.
    • A soft knee, or a voltage that creeps on the supply test: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A meter's diode range stops at about 2 to 3 V, so almost every Zener reads open in reverse on it, good or bad; a 3 V meter may just show a 2.4 or 2.7 V part. Above about 3 V the meter cannot tell a Zener from a plain diode.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor BZT52H-C47, opens in a new tab
  • BZX84-A3V6printed C1SOT-23Zener diode, 3 pins, Nexperia

    Printed C1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOT-23
    Pins
    3
    Details
    3.6 V ±1% voltage regulator (Zener) diode
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range for the forward check, part lifted, red probe on the anode. A bench supply for the Zener voltage.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse on the diode range. Its Zener voltage shows only on a supply: feed it through a resistor that sets about 5 mA, cathode to positive, read quickly, and it should hold near its rated voltage.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • Open both ways, forward too: failed open.
    • Holds well off its rated voltage on the supply test: drifted.
    • A soft knee, or a voltage that creeps on the supply test: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A meter's diode range stops at about 2 to 3 V, so almost every Zener reads open in reverse on it, good or bad; a 3 V meter may just show a 2.4 or 2.7 V part. Above about 3 V the meter cannot tell a Zener from a plain diode.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor BZX84-A3V6, opens in a new tab
  • BZX84-A6V8printed 61SOT-23Zener diode, 3 pins, Nexperia

    Printed 61 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOT-23
    Pins
    3
    Details
    6.8 V ±1% voltage regulator (Zener) diode
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range for the forward check, part lifted, red probe on the anode. A bench supply for the Zener voltage.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse on the diode range. Its Zener voltage shows only on a supply: feed it through a resistor that sets about 5 mA, cathode to positive, read quickly, and it should hold near its rated voltage.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • Open both ways, forward too: failed open.
    • Holds well off its rated voltage on the supply test: drifted.
    • A soft knee, or a voltage that creeps on the supply test: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A meter's diode range stops at about 2 to 3 V, so almost every Zener reads open in reverse on it, good or bad; a 3 V meter may just show a 2.4 or 2.7 V part. Above about 3 V the meter cannot tell a Zener from a plain diode.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor BZX84-A6V8, opens in a new tab
  • BZX585-B2V4printed C1SOD-523Zener diode, 2 pins, Nexperia

    Printed C1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOD-523
    Pins
    2
    Details
    2.4 V ±2% voltage regulator (Zener) diode
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range for the forward check, part lifted, red probe on the anode. A bench supply for the Zener voltage.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse on the diode range. Its Zener voltage shows only on a supply: feed it through a resistor that sets about 5 mA, cathode to positive, read quickly, and it should hold near its rated voltage.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • Open both ways, forward too: failed open.
    • Holds well off its rated voltage on the supply test: drifted.
    • A soft knee, or a voltage that creeps on the supply test: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A meter's diode range stops at about 2 to 3 V, so almost every Zener reads open in reverse on it, good or bad; a 3 V meter may just show a 2.4 or 2.7 V part. Above about 3 V the meter cannot tell a Zener from a plain diode.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor BZX585-B2V4, opens in a new tab
  • MMBT5551printed G1SOT-23NPN transistor, 3 pins, Diotec

    Printed G1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    NPN transistor
    Maker
    Diotec
    Package
    SOT-23
    Pins
    3
    Details
    160 V NPN high-voltage transistor
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range, part lifted or its base leg off the pad.

    Working, it reads

    Red probe on the base reads about 0.6 to 0.75 V to the emitter and to the collector, and open the other way round. Collector to emitter reads open both ways.

    Dead, it reads

    • Collector to emitter the same both ways, near 0 V with a continuous beep: shorted. The commonest failure.
    • The base the same both ways to another pin, near 0 V or a middling value: a shorted junction.
    • Only one junction reads, or none: a junction has failed open. It then looks like a diode.
    • A reading the wrong way round, where it should be open: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A pair of diodes with a common pin reads just like a transistor, and some transistors carry a built-in diode or resistor. The datasheet says which.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor MMBT5551, opens in a new tab
  • MMBZ5221Bprinted C1SOT-23Zener diode, 3 pins, Panjit

    Printed C1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Panjit
    Package
    SOT-23
    Pins
    3
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range for the forward check, part lifted, red probe on the anode. A bench supply for the Zener voltage.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse on the diode range. Its Zener voltage shows only on a supply: feed it through a resistor that sets about 5 mA, cathode to positive, read quickly, and it should hold near its rated voltage.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • Open both ways, forward too: failed open.
    • Holds well off its rated voltage on the supply test: drifted.
    • A soft knee, or a voltage that creeps on the supply test: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A meter's diode range stops at about 2 to 3 V, so almost every Zener reads open in reverse on it, good or bad; a 3 V meter may just show a 2.4 or 2.7 V part. Above about 3 V the meter cannot tell a Zener from a plain diode.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor MMBZ5221B, opens in a new tab
  • MMBZ5221BTWprinted C1SOT-363Zener diode, 6 pins, Panjit

    Printed C1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Panjit
    Package
    SOT-363
    Pins
    6
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range for the forward check, part lifted, red probe on the anode. A bench supply for the Zener voltage.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse on the diode range. Its Zener voltage shows only on a supply: feed it through a resistor that sets about 5 mA, cathode to positive, read quickly, and it should hold near its rated voltage.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • Open both ways, forward too: failed open.
    • Holds well off its rated voltage on the supply test: drifted.
    • A soft knee, or a voltage that creeps on the supply test: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A meter's diode range stops at about 2 to 3 V, so almost every Zener reads open in reverse on it, good or bad; a 3 V meter may just show a 2.4 or 2.7 V part. Above about 3 V the meter cannot tell a Zener from a plain diode.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor MMBZ5221BTW, opens in a new tab
  • MMBZ5221BWprinted C1SOT-323Zener diode, 3 pins, Panjit

    Printed C1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Panjit
    Package
    SOT-323
    Pins
    3
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range for the forward check, part lifted, red probe on the anode. A bench supply for the Zener voltage.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse on the diode range. Its Zener voltage shows only on a supply: feed it through a resistor that sets about 5 mA, cathode to positive, read quickly, and it should hold near its rated voltage.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • Open both ways, forward too: failed open.
    • Holds well off its rated voltage on the supply test: drifted.
    • A soft knee, or a voltage that creeps on the supply test: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A meter's diode range stops at about 2 to 3 V, so almost every Zener reads open in reverse on it, good or bad; a 3 V meter may just show a 2.4 or 2.7 V part. Above about 3 V the meter cannot tell a Zener from a plain diode.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor MMBZ5221BW, opens in a new tab
  • MMSZ5221Bprinted C1SOD-123Zener diode, 2 pins, Panjit

    Printed C1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Panjit
    Package
    SOD-123
    Pins
    2
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range for the forward check, part lifted, red probe on the anode. A bench supply for the Zener voltage.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse on the diode range. Its Zener voltage shows only on a supply: feed it through a resistor that sets about 5 mA, cathode to positive, read quickly, and it should hold near its rated voltage.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • Open both ways, forward too: failed open.
    • Holds well off its rated voltage on the supply test: drifted.
    • A soft knee, or a voltage that creeps on the supply test: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A meter's diode range stops at about 2 to 3 V, so almost every Zener reads open in reverse on it, good or bad; a 3 V meter may just show a 2.4 or 2.7 V part. Above about 3 V the meter cannot tell a Zener from a plain diode.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor MMSZ5221B, opens in a new tab
  • MMSZ5221B-AUprinted C1SOD-123Zener diode, 2 pins, Panjit

    Printed C1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Panjit
    Package
    SOD-123
    Pins
    2
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range for the forward check, part lifted, red probe on the anode. A bench supply for the Zener voltage.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse on the diode range. Its Zener voltage shows only on a supply: feed it through a resistor that sets about 5 mA, cathode to positive, read quickly, and it should hold near its rated voltage.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • Open both ways, forward too: failed open.
    • Holds well off its rated voltage on the supply test: drifted.
    • A soft knee, or a voltage that creeps on the supply test: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A meter's diode range stops at about 2 to 3 V, so almost every Zener reads open in reverse on it, good or bad; a 3 V meter may just show a 2.4 or 2.7 V part. Above about 3 V the meter cannot tell a Zener from a plain diode.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor MMSZ5221B-AU, opens in a new tab
  • MMSZ5221BSprinted C1SOD-323Zener diode, 2 pins, Panjit

    Printed C1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Panjit
    Package
    SOD-323
    Pins
    2
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range for the forward check, part lifted, red probe on the anode. A bench supply for the Zener voltage.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse on the diode range. Its Zener voltage shows only on a supply: feed it through a resistor that sets about 5 mA, cathode to positive, read quickly, and it should hold near its rated voltage.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • Open both ways, forward too: failed open.
    • Holds well off its rated voltage on the supply test: drifted.
    • A soft knee, or a voltage that creeps on the supply test: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A meter's diode range stops at about 2 to 3 V, so almost every Zener reads open in reverse on it, good or bad; a 3 V meter may just show a 2.4 or 2.7 V part. Above about 3 V the meter cannot tell a Zener from a plain diode.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor MMSZ5221BS, opens in a new tab
  • MMSZ5221BS-AUprinted C1SOD-323Zener diode, 2 pins, Panjit

    Printed C1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Panjit
    Package
    SOD-323
    Pins
    2
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range for the forward check, part lifted, red probe on the anode. A bench supply for the Zener voltage.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse on the diode range. Its Zener voltage shows only on a supply: feed it through a resistor that sets about 5 mA, cathode to positive, read quickly, and it should hold near its rated voltage.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • Open both ways, forward too: failed open.
    • Holds well off its rated voltage on the supply test: drifted.
    • A soft knee, or a voltage that creeps on the supply test: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A meter's diode range stops at about 2 to 3 V, so almost every Zener reads open in reverse on it, good or bad; a 3 V meter may just show a 2.4 or 2.7 V part. Above about 3 V the meter cannot tell a Zener from a plain diode.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor MMSZ5221BS-AU, opens in a new tab
  • PESD3V3S1ULprinted G1SOD-882ESD protection diode, 2 pins, Nexperia

    Printed G1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    ESD protection diode
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOD-882
    Pins
    2
    Details
    Unidirectional ESD protection diode
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range, from the protected line to ground, part lifted if you can.

    Working, it reads

    A one-way part reads about 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse. A two-way part reads open both ways. Arrays with several lines read as the datasheet's diagram draws them.

    Dead, it reads

    • From the line to ground, the same reading both ways, near 0 V with a continuous beep: shorted.
    • A reading both ways on a one-way part: leaky.
    • A one-way part open both ways: failed open.
    On the board:
    On the board, a line reading shorted to ground can be this part or anything else on that line. Lift it: if the short goes with it, it has failed.
    Compare:
    The same part on the next line or connector pin is the healthy reading to compare with.
    Watch for:
    A two-way part reads open both ways when it is good, exactly like one that has failed open. The meter cannot tell them apart; an identical part on the next line can.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor PESD3V3S1UL, opens in a new tab
  • PMBT5551printed G1SOT-23NPN transistor, 3 pins, Nexperia

    Printed G1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    NPN transistor
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOT-23
    Pins
    3
    Details
    160 V, 300 mA NPN high-voltage transistor
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range, part lifted or its base leg off the pad.

    Working, it reads

    Red probe on the base reads about 0.6 to 0.75 V to the emitter and to the collector, and open the other way round. Collector to emitter reads open both ways.

    Dead, it reads

    • Collector to emitter the same both ways, near 0 V with a continuous beep: shorted. The commonest failure.
    • The base the same both ways to another pin, near 0 V or a middling value: a shorted junction.
    • Only one junction reads, or none: a junction has failed open. It then looks like a diode.
    • A reading the wrong way round, where it should be open: leaky.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A pair of diodes with a common pin reads just like a transistor, and some transistors carry a built-in diode or resistor. The datasheet says which.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor PMBT5551, opens in a new tab
  • PMEG2005EGWprinted G1SOD-123Schottky diode, 2 pins, Nexperia

    Printed G1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Schottky diode
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOD-123
    Pins
    2
    Details
    20 V, 0.5 A low VF MEGA Schottky barrier rectifier
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range, part lifted or one leg off the pad. Red probe on the anode.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.15 to 0.45 V anode to cathode, roughly half a silicon diode, and open the other way.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • A reading the wrong way round as well: leaky.
    • Open both ways: failed open.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A large Schottky can read about 0.1 V forward and beep like a short, and leaks a little the wrong way when good, more when warm. It is shorted only if it reads the same both ways. Measure it cold, beside an identical cold one.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor PMEG2005EGW, opens in a new tab
  • PMEG4010ETPprinted C1SOD-128Schottky diode, 2 pins, Nexperia

    Printed C1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Schottky diode
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOD-128
    Pins
    2
    Details
    High temperature 40 V, 1 A low VF Schottky barrier rectifier
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range, part lifted or one leg off the pad. Red probe on the anode.

    Working, it reads

    About 0.15 to 0.45 V anode to cathode, roughly half a silicon diode, and open the other way.

    Dead, it reads

    • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
    • A reading the wrong way round as well: leaky.
    • Open both ways: failed open.
    On the board:
    On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
    Compare:
    If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
    Watch for:
    A large Schottky can read about 0.1 V forward and beep like a short, and leaks a little the wrong way when good, more when warm. It is shorted only if it reads the same both ways. Measure it cold, beside an identical cold one.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor PMEG4010ETP, opens in a new tab
  • TPS71745DSEprinted GLWSONLDO regulator, 6 pins, Texas Instruments

    Printed GL on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    LDO regulator
    Maker
    Texas Instruments
    Package
    WSON
    Pins
    6
    Details
    Low-Noise, High-Bandwidth PSRR, Low-Dropout, 150-mA Linear Regulator
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Voltage, board powered, black probe on ground. Then ohms with the power off.

    Working, it reads

    Input pin at the supply, output pin at its rated voltage, and the enable pin high if it has one.

    Dead, it reads

    • Output equal to the input: the pass element has shorted. Everything after it may have taken the full input.
    • Input present, enable high, no output: failed open, or holding itself off into a shorted load. Power off and measure output to ground.
    • Power off, input to output near 0 Ω: shorted.
    On the board:
    An output at 0 V is often a shorted load with the regulator in current limit. Lift the output pin: if the short stays on the board, the regulator may be fine.
    Compare:
    The same regulator on another rail or another board shows the right voltages and the right resistances.
    Watch for:
    Makers put input, output and ground on different pins in the same package, so take them from this part's datasheet. Diode or ohms readings between its pins say little; check it powered.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor TPS71745DSE, opens in a new tab
  • EIA-96:61printed 610603Precision resistor (EIA-96 code), 2 pins

    Printed 61 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Precision resistor (EIA-96 code)
    Maker
    Not recorded
    Package
    0603
    Pins
    2
    Details
    EIA-96 precision chip resistor, significand 42.2; the printed mark adds a multiplier letter (61A = 422 Ohm, 61B = 4.22 kOhm)
    Source
    Added by hand from a published table

    Is it dead?

    Ohms range, across it, power off.

    Working, it reads

    Its marked value, within tolerance. On the board it reads the same or lower, because everything around it sits in parallel.

    Dead, it reads

    • Open: burnt, cracked, or eaten through by sulphur. The commonest failure.
    • Well above its marked value: drifted high.
    • On the board, clearly higher than its marked value: it has failed, since the board can only pull a reading down.
    On the board:
    A reading lower than marked on the board proves nothing; lift one end. A reading higher than marked is a fault even on the board.
    Compare:
    The same position on another channel usually carries the same value, and so does the matching part on another board.
    Watch for:
    A burnt resistor usually means the part it feeds pulled too much. Find that before fitting a new one, or it burns too. The marking, not the reading, says what to fit.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor EIA-96:61, opens in a new tab
  • 12 more parts have no package on record
    • BAR61printed 61PIN diode, Infineon

      Printed 61 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

      What it is
      PIN diode
      Maker
      Infineon
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      Not recorded
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Diode range, part lifted or one leg off the pad. Red probe on the anode.

      Working, it reads

      About 0.6 to 0.9 V anode to cathode, and open the other way.

      Dead, it reads

      • The same reading both ways round, near 0 V with a continuous beep or the same middling value: shorted.
      • Open both ways: failed open.
      On the board:
      On the board this is a first look only: the meter reads every path between those pins, and a short can be a neighbour. Lift one leg before you condemn it.
      Compare:
      If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
      Watch for:
      A varicap that has drifted in capacitance reads normal on a meter. Only a capacitance meter or the tuning itself shows it.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor BAR61, opens in a new tab
    • BGA416printed C1RF amplifier (MMIC), Infineon

      Printed C1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

      What it is
      RF amplifier (MMIC)
      Maker
      Infineon
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      Not recorded
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Voltage, board powered, on the output pin that the bias resistor or choke feeds.

      Working, it reads

      The output pin sits at the device voltage the datasheet gives, a few volts, below the supply.

      Dead, it reads

      • Output pin at 0 V, or near 0 Ω to ground with the power off: shorted inside.
      • Output pin at the full supply voltage: open inside, no current flowing.
      On the board:
      Measured on the board with power on; the bias network is part of the reading.
      Compare:
      If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
      Watch for:
      The figures depend on the part and its bias resistor. The datasheet gives both.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor BGA416, opens in a new tab
    • ESDBNC1V8A1printed C1ESD protection diode, JSCJ

      Printed C1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

      What it is
      ESD protection diode
      Maker
      JSCJ
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      Not recorded
      Details
      ESD protection diode, VRWM 1.8 V
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Diode range, from the protected line to ground, part lifted if you can.

      Working, it reads

      A one-way part reads about 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse. A two-way part reads open both ways. Arrays with several lines read as the datasheet's diagram draws them.

      Dead, it reads

      • From the line to ground, the same reading both ways, near 0 V with a continuous beep: shorted.
      • A reading both ways on a one-way part: leaky.
      • A one-way part open both ways: failed open.
      On the board:
      On the board, a line reading shorted to ground can be this part or anything else on that line. Lift it: if the short goes with it, it has failed.
      Compare:
      The same part on the next line or connector pin is the healthy reading to compare with.
      Watch for:
      A two-way part reads open both ways when it is good, exactly like one that has failed open. The meter cannot tell them apart; an identical part on the next line can.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor ESDBNC1V8A1, opens in a new tab
    • ESDBNC1V8B1printed C1ESD protection diode, JSCJ

      Printed C1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

      What it is
      ESD protection diode
      Maker
      JSCJ
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      Not recorded
      Details
      ESD protection diode, VRWM 1.8 V
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Diode range, from the protected line to ground, part lifted if you can.

      Working, it reads

      A one-way part reads about 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse. A two-way part reads open both ways. Arrays with several lines read as the datasheet's diagram draws them.

      Dead, it reads

      • From the line to ground, the same reading both ways, near 0 V with a continuous beep: shorted.
      • A reading both ways on a one-way part: leaky.
      • A one-way part open both ways: failed open.
      On the board:
      On the board, a line reading shorted to ground can be this part or anything else on that line. Lift it: if the short goes with it, it has failed.
      Compare:
      The same part on the next line or connector pin is the healthy reading to compare with.
      Watch for:
      A two-way part reads open both ways when it is good, exactly like one that has failed open. The meter cannot tell them apart; an identical part on the next line can.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor ESDBNC1V8B1, opens in a new tab
    • LP5907SNX-2.8printed CILDO regulator, 4 pins, Texas Instruments

      Printed CI on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

      What it is
      LDO regulator
      Maker
      Texas Instruments
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      4
      Details
      250mA, Low-Noise, Low-IQ LDO
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Voltage, board powered, black probe on ground. Then ohms with the power off.

      Working, it reads

      Input pin at the supply, output pin at its rated voltage, and the enable pin high if it has one.

      Dead, it reads

      • Output equal to the input: the pass element has shorted. Everything after it may have taken the full input.
      • Input present, enable high, no output: failed open, or holding itself off into a shorted load. Power off and measure output to ground.
      • Power off, input to output near 0 Ω: shorted.
      On the board:
      An output at 0 V is often a shorted load with the regulator in current limit. Lift the output pin: if the short stays on the board, the regulator may be fine.
      Compare:
      The same regulator on another rail or another board shows the right voltages and the right resistances.
      Watch for:
      Makers put input, output and ground on different pins in the same package, so take them from this part's datasheet. Diode or ohms readings between its pins say little; check it powered.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor LP5907SNX-2.8, opens in a new tab
    • LP5907SNX2printed CILDO regulator, 4 pins, Texas Instruments

      Printed CI on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

      What it is
      LDO regulator
      Maker
      Texas Instruments
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      4
      Details
      250mA, Low-Noise, Low-IQ LDO
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Voltage, board powered, black probe on ground. Then ohms with the power off.

      Working, it reads

      Input pin at the supply, output pin at its rated voltage, and the enable pin high if it has one.

      Dead, it reads

      • Output equal to the input: the pass element has shorted. Everything after it may have taken the full input.
      • Input present, enable high, no output: failed open, or holding itself off into a shorted load. Power off and measure output to ground.
      • Power off, input to output near 0 Ω: shorted.
      On the board:
      An output at 0 V is often a shorted load with the regulator in current limit. Lift the output pin: if the short stays on the board, the regulator may be fine.
      Compare:
      The same regulator on another rail or another board shows the right voltages and the right resistances.
      Watch for:
      Makers put input, output and ground on different pins in the same package, so take them from this part's datasheet. Diode or ohms readings between its pins say little; check it powered.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor LP5907SNX2, opens in a new tab
    • LP5907SNX2.8NOPBG4printed CILDO regulator, 4 pins, Texas Instruments

      Printed CI on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

      What it is
      LDO regulator
      Maker
      Texas Instruments
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      4
      Details
      250mA, Low-Noise, Low-IQ LDO
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Voltage, board powered, black probe on ground. Then ohms with the power off.

      Working, it reads

      Input pin at the supply, output pin at its rated voltage, and the enable pin high if it has one.

      Dead, it reads

      • Output equal to the input: the pass element has shorted. Everything after it may have taken the full input.
      • Input present, enable high, no output: failed open, or holding itself off into a shorted load. Power off and measure output to ground.
      • Power off, input to output near 0 Ω: shorted.
      On the board:
      An output at 0 V is often a shorted load with the regulator in current limit. Lift the output pin: if the short stays on the board, the regulator may be fine.
      Compare:
      The same regulator on another rail or another board shows the right voltages and the right resistances.
      Watch for:
      Makers put input, output and ground on different pins in the same package, so take them from this part's datasheet. Diode or ohms readings between its pins say little; check it powered.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor LP5907SNX2.8NOPBG4, opens in a new tab
    • TESDA5V0U40P1Q0printed CIESD protection diode, Taiwan Semiconductor

      Printed CI on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

      What it is
      ESD protection diode
      Maker
      Taiwan Semiconductor
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      Not recorded
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Diode range, from the protected line to ground, part lifted if you can.

      Working, it reads

      A one-way part reads about 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse. A two-way part reads open both ways. Arrays with several lines read as the datasheet's diagram draws them.

      Dead, it reads

      • From the line to ground, the same reading both ways, near 0 V with a continuous beep: shorted.
      • A reading both ways on a one-way part: leaky.
      • A one-way part open both ways: failed open.
      On the board:
      On the board, a line reading shorted to ground can be this part or anything else on that line. Lift it: if the short goes with it, it has failed.
      Compare:
      The same part on the next line or connector pin is the healthy reading to compare with.
      Watch for:
      A two-way part reads open both ways when it is good, exactly like one that has failed open. The meter cannot tell them apart; an identical part on the next line can.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor TESDA5V0U40P1Q0, opens in a new tab
    • TPD1E05U06DPYprinted C1ESD protection diode, 2 pins, Texas Instruments

      Printed C1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

      What it is
      ESD protection diode
      Maker
      Texas Instruments
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      2
      Details
      TPDxE05U06 1, 4, 6 Channel ESD Protection Device for Super-Speed (Up to 6 Gbps) Interface
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Diode range, from the protected line to ground, part lifted if you can.

      Working, it reads

      A one-way part reads about 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse. A two-way part reads open both ways. Arrays with several lines read as the datasheet's diagram draws them.

      Dead, it reads

      • From the line to ground, the same reading both ways, near 0 V with a continuous beep: shorted.
      • A reading both ways on a one-way part: leaky.
      • A one-way part open both ways: failed open.
      On the board:
      On the board, a line reading shorted to ground can be this part or anything else on that line. Lift it: if the short goes with it, it has failed.
      Compare:
      The same part on the next line or connector pin is the healthy reading to compare with.
      Watch for:
      A two-way part reads open both ways when it is good, exactly like one that has failed open. The meter cannot tell them apart; an identical part on the next line can.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor TPD1E05U06DPY, opens in a new tab
    • TPS7A0222PDQNprinted GILDO regulator, 4 pins, Texas Instruments

      Printed GI on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

      What it is
      LDO regulator
      Maker
      Texas Instruments
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      4
      Details
      Nanopower IQ, 25-nA, 200-mA, Low-Dropout Voltage Regulator With Fast Transient Response
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Voltage, board powered, black probe on ground. Then ohms with the power off.

      Working, it reads

      Input pin at the supply, output pin at its rated voltage, and the enable pin high if it has one.

      Dead, it reads

      • Output equal to the input: the pass element has shorted. Everything after it may have taken the full input.
      • Input present, enable high, no output: failed open, or holding itself off into a shorted load. Power off and measure output to ground.
      • Power off, input to output near 0 Ω: shorted.
      On the board:
      An output at 0 V is often a shorted load with the regulator in current limit. Lift the output pin: if the short stays on the board, the regulator may be fine.
      Compare:
      The same regulator on another rail or another board shows the right voltages and the right resistances.
      Watch for:
      Makers put input, output and ground on different pins in the same package, so take them from this part's datasheet. Diode or ohms readings between its pins say little; check it powered.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor TPS7A0222PDQN, opens in a new tab
    • TPS7A0328PDQNprinted GLLDO regulator, 4 pins, Texas Instruments

      Printed GL on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

      What it is
      LDO regulator
      Maker
      Texas Instruments
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      4
      Details
      Nanopower IQ, 200nA, 200mA, Low-Dropout Voltage Regulator With Fast Transient Response
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Voltage, board powered, black probe on ground. Then ohms with the power off.

      Working, it reads

      Input pin at the supply, output pin at its rated voltage, and the enable pin high if it has one.

      Dead, it reads

      • Output equal to the input: the pass element has shorted. Everything after it may have taken the full input.
      • Input present, enable high, no output: failed open, or holding itself off into a shorted load. Power off and measure output to ground.
      • Power off, input to output near 0 Ω: shorted.
      On the board:
      An output at 0 V is often a shorted load with the regulator in current limit. Lift the output pin: if the short stays on the board, the regulator may be fine.
      Compare:
      The same regulator on another rail or another board shows the right voltages and the right resistances.
      Watch for:
      Makers put input, output and ground on different pins in the same package, so take them from this part's datasheet. Diode or ohms readings between its pins say little; check it powered.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor TPS7A0328PDQN, opens in a new tab
    • TPS7A0520PDQNprinted G1LDO regulator, 4 pins, Texas Instruments

      Printed G1 on the part. Easy to misread as CL. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

      What it is
      LDO regulator
      Maker
      Texas Instruments
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      4
      Details
      1-µA Ultralow IQ, 200-mA, Low-Dropout Regulator in a Small-Size Package
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Voltage, board powered, black probe on ground. Then ohms with the power off.

      Working, it reads

      Input pin at the supply, output pin at its rated voltage, and the enable pin high if it has one.

      Dead, it reads

      • Output equal to the input: the pass element has shorted. Everything after it may have taken the full input.
      • Input present, enable high, no output: failed open, or holding itself off into a shorted load. Power off and measure output to ground.
      • Power off, input to output near 0 Ω: shorted.
      On the board:
      An output at 0 V is often a shorted load with the regulator in current limit. Lift the output pin: if the short stays on the board, the regulator may be fine.
      Compare:
      The same regulator on another rail or another board shows the right voltages and the right resistances.
      Watch for:
      Makers put input, output and ground on different pins in the same package, so take them from this part's datasheet. Diode or ohms readings between its pins say little; check it powered.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor TPS7A0520PDQN, opens in a new tab
7 more parts have codes that begin with CL

Codes that begin with CL

For a marking with its end worn or burnt off. Each one shows its full printed code.

  • P4SMA62printed CLJSMATVS diode, 2 pins, Taiwan Semiconductor

    Printed CLJ. Only the start matches what you typed, so this fits only if the rest of the marking is worn off.

    What it is
    TVS diode
    Maker
    Taiwan Semiconductor
    Package
    SMA
    Pins
    2
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range, from the protected line to ground, part lifted if you can.

    Working, it reads

    A one-way part reads about 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse. A two-way part reads open both ways. Arrays with several lines read as the datasheet's diagram draws them.

    Dead, it reads

    • From the line to ground, the same reading both ways, near 0 V with a continuous beep: shorted.
    • A reading both ways on a one-way part: leaky.
    • A one-way part open both ways: failed open.
    On the board:
    On the board, a line reading shorted to ground can be this part or anything else on that line. Lift it: if the short goes with it, it has failed.
    Compare:
    The same part on the next line or connector pin is the healthy reading to compare with.
    Watch for:
    A two-way part reads open both ways when it is good, exactly like one that has failed open. The meter cannot tell them apart; an identical part on the next line can.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor P4SMA62, opens in a new tab
  • P4SMA62Hprinted CLJSMATVS diode, 2 pins, Taiwan Semiconductor

    Printed CLJ. Only the start matches what you typed, so this fits only if the rest of the marking is worn off.

    What it is
    TVS diode
    Maker
    Taiwan Semiconductor
    Package
    SMA
    Pins
    2
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range, from the protected line to ground, part lifted if you can.

    Working, it reads

    A one-way part reads about 0.6 to 0.8 V forward and open in reverse. A two-way part reads open both ways. Arrays with several lines read as the datasheet's diagram draws them.

    Dead, it reads

    • From the line to ground, the same reading both ways, near 0 V with a continuous beep: shorted.
    • A reading both ways on a one-way part: leaky.
    • A one-way part open both ways: failed open.
    On the board:
    On the board, a line reading shorted to ground can be this part or anything else on that line. Lift it: if the short goes with it, it has failed.
    Compare:
    The same part on the next line or connector pin is the healthy reading to compare with.
    Watch for:
    A two-way part reads open both ways when it is good, exactly like one that has failed open. The meter cannot tell them apart; an identical part on the next line can.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor P4SMA62H, opens in a new tab
  • SN74LVC1G57DCKprinted CL5SOT-363Logic gate, 6 pins, Texas Instruments

    Printed CL5. Only the start matches what you typed, so this fits only if the rest of the marking is worn off.

    What it is
    Logic gate
    Maker
    Texas Instruments
    Package
    SOT-363
    Pins
    6
    Details
    Configurable Multiple-Function Gate
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Voltage with the board powered; ohms from each pin to ground with it off.

    Working, it reads

    Supply pin at its voltage and the output doing what the datasheet says. Readings between pins depend on the part.

    Dead, it reads

    • A pin near 0 Ω to ground or to the supply pin where an identical part does not read that: failed short.
    • Supply present, output stuck: failed, or its load has.
    On the board:
    A pin shorted to ground on the board can be anything on that net. Lift the pin to be sure.
    Compare:
    The surest reference is the same IC on a working board, measured pin by pin.
    Watch for:
    Its protection diodes can read like junctions between pins, even like a transistor. That proves nothing either way.

    A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

    Datasheetfor SN74LVC1G57DCK, opens in a new tab
  • 4 more parts have no package on record
    • AOZ2379QIprinted CL00DC-DC converter, Alpha & Omega Semiconductor

      Printed CL00. Only the start matches what you typed, so this fits only if the rest of the marking is worn off.

      What it is
      DC-DC converter
      Maker
      Alpha & Omega Semiconductor
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      Not recorded
      Details
      Synchronous buck regulator
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Voltage with the board powered; ohms from each pin to ground with it off.

      Working, it reads

      Supply pin at its voltage and the output doing what the datasheet says. Readings between pins depend on the part.

      Dead, it reads

      • A pin near 0 Ω to ground or to the supply pin where an identical part does not read that: failed short.
      • Supply present, output stuck: failed, or its load has.
      On the board:
      A pin shorted to ground on the board can be anything on that net. Lift the pin to be sure.
      Compare:
      The surest reference is the same IC on a working board, measured pin by pin.
      Watch for:
      Its protection diodes can read like junctions between pins, even like a transistor. That proves nothing either way.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor AOZ2379QI, opens in a new tab
    • AOZ18103DI-01printed CL01Load switch, Alpha & Omega Semiconductor

      Printed CL01. Only the start matches what you typed, so this fits only if the rest of the marking is worn off.

      What it is
      Load switch
      Maker
      Alpha & Omega Semiconductor
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      Not recorded
      Details
      eFuse
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Voltage, board powered, black probe on ground.

      Working, it reads

      Switched on, the output pin sits at the input voltage. Switched off, it sits near 0 V.

      Dead, it reads

      • Output at the input voltage while switched off: the pass element has shorted.
      • Input present and switched on, no output: failed open, or shut down into a shorted load. Power off and measure output to ground.
      On the board:
      An output near 0 Ω to ground is usually the load. Lift the output pin to see which.
      Compare:
      If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
      Watch for:
      The pinout and whether the enable is active high or low differ between parts. The datasheet gives both.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor AOZ18103DI-01, opens in a new tab
    • AOZ18103DI-02printed CL02Load switch, Alpha & Omega Semiconductor

      Printed CL02. Only the start matches what you typed, so this fits only if the rest of the marking is worn off.

      What it is
      Load switch
      Maker
      Alpha & Omega Semiconductor
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      Not recorded
      Details
      eFuse
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Voltage, board powered, black probe on ground.

      Working, it reads

      Switched on, the output pin sits at the input voltage. Switched off, it sits near 0 V.

      Dead, it reads

      • Output at the input voltage while switched off: the pass element has shorted.
      • Input present and switched on, no output: failed open, or shut down into a shorted load. Power off and measure output to ground.
      On the board:
      An output near 0 Ω to ground is usually the load. Lift the output pin to see which.
      Compare:
      If an identical part sits elsewhere on the board, measure it the same way: that is what this one should read.
      Watch for:
      The pinout and whether the enable is active high or low differ between parts. The datasheet gives both.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor AOZ18103DI-02, opens in a new tab
    • SN74LVC1G57DRLprinted CL7Logic gate, 6 pins, Texas Instruments

      Printed CL7. Only the start matches what you typed, so this fits only if the rest of the marking is worn off.

      What it is
      Logic gate
      Maker
      Texas Instruments
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      6
      Details
      Configurable Multiple-Function Gate
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Voltage with the board powered; ohms from each pin to ground with it off.

      Working, it reads

      Supply pin at its voltage and the output doing what the datasheet says. Readings between pins depend on the part.

      Dead, it reads

      • A pin near 0 Ω to ground or to the supply pin where an identical part does not read that: failed short.
      • Supply present, output stuck: failed, or its load has.
      On the board:
      A pin shorted to ground on the board can be anything on that net. Lift the pin to be sure.
      Compare:
      The surest reference is the same IC on a working board, measured pin by pin.
      Watch for:
      Its protection diodes can read like junctions between pins, even like a transistor. That proves nothing either way.

      A dead part still carries its marking. A short or an open says it has failed, not that it is a different part.

      Datasheetfor SN74LVC1G57DRL, opens in a new tab

One code, several parts

Marking codes are not unique. In the standard code book, 6H on a SOT-23 is an NPN transistor, a varicap, an N-channel JFET, two digital transistors, a 3.6 V voltage detector: six parts from five makers. So a search shows the parts we hold under that code and under codes easily misread as it, with only the columns that tell them apart.

6Hon a SOT-23, in the code book
  • NPN transistor
  • Varicap
  • N-channel JFET
  • Digital transistor ×2
  • 3.6 V voltage detector

When more than one is left

Tap Help me choose. Up to 4 quick answers: whether the part has failed, then what separates the parts left. Those get ranked with the reasoning and a test that settles it. That uses one identification: 2 a month are free without an account, and 3 with a free account.

When you cannot read it

Tap the camera in the field. We read the characters, keep the ones we are unsure of, and search every reading. A photo too soft to read is turned back on your phone first; if it is the only one you can get, you can still send it.