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3 parts are printed SB. 24 printed with a similar-looking code.

3 parts are printed SB

Not sure which one you have?

Answer up to 4 quick questions and these 3 parts are ranked, with a meter test that settles it. It works on a dead part too.

  • BSS138BKSOT-23N-channel MOSFET, 3 pins, Nexperia
    What it is
    N-channel MOSFET
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOT-23
    Pins
    3
    Details
    60 V, 360 mA N-channel Trench MOSFET
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

    Diode range, part lifted. Test drain to source first, then short gate to source and test again.

    Working, it reads

    Red probe on the source, black on the drain: about 0.4 to 0.9 V, the body diode. Open the other way. The gate reads open to both other pins, both ways.

    Dead, it reads

    • Drain to source the same both ways, near 0 V with a continuous beep, and still so after shorting gate to source: shorted. The classic failure.
    • The gate reads low to source or drain: gate shorted. Often all three pins end up shorted together.
    • No body diode at all: failed open.
    On the board:
    On the board the gate usually has a resistor to the source, so gate to source reads that resistor, which is not a fault. A drain short can be the load. Lift a leg to be sure.
    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 diode range can charge the gate enough to turn the part on, and then drain to source reads near 0 both ways on a good part. Short gate to source and test again before you condemn 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 BSS138BK, opens in a new tab
  • BZX84J-B13SOD-323Zener diode, 2 pins, Nexperia
    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOD-323
    Pins
    2
    Details
    13 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 BZX84J-B13, opens in a new tab
  • 1 more part has no package on record
    • TLV70718PDQNLDO regulator, 4 pins, Texas Instruments
      What it is
      LDO regulator
      Maker
      Texas Instruments
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      4
      Details
      200-mA, Low-IQ, Low-Noise, Low-Dropout Regulator for Portable Devices
      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 TLV70718PDQN, opens in a new tab
24 more parts are printed with a code easy to misread as SB

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.

  • BAT43Wprinted S8SOD-123Schottky diode, 2 pins, Taiwan Semiconductor

    Printed S8 on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Schottky diode
    Maker
    Taiwan Semiconductor
    Package
    SOD-123
    Pins
    2
    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 BAT43W, opens in a new tab
  • BAT43WSHprinted S8SOD-323Schottky diode, 2 pins, Taiwan Semiconductor

    Printed S8 on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Schottky diode
    Maker
    Taiwan Semiconductor
    Package
    SOD-323
    Pins
    2
    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 BAT43WSH, opens in a new tab
  • BAT43Xprinted S8SOD-523Schottky diode, 2 pins, JSCJ

    Printed S8 on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Schottky diode
    Maker
    JSCJ
    Package
    SOD-523
    Pins
    2
    Details
    Schottky diode, 30 V, 0.2 A
    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 BAT43X, opens in a new tab
  • BC807-25printed 5BSOT-23PNP transistor, 3 pins, Taiwan Semiconductor

    Printed 5B on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    PNP transistor
    Maker
    Taiwan Semiconductor
    Package
    SOT-23
    Pins
    3
    Details
    -45 V, -500 mA PNP small-signal transistor, gain group 25
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

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

    Working, it reads

    Black 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 BC807-25, opens in a new tab
  • BC807-25Hprinted 5BSOT-23PNP transistor, 3 pins, Taiwan Semiconductor

    Printed 5B on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    PNP transistor
    Maker
    Taiwan Semiconductor
    Package
    SOT-23
    Pins
    3
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

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

    Working, it reads

    Black 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 BC807-25H, opens in a new tab
  • BC807-25Wprinted 5BSOT-323PNP transistor, 3 pins, Nexperia

    Printed 5B on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    PNP transistor
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOT-323
    Pins
    3
    Details
    45 V, 500 mA PNP general-purpose transistor
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

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

    Working, it reads

    Black 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 BC807-25W, opens in a new tab
  • BC807-25WHprinted 5BSOT-323PNP transistor, 3 pins, Taiwan Semiconductor

    Printed 5B on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    PNP transistor
    Maker
    Taiwan Semiconductor
    Package
    SOT-323
    Pins
    3
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

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

    Working, it reads

    Black 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 BC807-25WH, opens in a new tab
  • BC807Uprinted 5BSOT-363PNP transistor, 6 pins, Infineon

    Printed 5B on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    PNP transistor
    Maker
    Infineon
    Package
    SOT-363
    Pins
    6
    Details
    Bipolar transistor, PNP
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

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

    Working, it reads

    Black 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 BC807U, opens in a new tab
  • BZT52C10printed 5BSOD-123FZener diode, 2 pins, Diotec

    Printed 5B on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Diotec
    Package
    SOD-123F
    Pins
    2
    Details
    SMD Planar Zener Diodes
    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 BZT52C10, opens in a new tab
  • BZX84-A5V1printed 58SOT-23Zener diode, 3 pins, Nexperia

    Printed 58 on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOT-23
    Pins
    3
    Details
    5.1 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-A5V1, opens in a new tab
  • BZX84-B4V7printed S8SOT-23Zener diode, 3 pins, Nexperia

    Printed S8 on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOT-23
    Pins
    3
    Details
    4.7 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 BZX84-B4V7, opens in a new tab
  • BZX84J-B10printed S8SOD-323Zener diode, 2 pins, Nexperia

    Printed S8 on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOD-323
    Pins
    2
    Details
    10 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 BZX84J-B10, opens in a new tab
  • BZX384B47printed 5BSOD-323Zener diode, 2 pins, Vishay

    Printed 5B on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Zener diode
    Maker
    Vishay
    Package
    SOD-323
    Pins
    2
    Details
    47 V 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 BZX384B47, opens in a new tab
  • PBSS301NXprinted 5BSOT-89NPN transistor, 3 pins, Nexperia

    Printed 5B on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    NPN transistor
    Maker
    Nexperia
    Package
    SOT-89
    Pins
    3
    Details
    12 V, 5.3 A NPN low VCEsat (BISS) 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 PBSS301NX, opens in a new tab
  • RB751V-40WSprinted S8SOD-323Schottky diode, 2 pins, Taiwan Semiconductor

    Printed S8 on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Schottky diode
    Maker
    Taiwan Semiconductor
    Package
    SOD-323
    Pins
    2
    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 RB751V-40WS, opens in a new tab
  • RB751V40GWprinted S8SOD-323Schottky diode, 2 pins, Diotec

    Printed S8 on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Schottky diode
    Maker
    Diotec
    Package
    SOD-323
    Pins
    2
    Details
    SMD Small Signal Schottky Diodes
    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 RB751V40GW, opens in a new tab
  • SD103CWprinted S8SOD-123Schottky diode, 2 pins, Panjit

    Printed S8 on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Schottky diode
    Maker
    Panjit
    Package
    SOD-123
    Pins
    2
    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 SD103CW, opens in a new tab
  • SD103CWSprinted S8SOD-323Schottky diode, 2 pins, Panjit

    Printed S8 on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

    What it is
    Schottky diode
    Maker
    Panjit
    Package
    SOD-323
    Pins
    2
    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 SD103CWS, opens in a new tab
  • EIA-96:58printed 580603Precision resistor (EIA-96 code), 2 pins

    Printed 58 on the part. Easy to misread as SB. 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 39.2; the printed mark adds a multiplier letter (58A = 392 Ohm, 58B = 3.92 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-96:58, opens in a new tab
  • 5 more parts have no package on record
    • BAR88-099LRHprinted S8PIN diode, Infineon

      Printed S8 on the part. Easy to misread as SB. 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 BAR88-099LRH, opens in a new tab
    • BAT15-04Wprinted S8Schottky diode, Infineon

      Printed S8 on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

      What it is
      Schottky 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 0.15 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 BAT15-04W, opens in a new tab
    • BZT52C15Kprinted S8Zener diode, Taiwan Semiconductor

      Printed S8 on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

      What it is
      Zener diode
      Maker
      Taiwan Semiconductor
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      Not recorded
      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 BZT52C15K, opens in a new tab
    • ESDUNH4V8B1printed 5BESD protection diode, JSCJ

      Printed 5B on the part. Easy to misread as SB. 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 4.8 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 ESDUNH4V8B1, opens in a new tab
    • VBUS05N1-DD1printed 5BESD protection diode, Vishay

      Printed 5B on the part. Easy to misread as SB. Check that character with a loupe before you order anything.

      What it is
      ESD protection diode
      Maker
      Vishay
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      Not recorded
      Details
      Ultra Low Capacitance Bidirectional Symmetrical (BiSy) Single Line ESD Protection Diode in DFN1006-2B
      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 VBUS05N1-DD1, opens in a new tab
23 more parts have codes that begin with SB

Codes that begin with SB

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

  • LM3671MF-1.2printed SBPBSOT-23-5DC-DC converter, 5 pins, Texas Instruments

    Printed SBPB. 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
    Texas Instruments
    Package
    SOT-23-5
    Pins
    5
    Details
    LM3671/-Q1 2-MHz, 600-mA Step-Down DC-DC Converter
    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 LM3671MF-1.2, opens in a new tab
  • LM3671MF-1.5printed SBRBSOT-23-5DC-DC converter, 5 pins, Texas Instruments

    Printed SBRB. 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
    Texas Instruments
    Package
    SOT-23-5
    Pins
    5
    Details
    LM3671/-Q1 2-MHz, 600-mA Step-Down DC-DC Converter
    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 LM3671MF-1.5, opens in a new tab
  • LM3671MF-1.8printed SBSBSOT-23-5DC-DC converter, 5 pins, Texas Instruments

    Printed SBSB. 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
    Texas Instruments
    Package
    SOT-23-5
    Pins
    5
    Details
    LM3671/-Q1 2-MHz, 600-mA Step-Down DC-DC Converter
    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 LM3671MF-1.8, opens in a new tab
  • LM3671MF-ADJprinted SBTBSOT-23-5DC-DC converter, 5 pins, Texas Instruments

    Printed SBTB. 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
    Texas Instruments
    Package
    SOT-23-5
    Pins
    5
    Details
    LM3671/-Q1 2-MHz, 600-mA Step-Down DC-DC Converter
    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 LM3671MF-ADJ, opens in a new tab
  • LM3671MFX-1.2printed SBPBSOT-23-5DC-DC converter, 5 pins, Texas Instruments

    Printed SBPB. 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
    Texas Instruments
    Package
    SOT-23-5
    Pins
    5
    Details
    LM3671/-Q1 2-MHz, 600-mA Step-Down DC-DC Converter
    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 LM3671MFX-1.2, opens in a new tab
  • LM3671MFX-1.8printed SBSBSOT-23-5DC-DC converter, 5 pins, Texas Instruments

    Printed SBSB. 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
    Texas Instruments
    Package
    SOT-23-5
    Pins
    5
    Details
    LM3671/-Q1 2-MHz, 600-mA Step-Down DC-DC Converter
    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 LM3671MFX-1.8, opens in a new tab
  • LM3671MFX-ADJprinted SBTBSOT-23-5DC-DC converter, 5 pins, Texas Instruments

    Printed SBTB. 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
    Texas Instruments
    Package
    SOT-23-5
    Pins
    5
    Details
    LM3671/-Q1 2-MHz, 600-mA Step-Down DC-DC Converter
    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 LM3671MFX-ADJ, opens in a new tab
  • TPS715A01DRVprinted SBEWSONLDO regulator, 6 pins, Texas Instruments

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

    What it is
    LDO regulator
    Maker
    Texas Instruments
    Package
    WSON
    Pins
    6
    Details
    80-mA, 24-V, 3.2-μA Quiescent Current, Low-Dropout 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 TPS715A01DRV, opens in a new tab
  • 5KASMC12Aprinted 5BESMCTVS diode, 2 pins, Vishay

    Printed 5BE. 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
    Vishay
    Package
    SMC
    Pins
    2
    Details
    5000 W TVS diode, unidirectional
    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 5KASMC12A, opens in a new tab
  • 5KASMC13Aprinted 5BGSMCTVS diode, 2 pins, Vishay

    Printed 5BG. 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
    Vishay
    Package
    SMC
    Pins
    2
    Details
    5000 W TVS diode, unidirectional
    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 5KASMC13A, opens in a new tab
  • 5KASMC16Aprinted 5BPSMCTVS diode, 2 pins, Vishay

    Printed 5BP. 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
    Vishay
    Package
    SMC
    Pins
    2
    Details
    5000 W TVS diode, unidirectional
    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 5KASMC16A, opens in a new tab
  • 5KASMC17Aprinted 5BRSMCTVS diode, 2 pins, Vishay

    Printed 5BR. 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
    Vishay
    Package
    SMC
    Pins
    2
    Details
    5000 W TVS diode, unidirectional
    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 5KASMC17A, opens in a new tab
  • 5KASMC18Aprinted 5BTSMCTVS diode, 2 pins, Vishay

    Printed 5BT. 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
    Vishay
    Package
    SMC
    Pins
    2
    Details
    5000 W TVS diode, unidirectional
    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 5KASMC18A, opens in a new tab
  • 5KASMC20Aprinted 5BVSMCTVS diode, 2 pins, Vishay

    Printed 5BV. 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
    Vishay
    Package
    SMC
    Pins
    2
    Details
    5000 W TVS diode, unidirectional
    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 5KASMC20A, opens in a new tab
  • 5KASMC22Aprinted 5BXSMCTVS diode, 2 pins, Vishay

    Printed 5BX. 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
    Vishay
    Package
    SMC
    Pins
    2
    Details
    5000 W TVS diode, unidirectional
    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 5KASMC22A, opens in a new tab
  • 5KASMC24Aprinted 5BZSMCTVS diode, 2 pins, Vishay

    Printed 5BZ. 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
    Vishay
    Package
    SMC
    Pins
    2
    Details
    5000 W TVS diode, unidirectional
    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 5KASMC24A, opens in a new tab
  • BC858Aprinted 58ASOT-23PNP transistor, 3 pins, Panjit

    Printed 58A. Only the start matches what you typed, so this fits only if the rest of the marking is worn off.

    What it is
    PNP transistor
    Maker
    Panjit
    Package
    SOT-23
    Pins
    3
    Details
    -30 V PNP small-signal transistor, gain group A
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

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

    Working, it reads

    Black 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 BC858A, opens in a new tab
  • BC858A-AUprinted 58ASOT-23Transistor, 3 pins, Panjit

    Printed 58A. Only the start matches what you typed, so this fits only if the rest of the marking is worn off.

    What it is
    Transistor
    Maker
    Panjit
    Package
    SOT-23
    Pins
    3
    Details
    Bipolar transistor
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

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

    Working, it reads

    From the base, one probe colour 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 BC858A-AU, opens in a new tab
  • BC858AWprinted 58ASOT-323Transistor, 3 pins, Panjit

    Printed 58A. Only the start matches what you typed, so this fits only if the rest of the marking is worn off.

    What it is
    Transistor
    Maker
    Panjit
    Package
    SOT-323
    Pins
    3
    Details
    SMD General Purpose PNP Transistors
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

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

    Working, it reads

    From the base, one probe colour 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 BC858AW, opens in a new tab
  • BC858Bprinted 58BSOT-23PNP transistor, 3 pins, Panjit

    Printed 58B. Only the start matches what you typed, so this fits only if the rest of the marking is worn off.

    What it is
    PNP transistor
    Maker
    Panjit
    Package
    SOT-23
    Pins
    3
    Details
    -30 V PNP small-signal transistor, gain group B
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

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

    Working, it reads

    Black 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 BC858B, opens in a new tab
  • BC858B-AUprinted 58BSOT-23Transistor, 3 pins, Panjit

    Printed 58B. Only the start matches what you typed, so this fits only if the rest of the marking is worn off.

    What it is
    Transistor
    Maker
    Panjit
    Package
    SOT-23
    Pins
    3
    Details
    Bipolar transistor
    Source
    From the manufacturer's datasheet

    Is it dead?

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

    Working, it reads

    From the base, one probe colour 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 BC858B-AU, opens in a new tab
  • 2 more parts have no package on record
    • AON5802BGprinted 5802BGMOSFET, Alpha & Omega Semiconductor

      Printed 5802BG. Only the start matches what you typed, so this fits only if the rest of the marking is worn off.

      What it is
      MOSFET
      Maker
      Alpha & Omega Semiconductor
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      Not recorded
      Details
      Low-voltage (12-30 V) MOSFET
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Diode range, part lifted. Test drain to source first, then short gate to source and test again.

      Working, it reads

      One way between drain and source reads about 0.4 to 0.9 V, the body diode, and the other way open. The gate reads open to both other pins.

      Dead, it reads

      • Drain to source the same both ways, near 0 V with a continuous beep, and still so after shorting gate to source: shorted. The classic failure.
      • The gate reads low to source or drain: gate shorted.
      • No body diode at all: failed open.
      On the board:
      On the board the gate usually has a resistor to the source, which reads as that resistor and is not a fault. Lift a leg to be sure.
      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 diode range can charge the gate enough to turn the part on, and then drain to source reads near 0 both ways on a good part. Short gate to source and test again before you condemn 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 AON5802BG, opens in a new tab
    • AON5816printed 5816Dual N-channel MOSFET, Alpha & Omega Semiconductor

      Printed 5816. Only the start matches what you typed, so this fits only if the rest of the marking is worn off.

      What it is
      Dual N-channel MOSFET
      Maker
      Alpha & Omega Semiconductor
      Package
      Not recorded
      Pins
      Not recorded
      Details
      Common-drain dual N-channel battery MOSFET
      Source
      From the manufacturer's datasheet

      Is it dead?

      Diode range, part lifted. Test drain to source first, then short gate to source and test again. Test each MOSFET on its own pins, as the datasheet's pinout gives them.

      Working, it reads

      Red probe on the source, black on the drain: about 0.4 to 0.9 V, the body diode. Open the other way. The gate reads open to both other pins, both ways.

      Dead, it reads

      • Drain to source the same both ways, near 0 V with a continuous beep, and still so after shorting gate to source: shorted. The classic failure.
      • The gate reads low to source or drain: gate shorted. Often all three pins end up shorted together.
      • No body diode at all: failed open.
      On the board:
      On the board the gate usually has a resistor to the source, so gate to source reads that resistor, which is not a fault. A drain short can be the load. Lift a leg to be sure.
      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 diode range can charge the gate enough to turn the part on, and then drain to source reads near 0 both ways on a good part. Short gate to source and test again before you condemn 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 AON5816, 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.