How to Troubleshoot PCB Faults?

Common PCB failure problems can be divided into: poor PCB design, damage to electronic components, poor quality of components, short circuits, etc. Then, when the PCB fails, how to troubleshoot it?

Common PCB faults are mainly concentrated on components such as capacitors, resistors, inductors, as well as integrated chips and crystal oscillators. To judge whether these components are faulty, we can observe them through eyes. If there are obvious burn marks on the surface of damaged electronic components, such faults can be solved by directly replacing the defective components with new ones.

However, not all damage to electonic components can be observed with the naked eye. What should we do when the components are damaged and there are no visible burn masks on the surface?

We can use professional inspection tools for maintenance, such as multimeters, capacitance meters, etc. When it is detected that the voltage or current of an electronic component is not within the normal range, it indicates that there is a problem with the component, we can directly replace it, and then check whether it is normal.

So, what should we do when the PCB doesn’t work normally and eye nor tools cannot detect the failure? Do we need to replace a PCB?

In fact, in this situation, many time it is because of the problem the coordination of various components during the installation process of components, which may lead to unstable performance. So, in this case, the instrument has been unable to play a role. However, we can try to judge the possibility of the fault according to the current and voltage, and try to narrow the scope as much as possible, but we cannot be 100% sure which component has a problem. The only solution: Try to replace the suspect component until the faulty component is identified. After that, you can decide if you need to replace a new PCB.

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