Introduction
This teardown will show the process of taking a continuity tester apart. A continuity tester is a small electronic device that can be used to test a circuit for its open or closed state. The device operates by connecting the positive and negative leads to a circuit and pressing the small black button. If the red light illuminates, the circuit is closed. If it does not, the circuit is open.
This device was fabricated in a Cal Poly Manufacturing Engineering course. All of the resistors, the switch, the LED, and the IC chip were hand-soldered to the PCB.
What you need
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Not many tools needed here! Just grab your favorite Phillips head screwdriver.
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The best size for these small screws is a PH1.
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Connect the positive and negative leads to each other.
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Press the small black button
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Does the red light come on?
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Start with either side of the device and unscrew the Phillips head sheet metal screw.
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Remove the screw and set aside in a safe place.
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Flip over the device to the opposite side and repeat the sheet metal screw removal.
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Remove the battery connection on the top of the battery.
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Set battery aside
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Using the same screwdriver, unscrew one of the top screws that holds in the circuit board.
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With the nuts off of the screws, remove the two star washers and set them in your bowl of hardware.
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With the nuts and washers off, remove the circuit board from the top shell.
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This is a resistor. There are 5 of them on this board!
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Here we see the LED.
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This is the Texas Instruments IC Chip. It is the brain of the operation.
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This is the Panasonic switch.
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This is a little diode.
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These little spacers keep the circuit board from being smashed against the top shell.
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Using the best tool (your fingers) remove the first spacers from the screw.
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Sit back and observe your hard work.
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Arrange the parts for a nice pic for your portfolio!
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