Transistor madness

[mlabbee]

So I've managed to build a wonderful TS clone, but I can't get a dang treble booster to work for me!!!  I think it's because I can't get the pins sorted out on the transistors - is there an easy way to figure this out? And if you do reverse the pins by mistake, will a wrong hookup fry the transistor?

[petemoore]

.What transistor and what circuit.
 Sometimes just sticking them in different ways in My DMM's hfe checker [it has a socket with 6 or 8 holes and related C's B's and E's markings...for checking pnp and npn] this often tells the pinout, also you can find emitter diode pins and direction in the transistor with the DMM set for diode checker and the test leads/

[mlabbee]

About every variation on the Rangemaster I could find with a tested transistor from small bear and some regular pnp transistors from mouser.

How will the hfe test on the DMM tell you the pinouts - will it just not read anything until you get the right combination?

[niftydog]

Easiest way is to download the datasheet for the transistor. But, there are other ways.

booty

basically, grab a multimeter and...

You'll measure high resistance from collector to emitter and from emitter to collector. Thus, find a pair that measures high in both directions and the remaining one is the base.

Now, lick your thumb and forefinger and grab the base and one other pin between them - but not so that they make contact. (the idea is to put your wet skin resistance between the base and the other pin). Put your multimeter on the diode test setting.

Now, for NPN (PNP reverse the leads) touch the red lead to the pin in your fingers that is NOT the base; and the black lead to the other unknown pin. Note the voltage drop on the multimeter. Now, swap the unknown pin in your finger for the other unknown pin and do the same test. Note the voltage drop.

The pin that has the lower voltage drop is the collector.

Beta can also be roughly compared between similar type transistors using this method. You'll get more consistent results by replacing your wet skin with a known resistor (100kohm).

I hope I explained that well enough...