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Author Topic: Measuring transistor Hfe  (Read 11591 times)

2tonewarrior

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Measuring transistor Hfe
« on: August 01, 2012, 05:51:46 PM »
Another quick transistor question  ;D

Is it possible to test the Hfe of a transistor with a multimeter WITHOUT a transistor test socket? Or maybe with some easy circuit?

Thanks in advance
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mgwhit

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Re: Measuring transistor Hfe
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2012, 06:07:52 PM »
R.G. Keen's article Picking transistors for FF Clones has a good circuit for measuring PNP Germanium transistors.  It can easily be adapted for NPNs.
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joegagan

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Re: Measuring transistor Hfe
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2012, 09:26:05 PM »
the multimeters from harbor freight have hfe testing and trans sockets. they are under 10 bucks, and they seem to give reasonably good readings.

^^^ above was for Si. Ge trans, see the RG article linked above.
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2tonewarrior

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Re: Measuring transistor Hfe
« Reply #3 on: August 02, 2012, 12:27:41 PM »
Thanks for the info, Mr. Keen is always present to solve the doubts   :)

I should have bought a good cheap MM when I started with electronics but I bought a bad, cheap MM in a local store. For now I want to make the most out of mine, but IŽll keep the advice for the future.
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Bret608

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Re: Measuring transistor Hfe
« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2012, 11:29:35 AM »
My Harbor Freight DMM does seem to give reasonable readings on silicon transistors. I've only tried a couple of germaniums with it, but I can't seem to get a reading.
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icecycle66

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Re: Measuring transistor Hfe
« Reply #5 on: August 28, 2012, 02:38:03 PM »
My meter counts backwards to some apperantly unrelated number when I try to measure Hfe.
 
What's up with that?
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murdog47

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Re: Measuring transistor Hfe
« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2012, 06:55:30 PM »
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atreidesheir

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Re: Measuring transistor Hfe
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2012, 09:24:03 PM »
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