brand@csgrad.cs.vt.edu (01/23/91)
In article <1962@atlas.tegra.COM> vail@tegra.COM (Johnathan Vail) writes: > >[...] I was working on a CD player and on the circuit >board was a normal looking glass diode, cathode band and all, that lit >up red. It wasn't an indicator, and had a normal D number like the >other real diodes on the board. > >Was the light emitted a side effect of the diode? I've seen this happen *once* with a normal signal diode (1N1418). I too was quite surprised, and I was disappointed when it went out after a bit. I soon found that it had been carrying a short across a 6V lantern battery. Suddenly the red-orange light wasn't nearly so puzzling. This can also be done with transistors, EEPROMS, Mylar-coated balloons... Seriously, this *could* be a valuable diagnostic; if the problem with the CD player produces a short-circuit through that diode, well, there you go. Oh, and don't forget to replace the diode after you fix the main problem; annealing isn't good for junctions. -jeffB (Jeff Brandenburg, Va. Tech CS) Master of 20W light-emitting small components brand@vtcc1.cc.vt.edu Meet the new age / same as the old age...