I recently got a whole bag of electronic parts from a friend. Mainly made of resistors and diodes. I found two little pieces that I don't know what they are. They look like diodes except they are completly clear with two red strips on one side. They don't emit light or do anything noticable when hooked up to a small power source. Please give ideas as to what this could be.
2006-11-06 16:08:45 · 6 answers · asked by bmlbytes 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
Oh I'm sorry. I don't have a working volt or ohm tester right now. Mine just broke.
2006-11-06 16:21:39 · update #1
There are also no other markings on it. No numbers or letters.
2006-11-06 16:22:28 · update #2
The answer to my question was signal diode. I found it by searching in google pictures zener diode. It showed a picture of 4 different diodes, one being the signal diode.
2006-11-06 16:26:14 · update #3
If you have an OHM meter just ohm them. If, they Diodes you will see a reading in one direction, then change the leads around and you not get a reading. They sound like diodes to me. Resistors will have more than 2 colored strips. If I remember correct it 4.
2006-11-06 16:18:01 · answer #1 · answered by Snaglefritz 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It almost certainly is not a resistor. They are possibly Zener diodes. Zener diodes are diodes that are designed to be used in reverse, therefore opperating in their breakdown mode. I am no expert, but there is some point where diodes will allow flow in their reverse bias. I could be wrong, but I think that's what they are.
Also, if you look closely at the part, it might have writing that gives a verry ambiguous description of the make, or part number.
You may try searching for Zener Diode on yahoo pictures or google pictures. Maybe it'll resemble those.
2006-11-07 00:20:13 · answer #2 · answered by Ryan R 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They sound like diodes. If you check them with an ohmmeter and they exhibit the same resistance when you change polarity, they're resistors. If they exhibit high resistance on one direction and low in the other, they're diodes. By the way, put a known resistance in series when you check them in order to limit the current (in case they're diodes). If they show extremely high resistance both ways, they could be varactors (voltage variable capacitors). But they're probably diodes if they're clear and the red stripes are to show the polarity. I think it's the anode that they mark.
2006-11-07 00:28:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Try measuring the resistance with the lead polarity reversed. If you get the same reading each way, they are resistors. If different resistance, diodes.
2006-11-07 00:19:19 · answer #4 · answered by Steve 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you examine them with a magnifying glass and can see a tiny wire inside, making connections. It is most likely a point contact germaniun signal diode. Elsewise it's a junction silicon signal diode. Those are my educated guesses.
2006-11-09 01:43:55 · answer #5 · answered by charley128 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Resistors can change amount of electricity flowing through wire I think. Diodes allow electricity to flow only one way like one way streets.
2006-11-07 00:14:32 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋