Hi this is probably a really simple question for you guys but I've looked all over the place trying to find out what are some of the components on a faulty motherboard I have. They are next to the power input on the board and are named as PL(then a number) PC(then a number) and PR(then a number)
I'm trying to find out because the board doesn't recognize any power input. I thought there may be a board fuse or something but I can't tell what I'm looking at to follow the power.
The PC is a SMD Capacitor
The PL is a SMD Inductor
The PR is a SMD Resistor
I think he knows his stuff.
I've just got to figure out how to test a capacitor. I have a multimeter with a cap testing function but I'm unable to tell what the capacitor should read.
Does anyone know if you should get continuity across a capacitor?
getting continuity on a capacitor indicates it is defective.
However to get accurate measurement results one of two connections on the PCB should be removed.
E.g. if a capacitor is connected with a resistor in parallel you will measure the resistor instead of the capacitor when using the Ohm range on your DMM.
Mainboards are usually multilayer boards and desoldering a through hole part will probably destroy one of the inner layers (which you won't realize while desoldering).
If the power supply is good and the PC doesn't even start booting you most likely have a defective CPU (or corroded contacts in the CPU socket).
You might remove the CPU and use a Q-tip dunk in pure alcohol and distribute that in small doses onto the socket and also the CPU pins. Wait about 15 minutes to reinsert the CPU when the alcohol has evaporized 100% and try again.
Repeat the same procedure with the DDR-RAM.
If this didn't help I suggest to cannibalize the board and purchase a new one.
Saying that though there is one near the battery connections that has continuity. Its still attached to the board though so it could be looping back round somewhere.