Most students run away from
science and technology
classes because they find it
difficult to use some of the
complex devices during
practicals. To help this set of
students, three students of St
Luke’s College Jos, Plateau
State, Ishaku Yohanna, Shutt
Noro and Olawuyi Toyin have
come up with a transistor
tester which they say is very
easy to use and does not
require a lot of technical
know-how. They spoke with
Vanguard Learning in Lagos.
Excerpts:
“A transistor tester is an
instrument used for testing
the electrical behaviour of
transistors and solid-state
diodes. This device which is
powered by 12-volts battery,
gives the precise and
accurate reading of an
electronic component,” said
the students.
Trassistor-Test
Components: “The
components are diodes,
resistor and transformer. The
resistor limits the flow of
current in the circuit. Most
students find it very difficult
to use digital multi-metre to
test the resistor, most
especially the transistor
because the transistor has
three terminals – emitter,
collector and base,” said
Shutt Noro.
Construction:
Explaining how the
transistor tester was made,
Olawuyi Toyin said; “We first
smoothened the surface of
the plywood with glass-
paper (sandpaper) so that
when you are drawing your
schematic diagram, you will
find it very easy. After
drawing your schematic
diagram, you shade the
points where you are going
to drive in your nails. You use
these nails because they are
conductors, so passing your
wires will be easy. When you
are driving the nails in, you
must ensure that they do not
touch each other.”
On why they embarked on
the project, Ishaku Yohanna
said that most students find
it very difficult to determine
whether a transistor is PNP
or NPN “but with this
transistor tester, there is no
need for you to start
exchanging terminals, you
just pick your transistor and
place it on one of the
terminals and when you do
that, it will indicate the green
light if it is PNP but if it is
NPN, it will indicate the red
light. The diode shows you
the direction of the flow of
current because diode
moves in only one direction
and it rectifies signals.”
“With this, we believe that
students who have lost much
interest in technology, will do
more than we have done
because this is just a
stepping stone. Most
students run away from
technology because they find
it difficult to use complex
devices but with this, it
becomes easier for them and
they will have more interest
in technology. We believe
we have written some
students’ happiness and
have erased their sorrows. If
we cannot be the pencil to
write people’s happiness, we
should at least be the eraser
to erase their sorrows,” said
Noro.