On Jan 29, 2:11*pm, "hr(bob) "
wrote:
On Jan 29, 12:43*pm, Chris wrote:

I think I might have toasted a/some transistor/s last night. *I
dropped a test probe into my tape deck, and saw sparks. *I put it back
together to check everything and the transport motor was running
slow. *In the power inverter there is a blueish looking 2N1542, and
some strange metallic crystal deposits on the inside of the case
around this transistor. *The transistors in the inverter check good.
They both have a lower forward bias voltage .18V, but I am assuming
that this is due to the fact that it is either a power transistor or a
Germanium transistor. *However, I have had transistors check good with
on the diode setting of my DVM and they actually turned out to be
bad. *Any advice?

Thanks,
Chris KQ6UP

If there are crystal-like deposits, look for a bad electrolytic that
could have "popped" and caused them.

There were no caps under the cover of the inverter. Really strange.
I purchased 2 new transistors (there are two in a push/pull
configuration). However, I am hesitant to install them as they were
$20/transistor. The discolored transistor tests good.

Thanks,
Chris