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How to Hook an Oscilloscope to a Board

Electrical devices work through the flow of charged particles known as electrons. There are two types of electricity and these are known as alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). Electrical signals can be measured using a device like an oscilloscope; this consists of a main unit with a number of controls and a screen to visualize the signal. AC signals flowing through printed circuit boards can be visualized, and this can aid in fault-testing the board.

Things You'll Need

Oscilloscope
BNC-to-banana-plug adaptor
Banana plug cables
Alligator clips

Instructions

- 1
  Connect the BNC-to-banana-plug adaptor to an input. There are normally two inputs on an oscilloscope and these are labelled "A" and "B." There are two outputs from the adaptor.
- 2
  Plug the banana plug cables into the two outputs. Connect the alligator clips to the remaining ends of the banana plug cables.
- 3
  Locate the point on the board that needs to be tested with the oscilloscope. Carefully connect the alligator clips to the relevant pins on the board.
- 4
  Switch on the oscilloscope and select the correct channel by pressing the "A" or "B" button. Adjust the "Volts/division" and "Time/division" controls in order to visualize the signal.

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