Interview question

[T3C]

Alright I have limited information on this so I am hoping someone has seen this before. Has anyone had an interview question where they give you a diagram of a circuit board, and ask you to track down the bad componet?

I know that is not much to go on but I am hoping this is a common test. This is a question that is asked in technical positions (Network admin / Platform specialist ect)


Anyone have any idea's?

 

[eLiTeGoodGuy]

nope lol sorry

 

[pontifex]

look for a blown capacitor (i think thats what they're called) or maybe burn marks?

i don't know what else as a network admin you could look for on a circuit board.

 

[T3C]

Originally posted by: pontifex
look for a blown capacitor (i think thats what they're called) or maybe burn marks?

i don't know what else as a network admin you could look for on a circuit board.

Yeah I understand that, but there is some way that they actually want you to trace it following a path.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

I'm confused, is this a EE-type position interview? 😕

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: T3C

Originally posted by: pontifex
look for a blown capacitor (i think thats what they're called) or maybe burn marks?

i don't know what else as a network admin you could look for on a circuit board.

Yeah I understand that, but there is some way that they actually want you to trace it following a path.

😕
this isn't something a network admin would need to know.

 

[mugs]

Let me start by saying I have no experience designing, building, working with, or testing circuit boards beyond inserting cards into slots in my computer.

Use a voltmeter at different points to narrow down the location of the dead component?

 

[T3C]

Originally posted by: WhoBeDaPlaya
I'm confused, is this a EE-type position interview? 😕

This is NOT an EE position.

No, from what I understand it is more of a thinking question. One of those like the
"You have 9 balls, one of them is a heavier then the rest. What is the least number of times you can weigh them to find the heavier ball"
Puzzle like question. It just happens to be a circuit board as the puzzle.

Not so much technical as it is a thinking question.


I knew this was a long shot 😉

 

[slpaulson]

Typically I would check all the components with a dmm.

 

[blustori]

Originally posted by: T3C

Originally posted by: WhoBeDaPlaya
I'm confused, is this a EE-type position interview? 😕

This is NOT an EE position.

No, from what I understand it is more of a thinking question. One of those like the
"You have 9 balls, one of them is a heavier then the rest. What is the least number of times you can weigh them to find the heavier ball"
Puzzle like question. It just happens to be a circuit board as the puzzle.

Not so much technical as it is a thinking question.


I knew this was a long shot 😉

Isn't that the question with 8 balls and 1 of them is heavy?

 

[T3C]

Originally posted by: blustori

Originally posted by: T3C

Originally posted by: WhoBeDaPlaya
I'm confused, is this a EE-type position interview? 😕

This is NOT an EE position.

No, from what I understand it is more of a thinking question. One of those like the
"You have 9 balls, one of them is a heavier then the rest. What is the least number of times you can weigh them to find the heavier ball"
Puzzle like question. It just happens to be a circuit board as the puzzle.

Not so much technical as it is a thinking question.


I knew this was a long shot 😉

Isn't that the question with 8 balls and 1 of them is heavy?

Not sure,

back on topic.

 

[T3C]

Maybe someone from the night crew knows?

 

[doze]

Had to tell what the problem is from a diagram, maybe they want you to find a broken trace on the PCB?

 

[jimbob200521]

Check for the obvious things; blown caps, leaking electolite, things like that.

Example

Also, checking for what others have suggested is always good; burn marks, incomplete circuit paths, things like that.

I'm also curious; wtf kind of job would want something like that!? 😉 lol

 

[ppdes]

aren't there tools for this sort of thing? logic probes, triggered oscilloscopes, and whatnot. if you were an ee and knew how to put circuits together, you'd probably know how to check the components too.