First, let me take you through how I cracked it open--the fun part.
The Fun Part
It was deceivingly difficult to open the charger up. I had assumed that because of the ridge at the top of the charger, all I would have to do is pop it off. In my head, all this took was some pliers and maybe a hammer.
In reality, it took two people, two Youtube videos, an Exacto knife and a hammer.Placing the Exacto knife on the ridge, we were able to hammer it open and free the green chip.
Examining the Green Side
There was not too much I was 100% familiar with yet- but by combining resources from lectures, and with additional research- I was able to identify the main aspects of the charger.
First, I noticed at least 2 diodes. These are the larger black squares-one in the lower left corner and the other in the middle of the plate. Diodes block currents in one direction while also allowing current to flow from the other direction. Therefore I can then assume that one of these diodes is positive, which flows the current to another negative side. The majority of diodes are made from silicon.
The majority of the components we discussed in class were found on the reverse side.
Examining the "Flip Side"
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| Front View |
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| Back View |
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| Birds Eye View |
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| USB Port View |
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| Green Capacitor View |
I decided to display the components in the same orderly fashion that I examined them in-giving you a better visualization of the integral parts of this electronic device.
Looking first at the Bird's Eye view, I can clearly identify the flyback transformer - this is the component inside the big square-it is wrapped up in blue. This transformer is able to convert voltage levels. Perhaps this is then used in a charger in order to increase the voltage, making your devices charge faster.
Now with the "Front View", the two silver cylinder-like components look like Capacitors.
To be more specific, I believe these to be, Tantalum Electrolytic. What makes these capacitors unique is their ability to harness a lot of capacitance in a small volume. These types of capacitors are suited for equipment which requires a high voltage. Therefore I can conclude that the manufactures use of these powerful capacitors was to ensure the product will stay intact no matter the voltage it is subject too.
The "Back View" of the object displays a solid gold Resistor.
These components limit the flow of electrons through a current using their electrical resistance. This electrical resistance is measured in ohms. Resistors are color coded which allows us to determine the value, multiplier and tolerance of the component. With this Resistor being solid gold, the only thing I know for sure is that is has a ±5%. Because no Resister is perfect the tolerance indicates how much more or less the actual resistor can be compared to its normal value. Moving on to the last two sections "USB Port View" and "Green Capacitor View", there is not much more to talk about. Both sides include Capacitors, one blue and one green. While their properties differ, I will assume that their function is similar to the Capacitor discussed in the "Front View."
From the "USB Port View" you can see where their USB cable is inserted into-this was the only component I was able to confidently identify. And from the "Green Capacitor View" you can also see another angle of the flyback transformer.
Final Thoughts..
Breaking down the components of the Samsung Charger was a far less intimidating approach. Having now completed it, I can understand why this was our first assignment. It forces you to go out of your comfort zone, and realize you know a lot more than you think. Before I began to go through the aspects of the charger everything appeared foreign to me- I assumed this assignment would be impossible to complete- but after a few "Sparkfun" searches I was able to apply it with our lecture content in order to make sense of the components that make up a Samsung Charger.
While I realize it is far more complex then I have identified above, I am content and proud with this start!
