When it comes to repairing electronics I to an extent have it under control. However, I can't do as many people do and look at a board and know what it is used for I just find the broken component and fix it. It is all good and such til you need to know how to fix a board that seems perfectly fine or resolder wires that became disconnected. I work in an area where there are no schematics for what I do. I recently had to learn transistors npn and pnp to get a clue (still am unsure about the blue wire).
I still have no clue what the board does and that is one thing I would like to be able to figure out by looking at the board. I see people do it all the time they see the power goes in, goes through x components (I know the name of most) thus it equals this type of board thus if it seems to be doing this it should be x reason check-in x area. I just look and see if there are messed up components etc and hope that is the answer which isn't the case always.
I have an X-box plug that I have no clue what went wrong (cheap ones). It has 120 volts coming in but not 12v coming out all parts look brand new the solder joints are crappy but no cracks. I have no clue what is wrong because I do not know the story entire of the board. I know it comes in 120v ac goes through a component eventually hits a transformer turns into the 12v and I dunno why the rest of the components exists. I know some smooth it out. I dunno what splits it into a 12v and 5v. I do not know a good way to test it without 120v coursing through it which I honestly do not want to do.
I have a weird gap in my electronic know how is there a video series on how a board tells a story per se instead of just look for this to repair it. Sometimes I need to be able to figure out what a board does so I can fix it be it wires popped off, or an X box power supply. Neither have schematics and the x box power supply boards change from each one because of pricing. One was smothered in roaches so that one is probably obvious and the other was clean. Albeit after cleaning the roaches out the parts looked brand new, no bulging caps, no burnt resistors, the joints were shoddy but they were not cracked.
Ben does a decent job of showing a talent like this he may do research I am unsure but I have seen others (bigclivedotcom) pick up a board and instantly knows that goes to x and go hmm... that circuitry is for w and this is for y but this one is an oddity on z it is probably used for A, and they just took it off something random without usually looking at the schematics. I do not even know why the companies choose some components they do instead of others that would do as good as a job or seem like they would.
I am going to try and give you a pic of a board (bad quality but my phones camera is not the best) and you will see immediately what goes to what and how the board works and why it works how it works. I see a board that has parts I know how the parts work partially and I know where some wires need to be resolder back on and the rest of the wires will need to be probed to even figure out what they do and where to put them if I figure it out. I wish to have your eyes and brains to be able to instantly know this stuff. I know I have been redundant but I also I know I am not the best at explaining myself so I end up explaining myself twice in different ways hoping I convey the message.
*Sidenote if it helps: This board goes to a Halloween decoration it makes sound and has two LEDs for eyes. The switch I believe is a double pole double throw you flip it one way it makes sound and lights up, you flip it another it just lights up. I personally almost feel the board is unnecessary if not for that chip hiding under the black resin. Which is most likely where the sounds are housed. I wish to repair it to firstly save money and secondly learn. That's about it. Thanks for any help.