Identify motorola transistor - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: Cyclotron
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 03, 2025, 06:53:56 pm
content: I bought an electronics workbench on the FB marketplace and found some old components from when it was used at a GE factory.I've been attempting to identify these transistors in the attached image, but so far, no luck.Does anyone recognize them?

author: fzabkar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2025, 08:00:31 pm
content: Could it be this?https://www.datasheetarchive.com/datasheet/2N1993/Motorola?id=b469800425cb3ff7&term=2n1993

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2025, 09:27:44 pm
content: Quote from: fzabkar on January 03, 2025, 08:00:31 pmProbably not, as that is a Germanium transistor in a TO-39 metal can package.It's possible it's a house coded generic part, labelled for GE.David

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2025, 09:44:07 pm
content: Certainly custom marking. No telling what they are.

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2025, 10:14:26 pm
content: We would commonly have them mark parts for us where I worked. I too suspect this is what you have. We would do this even with standard parts. It may be a common part.Start by checking if they are NPN, Darlington...Case is not the common EBC and I doubt they made too many TO92 case style 14(?). Download a copy of their old 1980's small signal transistor databook. Search for the case style. Should narrow it down pretty fast. If you can't Google find a databook, let me know as I am sure I have a PDF somewhere.In the end, do you really care? Do you have a few reels or something and you have a need?

author: Cyclotron
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 04, 2025, 12:48:29 am
content: Quote from: joeqsmith on January 03, 2025, 10:14:26 pmIt is a case of curiosity only. I found little bits of circuits and such that I just know some engineer made for testing or manufacturing harness. A bunch of random components and these. I will test them and determine their nature but again, its all a case of curiousity.Unless they are some "unobtaninium" part (doubtful) in which case they might be useful to someone.

author: CaptDon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2025, 01:35:12 am
content: Any chance it is 2SC1993 I checked the NEC specs and it looks right. Also, I would have to look at my old cross reference guide for ECG/NTE parts but as I recall GE, Sylvania and Zenith had a common prefix for there parts. I think one of them was 151 so with the transistor you have in the picture the 151 becomes assumed and the stock number becomes 1511993 or possibly 151-1993. The parts were ONLY marked with the last four digits. I could do some more digging since I have the old ECG cross reference catalogs. They are handy since they show the case diagrams and other useful data. I also have all 3 ECG technical manuals!! Nearly 1000 pages in each!!

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2025, 01:48:40 am
content: this one ?https://www.datasheetcatalog.com/datasheets_pdf/2/N/1/9/2N1993.shtmlyep there was a time if not mistaken 2n ....do you have some component tester ? at least in diode mode of a dmm, you could read the junction voltage

author: schmitt trigger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2025, 01:54:03 am
content: Did Motorola second-source Japanese transistors?Who knows. But if I were to bet money on it, I would say they are private-labeled devices. In another company I worked for, they also had that practice. It helps when they were buying millions of devices a year.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2025, 01:55:44 am
content: ?

author: CaptDon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2025, 02:02:42 am
content: I edited my earlier post, check it!

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2025, 11:13:55 am
content: Quote from: coromonadalix on January 04, 2025, 01:48:40 amSee reply #2, wrong package & material.There are some small transistors in the TO-92 package with ECB lead configuration, such as the 2N370x (aka MPS370x) series, 2N3391 is another I remember, but the OP hasn't checked what type of transistor (NPN, PNP) they are yet.David

author: Cyclotron
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 05, 2025, 07:54:59 pm
content: Quote from: factory on January 04, 2025, 11:13:55 amI'm sorry, I got sidetracked.my DSO-TC3 claims it is a PNP., hFE=262, Vbe=0.76v, Ic=2.3mA

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 05, 2025, 08:35:18 pm
content: Could be 2N3702, 2N4058 to 2N4062 (minus 2N4060), there are probably others that match the pinout and spec.David