1960's era transistors - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: matseng
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 09:41:28 am
content: I'm currently planning and testing out parts for some retro-design products. And I trying to find some generic power transistors that is still available some mainstream suppliers.Like the BC107 (not a power transistor) that have been around since the 60's and can still be bought for a reasonable price at Element14 - still in the nice metal TO18 style can.The famous go-to power transistor 2n3055 have also been around for 50 years and are still used in cheap chinese power supplies. But it is kinda too big and and hefty for driving small lightbulbs, relays and smaller motors. And the BC107 with its whimpy 100mA is a bit too low.So I'd like to find something that can handle like 500mA to an amp or so, and can dissipate, say, 5 watts - and was introduced when most of you was not even born yet - and still available at regular suppliers :-) Any ideas?

author: rollatorwieltje
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 09:52:02 am
content: 2n2222a is still available in TO-18 case, introduced in the 60's.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 10:01:52 am
content: Most 5W transistors came in the same TO3 package as the 2N2955 and 2N3055. Some came in the similar shaped, but smaller, TO66 package. It sounds like you consider the obvious package, the TO220, a little too modern, although it existed in the late 60s. :-)

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 10:04:04 am
content: 2N2222 and 2N2219 are the same die but different packages, and both are good relay and lamp drivers. If you need more than 800mA then look at the TO220 packages, like the Tip29/30/31/32, as they are good for power driving, but still compact for switching without a heatsink.the 2N2222 is also available in plastic, but at lower ratings, 500mA there, as the PN2222.

author: matseng
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 10:24:01 am
content: I didn't even consider the 2n2222 - it sounded far too modern. But it might be a very good choice for loads with medium power requirements.The TIP-series today is a common somewhat higher power standard BJT, but did they exist back in end end of the sixties?If I want to parallel a few BJT's to increase the capacity I'd probably need balancing resistors to avoid thermal runaway in one of them. Are there any "rules of thumb" to calculate the (more or less) optimal resistor value?

author: Pjotr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 10:59:58 am
content: Come on, 2N2219/2N2222 are made from the early 60-ties on! They can switch up to 800 mA.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 11:14:51 am
content: 2N2222 too modern?they have been the mainstay of the space program nearly since the beginning, and have been used on every space craft built, at least starting in the late 1960's, and they are still made and space qualified. Every prove ever launched by the USA has had them in them somewhere, as switches, power control, drivers and amplifiers. 2N2222AJANTX is expensive, but even the regular production run devices are capable of passing the certification process, as they are made on the same line, just go through the additional 3 month certification process.

author: HKJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 11:16:29 am
content: What about the BD135..BD140 series, they are also fairly old.

author: Kleinstein
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 11:24:32 am
content: There is also the 2N1613 - similar to 2N2222, but in a TO39 and likely a little older.If you search a little one might still get a few AD161 / AD162 germanium small power transistors. They were quite popular in car - radios.

author: matseng
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 11:30:05 am
content: SeanB & Pjotr - I think you both missed the word "sounded" in my first sentence. To me it sounded to modern, but apparently it's an old device. I distinctly remember the BC10x-series from my childhood back in the seventies, but I can't recall reading about the 2n2222 until much later.The 2n3055 I used frequently in experimentation building PSU's and removing the top of dead ones and using them as inefficient solarcells.

author: matseng
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 11:44:12 am
content: Quote from: HKJ on June 16, 2015, 11:16:29 amMy Google-fu is usually quite strong, but I have a hard time coming up with keywords to find datasheets or mentions that that tells the release date of the transistors.If I could find a scanned parts catalogue back from late sixties/early seventies it will be easier. Too bad I chucked my copies of them decades ago :-(

author: DrGeoff
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 11:50:16 am
content: 2N720A80V/500mA TO-18 case.

author: Pjotr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 11:56:14 am
content: If "old sounding" is also important maybe look look for old germanium or even tubesHave some old Siemens AD103 transistors somewhere in a drawer that can switch 15A! But at an ugly Hfe of 10. Those were used in a "contact less " car ignition control.

author: HKJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 11:58:05 am
content: Quote from: matseng on June 16, 2015, 11:44:12 amI do not know how old they are, but I will guess from before 1980.What about hobby electronic magazines from that era, the transistors has been fairly common for medium power applications like drivers for an output stage.

author: Pjotr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 12:09:03 pm
content: http://semiconductormuseum.com/Museum_Index.htmQuote:"Since its initial product launch by Motorola at the1962IRE Convention, the 2N2222 has become the most widely used and universally recognized transistor of all time. Billions of units have been manufactured over the past 45 years and there is continuing high volume annual production. Whether you are an engineer, experimenter, educator or amateur radio enthusiast, if you have built a transistorized project over the past 45 years, then you have likely encountered the ubiquitous 2N2222, the “universal transistor”."

author: HKJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 12:35:24 pm
content: Looks like the BD135..BD140 are from around 1970:http://www.radiomuseum.org/tubes/tube_bd139.htmlhttp://www.radiomuseum.org/tubes/tube_bd140.html

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 12:37:06 pm
content: TO-18 and TO-39 cases are a good sign of fairly old medium power transistors. And they look cool with the small finned heatsinks made for them.http://www.ti.com/lit/an/snoa033/snoa033.pdfMetal can packages.Check ebay.com for 'power transistors data book' and similar searches. *Plenty* of old data books cheaply available.Also ebay searching for 'vintage transistor' will give you tons of ideas.Another pretty looking case style was this:http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Transistor-2N3567-Gold-Leads-/121116373266?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item1c33193112Ceramic disk, with a blob of epoxy covering the die. There should be some types in that form still available in bulk.

author: Pjotr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 12:44:50 pm
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on June 16, 2015, 12:37:06 pmThat is the typical packaging from Fairchild. Their first integrated circuits and very first LED's (with a transparent epoxy blob on top) came in a similar packaging

author: Kalvin
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2015, 01:03:34 pm
content: Transistor Cross-Reference D.A.T.A.Book fall 1969:https://ia902701.us.archive.org/32/items/bitsavers_derivationates1969TransistorDATABook27ed_68742623/1969_Transistor_DATA_Book_27ed.pdf- 2N2222, 2N2904, 2N2906, 2N3055, BC107, BC108, TIP30-TIP36, BD121, some BD120-series, BD130-series and BD140-series transistors too.