Transistors
This page covers practical matters such as
precautions when soldering
and identifying leads. The operation and use of transistors is covered
by the
Transistor Circuits
page.
Types
| Connecting
|
Soldering
| Heat
sinks |
Testing
| Codes
|
Choosing
| Darlington pair
Also see: Heat
sinks |
Transistor Circuits
Function

Transistors
amplify current, for example they can be used to
amplify the small output
current from a logic IC so that it can operate a lamp, relay or other
high current device.
In many circuits a resistor is used to convert the changing current to a
changing voltage,
so the transistor is being used to
amplify voltage.
A transistor may be used as a switch (either fully on with
maximum current, or fully off with
no current) and as an amplifier (always partly on).
The amount of current amplification is called the current gain,
symbol hFE.
For further information please see the Transistor Circuits
page.
Types of transistor
 |
| Transistor circuit symbols |
There are two types of standard transistors,
NPN and
PNP,
with different circuit symbols.
The letters refer to the layers of semiconductor material used to make
the transistor.
Most transistors used today are NPN because this is the easiest type to
make from silicon.
If you are new to electronics it is best to start by learning how to use
NPN transistors.
The leads are labelled base (B), collector (C) and emitter
(E).
These terms refer to the internal operation of a transistor but
they are not much
help in understanding how a transistor is used, so just treat them as
labels!
A Darlington pair
is two transistors connected together
to give a very high current gain.
In addition to standard (bipolar junction) transistors, there are
field-effect transistors which are usually referred to as FETs.
They
have different circuit symbols and properties and they are not (yet)
covered by this page.
 |
| Transistor leads for some common case
styles. |
Connecting
Transistors have three leads which must be connected the correct way
round.
Please take care with this because a wrongly connected transistor may be
damaged instantly when you switch on.
If you are lucky the orientation of the transistor will be clear from
the PCB or
stripboard layout diagram, otherwise you will need to refer to a
supplier's catalogue
to identify the leads.
The drawings on the right show the leads for some of the most common
case styles.
Please note that transistor lead diagrams show the view from below
with the
leads towards you. This is the opposite of IC (chip) pin diagrams which
show the view
from above.
Please see below for a table
showing the case styles of
some common transistors.
Soldering
Transistors can be damaged by heat when soldering so if you are not an
expert it is
wise to use a heat sink clipped to the lead between the joint and the
transistor body.
A standard crocodile clip can be used as a heat sink.
Do not confuse this temporary heat sink with the permanent heat
sink (described below)
which may be required for a power transistor to prevent it overheating
during operation.
Heat sinks
Waste heat is produced in transistors due to the current flowing through
them.
Heat sinks are needed for power transistors because they pass large
currents.
If you find that a transistor is becoming too hot to touch it certainly
needs
a heat sink! The heat sink helps to dissipate (remove) the heat by
transferring
it to the surrounding air.
For further information please see the Heat sinks
page.
Testing a transistor
Transistors can be damaged by heat when soldering or by misuse in a
circuit.
If you suspect that a transistor may be damaged there are two easy ways
to test it:
 |
| Testing an NPN transistor |
1. Testing with a multimeter
Use a
multimeter
or a
simple tester
(battery, resistor and LED)
to check each pair of leads for conduction. Set a digital multimeter to
diode test
and an analogue multimeter to a low resistance range.
Test each pair of leads both ways (six tests in total):
- The base-emitter (BE) junction should behave like a diode and
conduct one way only.
- The base-collector (BC) junction should behave like a
diode and
conduct one way only.
- The collector-emitter (CE) should not
conduct either way.
The diagram shows how the junctions behave in an NPN transistor.
The diodes are reversed in a PNP transistor but the same test procedure
can be used.
 |
A simple switching circuit to test an NPN
transistor |
2. Testing in a simple switching circuit
Connect the transistor into the circuit shown on the right which uses
the transistor as a switch.
The supply voltage is not critical, anything between 5 and 12V is
suitable.
This circuit can be quickly built on
breadboard for
example.
Take care to include the 10k

resistor in the base connection or you will destroy the transistor as
you test it!
If the transistor is OK the LED should light when the switch is pressed
and not light when the switch is released.
To test a PNP transistor use the same circuit but reverse the LED and
the supply voltage.
Some multimeters
have a 'transistor test' function which
provides a known base current and measures the collector current so as
to display the
transistor's DC current gain hFE.
Transistor codes
There are three main series of transistor codes used in the UK:
- Codes beginning with B (or A), for example BC108, BC478
The first letter B is for silicon, A is for germanium (rarely
used now).
The second letter indicates the type; for example C means low power
audio frequency;
D means high power audio frequency; F means low power high
frequency.
The rest of the code identifies the particular transistor.
There is no obvious logic to the numbering system.
Sometimes a letter is added to the end (eg BC108C) to identify a
special version
of the main type, for example a higher current gain or a different
case style.
If a project specifies a higher gain version (BC108C) it must be
used,
but if the general code is given (BC108) any transistor with that
code is suitable.
- Codes beginning with TIP, for example TIP31A
TIP refers to the manufacturer: Texas Instruments Power
transistor.
The letter at the end identifies versions with different voltage
ratings.
- Codes beginning with 2N, for example 2N3053
The initial '2N' identifies the part as a transistor and the
rest of the code
identifies the particular transistor.
There is no obvious logic to the numbering system.
Choosing a transistor
Most projects will specify a particular transistor, but if necessary you
can usually
substitute an equivalent transistor from the wide range available. The
most important
properties to look for are the maximum collector current I
C
and the
current gain h
FE. To make selection easier most suppliers
group their
transistors in categories determined either by their
typical use
or
maximum power rating.
To make a final choice you will need to consult the tables of technical
data which
are normally provided in catalogues. They contain a great deal of useful
information
but they can be difficult to understand if you are not familiar with the
abbreviations
used. The table below shows the most important technical data for some
popular transistors,
tables in catalogues and reference books will usually show additional
information but
this is unlikely to be useful unless you are experienced.
The quantities shown in the table are explained below.
| NPN transistors |
| Code |
Structure |
Case style |
IC max. |
VCE max. |
hFE min. |
Ptot max. |
Category (typical use) |
Possible substitutes |
| BC107 |
NPN |
TO18 |
100mA |
45V |
110 |
300mW |
Audio, low power |
BC182 BC547 |
| BC108 |
NPN |
TO18 |
100mA |
20V |
110 |
300mW |
General purpose, low power |
BC108C BC183 BC548 |
| BC108C |
NPN |
TO18 |
100mA |
20V |
420 |
600mW |
General purpose, low power |
|
| BC109 |
NPN |
TO18 |
200mA |
20V |
200 |
300mW |
Audio (low noise), low power |
BC184 BC549 |
| BC182 |
NPN |
TO92C |
100mA |
50V |
100 |
350mW |
General purpose, low power |
BC107 BC182L |
| BC182L |
NPN |
TO92A |
100mA |
50V |
100 |
350mW |
General purpose, low power |
BC107 BC182 |
| BC547B |
NPN |
TO92C |
100mA |
45V |
200 |
500mW |
Audio, low power |
BC107B |
| BC548B |
NPN |
TO92C |
100mA |
30V |
220 |
500mW |
General purpose, low power |
BC108B |
| BC549B |
NPN |
TO92C |
100mA |
30V |
240 |
625mW |
Audio (low noise), low power |
BC109 |
| 2N3053 |
NPN |
TO39 |
700mA |
40V |
50 |
500mW |
General purpose, low power |
BFY51 |
| BFY51 |
NPN |
TO39 |
1A |
30V |
40 |
800mW |
General purpose, medium power |
BC639 |
| BC639 |
NPN |
TO92A |
1A |
80V |
40 |
800mW |
General purpose, medium power |
BFY51 |
| TIP29A |
NPN |
TO220 |
1A |
60V |
40 |
30W |
General purpose, high power |
|
| TIP31A |
NPN |
TO220 |
3A |
60V |
10 |
40W |
General purpose, high power |
TIP31C TIP41A |
| TIP31C |
NPN |
TO220 |
3A |
100V |
10 |
40W |
General purpose, high power |
TIP31A TIP41A |
| TIP41A |
NPN |
TO220 |
6A |
60V |
15 |
65W |
General purpose, high power |
|
| 2N3055 |
NPN |
TO3 |
15A |
60V |
20 |
117W |
General purpose, high power |
|
| Please note: the data in this table
was
compiled from several sources which are not entirely consistent!
Most of the discrepancies are minor, but please consult information
from your supplier if you require precise data. |
| PNP transistors |
| Code |
Structure |
Case style |
IC max. |
VCE max. |
hFE min. |
Ptot max. |
Category (typical use) |
Possible substitutes |
| BC177 |
PNP |
TO18 |
100mA |
45V |
125 |
300mW |
Audio, low power |
BC477 |
| BC178 |
PNP |
TO18 |
200mA |
25V |
120 |
600mW |
General purpose, low power |
BC478 |
| BC179 |
PNP |
TO18 |
200mA |
20V |
180 |
600mW |
Audio (low noise), low power |
|
| BC477 |
PNP |
TO18 |
150mA |
80V |
125 |
360mW |
Audio, low power |
BC177 |
| BC478 |
PNP |
TO18 |
150mA |
40V |
125 |
360mW |
General purpose, low power |
BC178 |
| TIP32A |
PNP |
TO220 |
3A |
60V |
25 |
40W |
General purpose, high power |
TIP32C |
| TIP32C |
PNP |
TO220 |
3A |
100V |
10 |
40W |
General purpose, high power |
TIP32A |
| Please note: the data in this table
was
compiled from several sources which are not entirely consistent!
Most of the discrepancies are minor, but please consult information
from your supplier if you require precise data. |
| Structure |
This shows the type of transistor, NPN or PNP. The polarities of
the two types
are different, so if you are looking for a substitute it must be the
same type. |
| Case style |
There is a diagram showing the leads for some of the most common
case styles
in the Connecting
section above. This information is
also available in suppliers' catalogues. |
| IC max. |
Maximum collector current. |
| VCE max. |
Maximum voltage across the collector-emitter junction.
You can ignore this rating in low voltage circuits. |
| hFE |
This is the current gain (strictly the DC current gain).
The guaranteed minimum value is given because the actual value
varies from
transistor to transistor - even for those of the same type!
Note that current gain is just a number so it has no units.
The gain is often quoted at a particular collector
current IC
which is usually in the middle of the transistor's range, for
example '100@20mA'
means the gain is at least 100 at 20mA. Sometimes minimum and
maximum values are given.
Since the gain is roughly constant for various currents but it
varies from transistor
to transistor this detail is only really of interest to experts.
Why hFE? It is one of a whole series of
parameters for transistors,
each with their own symbol. There are too many to explain here. |
| Ptot max. |
Maximum total power which can be developed in the transistor,
note that a
heat sink
will be required to achieve the maximum rating.
This rating is important for transistors operating as amplifiers,
the power is roughly
IC × VCE. For transistors operating as
switches the maximum
collector current (IC max.) is more important. |
| Category |
This shows the typical use for the transistor, it is a good
starting point when looking for
a substitute. Catalogues may have separate tables for different
categories. |
| Possible substitutes |
These are transistors with similar electrical properties which
will be suitable
substitutes in most circuits. However, they may have a different
case style
so you will need to take care when placing them on the circuit
board. |
Darlington pair

This is two transistors connected together so that the amplified current
from the first
is amplified further by the second transistor. This gives the Darlington
pair a very
high current gain such as 10000. Darlington pairs are sold as complete
packages containing
the two transistors. They have three leads
(
B,
C and
E)
which are equivalent to the leads of a standard individual transistor.