Is anyone familiar with the "metal can" transistors in old radios and such?
I am not talking about TO-18, TO-39, or even TO-3 here. These were perfect
"can" shaped, and looked like miniature electrolytic condensers. Once I
have heard of them being referred to as "TO-1" (not sure if this is
official, I haven't seen it anywhere on the 'net). I am pretty certain they
are transsistors. They have three leads and in devices that I have worked
on that use them, I could not see any "conventional" transistors. They used
an odd numbering system, too. Instead of 2N### it was 2SB. Not sure what
that stands for (some chemical element?) Silicon B____? The number 2 may
stand for 2 dominant semiconductor elements perhaps (2 N's or 2 P's). Aaah,
I'm just speculating at this point, but I am trying to give an idea of what
I am talking about. Has anyone else come across these? Do they even make
them anymore? I have only ever seen them in 1960's and 1970's equipment.

They look a bit like this from the side:

____ ______
()____)/======

Ernie Werbel wrote in message ...
Is anyone familiar with the "metal can" transistors in old radios and such?
I am not talking about TO-18, TO-39, or even TO-3 here. These were perfect
"can" shaped, and looked like miniature electrolytic condensers

Although I realize I said they are like electrolytic condensers these
"transistors"(?) do not have the crimp along the end where the leads come
out. It is more or less a perfect cylinder. If I look closely where the
leads come out, there seems to be a very thin, outer ring of metal that is
fused to the main case (two-part manufacturing process?). None of the leads
attach to the exterior case (unlike TO-5 and TO-3). The underside is more
like a TO-18 in that respect.

"Ernie Werbel" wrote in
news:GQSAg.212$7m5.94@trnddc05:

Ernie Werbel wrote in message ...
Is anyone familiar with the "metal can" transistors in old
radios and such? I am not talking about TO-18, TO-39, or
even TO-3 here. These were perfect "can" shaped, and
looked like miniature electrolytic condensers

Although I realize I said they are like electrolytic
condensers these "transistors"(?) do not have the crimp
along the end where the leads come out. It is more or less
a perfect cylinder. If I look closely where the leads come
out, there seems to be a very thin, outer ring of metal
that is fused to the main case (two-part manufacturing
process?). None of the leads attach to the exterior case
(unlike TO-5 and TO-3). The underside is more like a TO-18
in that respect.




Sounds like your talking about early Japanese transistors.
Typical designation is 2SA1234,2SB1234 or 2SC1234, or even
2SD1234. It may only have three digits following the two
letters
They are T0-1 style cases .240 x.410 inches.

If you hold the transistor with the leads facing you, and the
top pointing away, rotate the can until the triangle made by
the three leads, has the longest side horizontal, and the
"point" of the triangle pointing up (like the "Delta"
triangle), then the base will be at the top point, the emitter
will be on the left and the collector on the right.


b
/ \
/ \
e_______c

In article ,
Nirodac wrote:

"Ernie Werbel" wrote in
news:GQSAg.212$7m5.94@trnddc05:

Ernie Werbel wrote in message ...
Is anyone familiar with the "metal can" transistors in old
radios and such? I am not talking about TO-18, TO-39, or
even TO-3 here. These were perfect "can" shaped, and
looked like miniature electrolytic condensers

Although I realize I said they are like electrolytic
condensers these "transistors"(?) do not have the crimp
along the end where the leads come out. It is more or less
a perfect cylinder. If I look closely where the leads come
out, there seems to be a very thin, outer ring of metal
that is fused to the main case (two-part manufacturing
process?). None of the leads attach to the exterior case
(unlike TO-5 and TO-3). The underside is more like a TO-18
in that respect.




Sounds like your talking about early Japanese transistors.
Typical designation is 2SA1234,2SB1234 or 2SC1234, or even
2SD1234. It may only have three digits following the two
letters
They are T0-1 style cases .240 x.410 inches.

If you hold the transistor with the leads facing you, and the
top pointing away, rotate the can until the triangle made by
the three leads, has the longest side horizontal, and the
"point" of the triangle pointing up (like the "Delta"
triangle), then the base will be at the top point, the emitter
will be on the left and the collector on the right.


Check out:

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...ie/gallery.htm

Al

Al wrote in message ...
In article ,
Nirodac wrote:


Check out:

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...ie/gallery.htm

Al

Wow! And I thought I came across some oddities. Thanks for the link!

Nirodac wrote in message ...

Sounds like your talking about early Japanese transistors.
Typical designation is 2SA1234,2SB1234 or 2SC1234, or even
2SD1234. It may only have three digits following the two
letters
They are T0-1 style cases .240 x.410 inches.


Yes that is the size! So that also confirms it being TO-1 style.
I even have seen some that only have two numbers, like 2SB75.


If you hold the transistor with the leads facing you, and the
top pointing away, rotate the can until the triangle made by
the three leads, has the longest side horizontal, and the
"point" of the triangle pointing up (like the "Delta"
triangle), then the base will be at the top point, the emitter
will be on the left and the collector on the right.


b
/ \
/ \
e_______c


Thanks a lot! I would have had no idea otherwise. Hey, maybe I can make
some simple projects with these. Is the emitter-base junction drop 0.7-V as
in a modern transistor or, 0.3-V if Germanium as mentioned by Brian? I
guess it matters on the type but the voltages should be the same for the
correct material no?

2SA... 2SB... 2SC... 2SD... is the Japanese transistor numbering system.

I think there are also 2SJ... and 2SK... for FETs.

If I remember correctly 2SAnn and 2SAnnn were high frequency germanium PNPs
and 2SBnn and 2SBnnn were low frequency germanium PNPs.

--

Brian Gregory. (In the UK)

To email me remove the letter vee.

Brian Gregory [UK] wrote in message
...
2SA... 2SB... 2SC... 2SD... is the Japanese transistor numbering system.

I think there are also 2SJ... and 2SK... for FETs.

If I remember correctly 2SAnn and 2SAnnn were high frequency germanium PNPs
and 2SBnn and 2SBnnn were low frequency germanium PNPs.



Ah that would make sense that these transistors have Japanese companies
printed on them (Matsuhitia, Hitachi, Ten). I did not notice this before.
So this is their equivelant to 2N in a way, but with the second letter
having a specific meaning?

I can't help but wonder why it is "2S" and not something else.

Are Germanium transistors still being manufactured? I know they still make
Germanium diodes like the 1N56.

Ernie Werbel wrote:
Is anyone familiar with the "metal can" transistors in old radios and
such? I am not talking about TO-18, TO-39, or even TO-3 here. These
were perfect "can" shaped, and looked like miniature electrolytic
condensers. Once I have heard of them being referred to as "TO-1"
(not sure if this is official, I haven't seen it anywhere on the
'net). I am pretty certain they are transsistors. They have three
leads and in devices that I have worked on that use them, I could not
see any "conventional" transistors. They used an odd numbering
system, too. Instead of 2N### it was 2SB. Not sure what that stands
for (some chemical element?) Silicon B____? The number 2 may stand
for 2 dominant semiconductor elements perhaps (2 N's or 2 P's).
Aaah, I'm just speculating at this point, but I am trying to give an
idea of what I am talking about. Has anyone else come across these?
Do they even make them anymore? I have only ever seen them in 1960's
and 1970's equipment.

They look a bit like this from the side:

____ ______
()____)/======

AC128s etc used to come in those. I've even got an old (Ge ?) transistor in
a black glass capsule.

geoff