Product Overview
TIP32C PNP Power Transistor in a TO-220 Case - Texas Instruments New Old Stock, Sold Each
Condition
New old stock, unused, held in a clear poly bag in our surplus stock. The black epoxy TO-220 bodies are clean. On the tabs that are fully visible in the photo there is some dark spotting and light scuffing on the bare metal, but no old screw marks and no dried heatsink compound; the leads that can be seen are straight and carry no solder, with plating that reads dull grey rather than bright. Most pieces in the pile sit overlapped or face down, so treat this as a description of what the one photograph actually shows and not a promise about every lead and tab in the bag. The case faces legible in the photo carry the Texas Instruments logo above the TIP32C part marking, and the date codes we can read include 7423 and A7641, which places this stock in the middle 1970s. The photograph shows a handful of pieces from that bag together so you can see the marking and the lead condition for yourself; date codes vary from piece to piece and we cannot promise a particular one. Sold each, not as the group shown.
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Product Overview
The TIP32C is a PNP silicon power transistor in the plastic TO-220 package, rated 100V and 3A in this listing's specifications, and it is the long-serving PNP complement to the NPN TIP31 series. The letter suffix marks the voltage grade inside the TIP32 family, and C is the top grade, which is why a schematic that calls for a C part should not quietly get a plain TIP32. The pieces legible in the photo are Texas Instruments production, marked TIP32C on the case face under the TI logo, with the bare metal tab that lets the device bolt to a heatsink. On TO-220 power devices the tab is electrically live, so use an insulating washer and shoulder bushing wherever the heatsink is grounded. Gain grouping, thermal resistance and the rest of the datasheet parameters are not confirmed here - verify against the TIP32C datasheet before use.
Key Features
- Device type: PNP silicon power transistor
- Package: TO-220 plastic case with bare metal mounting tab
- Voltage rating: 100V per this listing's specification
- Current rating: 3A per this listing's specification
- Marking: Texas Instruments logo with TIP32C on the case faces legible in the photo
- Date codes seen in this bag: 7423 and A7641
- Leads: the leads visible in the photo are straight and unsoldered, with dull grey plating
- Gain grouping, hFE and thermal figures: Not confirmed - verify against the TIP32C datasheet before use
Applications
- Audio technician rebuilding a 1970s amplifier driver or output stage that calls for the PNP half of a complementary pair
- Controls technician using it as a high side switch for a small solenoid, lamp or relay coil inside the listed ratings
- Repair shop matching an original TIP32C on a legacy board so the number on the schematic matches the number on the heatsink
- Hobbyist breadboarding a complementary output stage who needs two or three PNPs and has no use for a bag of fifty
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I get the transistors shown in the photograph?
No. The photo shows several pieces from the same bag so the marking, the tab and the lead condition are visible honestly. You receive one transistor for each unit you buy, pulled from that stock. Date codes vary piece to piece, so we cannot promise the 7423 or the A7641 specifically.
What does the C suffix mean, and can I substitute a plain TIP32?
The letter marks the voltage grade within the TIP32 family, and C is the highest grade, which is the 100V part described here. A lower grade will physically drop in but will not carry the same voltage margin. If your schematic specifies a C, match the C, and check the datasheet before substituting anything else.
These date codes are from the 1970s. Does age hurt a part like this?
What ages on a stored transistor is the lead plating, not the silicon. On the pieces facing the camera the plating has gone a dull, mottled grey rather than staying bright, which is what decades of storage look like; we see no green corrosion on those leads and the epoxy bodies show no cracks or chips, but plenty of leads in the pile are hidden and we will not describe what we cannot see. Beyond that visual check we do not test these electrically, so bench-check gain in your circuit if the application is critical.
Can I bolt it straight to a grounded chassis or heatsink?
Not without insulation. The metal tab on a TO-220 device of this type is not isolated, so use a mica or silicone insulator and a shoulder washer wherever the heatsink or chassis is at a different potential. The tabs we can see in the photo are flat, with some dark spotting and scuffing on the bare metal but no old screw marks or dried thermal compound; the ones underneath are not visible, so look yours over before you mount it.
Why buy two or three here instead of a bag of fifty from somewhere else?
Because most people fixing an amplifier need one PNP, and most people building a complementary stage need two. Buy exactly that count instead of paying for a forced lot of fifty that sits in a drawer for the next decade. Shipping is $8 flat rate and free once your order passes $28, and orders leave our Idaho warehouse the same or next business day.
Stamped with the TI logo and a date code from the middle 1970s, this is the low side workhorse that a generation of audio and control boards was drawn around. Solder one into a driver stage that has gone quiet and it picks up right where it left off, fifty years late and none the worse for the wait.
