Product Overview
Unused Germanium PNP Power Transistor in a TO-3 Case, Marked 2N1545A
Condition
Unused, New Old Stock. This transistor has not been installed or placed into service and has been stored as original inventory from the period of manufacture. The photos show the actual part: a diamond-shaped TO-3 package with a bright nickel-finish can. The flange reads gold-toned in the top-side photo and plain nickel-silver in the underside photo, so treat the flange plating color as unconfirmed. The top face is stamped with a stylized S logo, the part number 2N1545A, and the code 8004 beneath it, the format usually read as a 1980 date code. One mounting tab is stamped MEXICO along with the number 20. The underside carries stamped E and B letters beside two green glass-sealed terminals with gold-colored pins, and as is standard for a two-lead TO-3 device the case itself is the collector connection. The can shows dense multidirectional scuffing with a few deeper nicks, and the base plate carries light scratches - cosmetic surface wear from decades of loose stock handling. Two pieces on hand.
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Product Overview
The Solid State, Inc. 2N1545A is a legacy PNP power transistor from the JEDEC 2N1545 family, a group of high-dissipation germanium power devices used in audio amplification, linear regulation, and industrial control circuits. It arrives in the classic two-hole TO-3 diamond package that bolts straight to a chassis or heatsink, with the two leads brought out through green glass seals and stamped E and B on the base plate. Parts carrying this designation were supplied by several U.S. manufacturers for OEM and government-supported programs; this one is stamped MEXICO on the flange and carries the code 8004. Today the 2N1545A is bought almost entirely for form-fit-function replacement in equipment that was designed around the original germanium part.
Key Features
- Polarity: PNP power transistor
- Semiconductor technology: germanium
- Family: JEDEC 2N1545 designation
- Package: TO-3 diamond flange with two mounting holes
- Terminals: two leads stamped E and B, case is the collector connection
- Case markings: stylized S logo, 2N1545A, code 8004
- Flange markings: MEXICO and the number 20
- Intended role: high-dissipation linear amplification and pass-regulator service
- Condition: unused New Old Stock, two pieces available
- Full electrical ratings: not confirmed - verify against the original equipment documentation before use
Applications
- Audio restorer rebuilding the output stage of an early transistor power amplifier and matching the original germanium device family
- Bench technician repairing a linear series-pass power supply built around a germanium PNP pass element
- Maintenance electrician keeping older transistorized servo, control, and instrumentation gear in service
- Museum or collection technician doing form-fit-function replacement in legacy military or aerospace hardware
Frequently Asked Questions
What markings will be on the part I receive?
The can is stamped with a stylized S logo, 2N1545A, and the code 8004. One mounting tab is stamped MEXICO and the number 20. The base plate is stamped E and B next to the two terminals.
Which terminal is which on this package?
The two pins are stamped E and B on the base plate, and on a two-lead TO-3 the metal case serves as the collector. Confirm the pinout against your equipment documentation before wiring, especially in a circuit where the case is bonded to the chassis.
Are full electrical specifications available?
Primary datasheets for the 2N1545A variant are limited, and we do not have voltage, current, or dissipation ratings confirmed for this unit. Treat the original equipment documentation or a 2N1545 family datasheet as the reference before you put it into a circuit.
Is this a good choice for a new design?
Not usually. Germanium power devices like this one are bought for restoration and form-fit-function replacement in equipment that already expects them, not for new development work.
Why buy one or two of these instead of a bulk lot elsewhere?
Because a germanium output stage usually needs one or two devices, not fifty. We sell the exact quantity you need instead of forcing a lot, shipping is $8 flat rate and free over $28, and orders leave our Idaho warehouse the same or next business day.
A germanium PNP stamped MEXICO, left to sit out the entire silicon era without ever getting warm. Bolt it to the heatsink your amplifier or supply already has, and it finally starts the job it was built for.
