1.5KE160 surge suppressor — 1500W Zener TVS in DO-201
It is a general-purpose circuit protection component (cite:) for lines where a single axial through-hole device handles the surge budget. Key parametric limits: reverse standoff voltage 136 V (the maximum DC bias the device sees without conducting), breakdown voltage min 144 V (where avalanche starts), and clamping voltage max 229.95 V at rated peak pulse current of 6.9 A. The 1500 W rating means it absorbs a single 10/1000 µs surge to that level without failing short — a common benchmark for secondary surge protection in power supplies and industrial controls. The DO-201AA / DO-27 axial package (supplier device package DO-201) is a through-hole format with a 0.052-inch diameter lead — standard for high-reliability soldering into plated-through holes on single-sided or double-sided boards. The 1.5KE series uses the same die and package across its voltage range, so the 1.5KE160 is footprint-compatible with any other 1.5KE part at the same voltage rating.
Temperature range and surge derating
At the high end, the peak pulse power derates linearly from 1500 W at 25°C to zero at 175°C; at 125°C the derating factor is roughly 50 %, so the effective surge capacity drops to 750 W. A design that relies on the full 1500 W rating must account for the ambient temperature and self-heating from repetitive surges. The 10/1000 µs waveform is the standard test pulse for TVS diodes — 10 µs rise, 1000 µs half-value. For shorter pulses (e.g., 8/20 µs per IEC 61000-4-5), the peak current capability is higher because the energy is lower. The 1.5KE160's 6.9 A rating at 10/1000 µs is the conservative figure for mains-borne transients; for ESD-type events the device can handle several times that current.
Obsolete — sourcing through independent channels
For a BOM line that calls out 1.5KE160, the closest functional equivalent within the 1.5KE family is the same voltage rating — 1.5KE160A (the 'A' suffix indicates tighter breakdown tolerance). Both share the same DO-201 package, 1500 W rating, and 136 V standoff; the difference is breakdown voltage tolerance (±5 % for the 'A' vs ±10 % for the non-'A'). If the BOM has margin on the breakdown window, the 'A' version is a drop-in replacement. For other voltage ratings, the 1.5KE series covers 6.8 V to 440 V in the same package and power class.