Active TVS for 136V rails
The Littelfuse 1.5SMC160CA is an active-production bidirectional TVS diode in the 1.5SMC series, designed to clamp transients on 136V nominal DC rails.
Voltage thresholds and the protection window
The reverse standoff voltage is 136V — the rail voltage the diode leaves alone during normal operation. Breakdown starts at 152V minimum, and the clamping voltage at peak pulse current is 219V maximum. For a 136V bus, this gives roughly 16V of margin before the diode begins conducting, and the clamp holds the transient to 219V, which is the upper limit the downstream components must survive. The single bidirectional channel means the same device protects against positive and negative transients on a single line — no need to orient the part or use two unidirectional diodes back-to-back. The 1500W rating is a single-pulse rating at 25°C; derate linearly above that per the datasheet curve.
Sourcing and compliance posture
The 1.5SMC series is a broad TVS family; the 1.5SMC160CA is the 160V bidirectional variant. For unidirectional protection on the same rail, the 1.5SMC160A is the sibling — same package, same power, same voltage thresholds, but a single-direction clamp. The choice between them is purely circuit topology: one line needing bidirectional protection vs. a single-polarity rail.