Dual PNP pair in a TO-78 can — 60 Vce, 50 mA Ic
The Central Semiconductor 2N3810 is a dual PNP bipolar transistor housed in a TO-78-6 metal can package. It delivers a collector-emitter breakdown voltage of 60 V and a maximum collector current of 50 mA, with a power dissipation ceiling of 350 mW. The dual-transistor configuration in a single package provides matched electrical characteristics for differential amplifier stages, current mirrors, and push-pull output drivers where thermal tracking between the two devices matters.
At 350 mW maximum power, the 2N3810 is a signal-level device, not a power transistor. In a typical 24 V supply rail, the combined collector current of both PNP halves should be kept under 15 mA to stay inside the safe operating area without derating. The TO-78 metal can provides better thermal conductivity than plastic TO-92 or SOT-23 packages, so junction-to-ambient thermal resistance is lower — useful when both transistors are biased on simultaneously in a long-tailed pair.
hFE of 150 minimum at 1 mA, 5 V
DC current gain is guaranteed at 150 minimum when collector current is 1 mA and Vce is 5 V. This is a moderate gain figure — high enough for most analog signal-conditioning stages but not so high that the transistor becomes prone to thermal runaway in a simple bias network. The 250 mV saturation voltage at 100 µA base current and 1 mA collector current means the device can saturate cleanly in switching applications with modest base drive.
Operating temperature: -65°C to 200°C junction
It is suitable for avionics, satellite payloads, downhole instrumentation, and other environments where the ambient temperature exceeds the commercial or industrial limits. The 10 µA maximum collector cutoff current (ICBO) at the high end of the temperature range should be budgeted into the bias design for low-current stages.
It is listed as RoHS non-compliant, which is expected for a hermetically sealed metal-can package from this era of design. For new designs requiring RoHS compliance, a tin-lead finish on the leads is the norm, and the part remains available through independent distribution channels.